Vegetable Soup
Most vegetable soups taste like watery disappointment because people think they need to build flavor from scratch – let the vegetables do their thing and hit it with fresh basil pesto at the end instead.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- ~2/3 cup finely diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced carrots
- ~2/3 cup finely diced celery
- ~1 1/3 cups diced sweet potatoes
- Salt and pepper
- 4 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 (28-oz) can petite-diced tomatoes, undrained
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- ~2/3 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 large lemon
- Basil pesto, for serving
Sauté the Vegetables
Heat ~2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onion softens and turns golden, ~7-9 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, thyme, cumin, and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about ~30 seconds.
Simmer the Soup
Pour in the undrained diced tomatoes and cook for ~2 minutes, stirring often. Add the broth and bay leaves. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Partially cover the pot, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for ~20-25 minutes.
Finish and Serve
Remove the lid and stir in the parsley, a pinch of lemon zest, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Remove the bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes, if needed. Drizzle the remaining olive oil on top.
Ladle into bowls and top each serving with a spoonful of pesto.
Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided
- ~2/3 cup finely diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced carrots
- ~2/3 cup finely diced celery
- ~1 1/3 cups diced sweet potatoes
- Salt and pepper
- 4 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Pinch red pepper flakes optional
- 1 can petite-diced tomatoes 28-oz, undrained
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- ~2/3 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 large lemon
- Basil pesto for serving
Method
- Heat 2.5 tbsp olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add onion, carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, salt and pepper. Cook until onions golden, 7-9 minutes.
- Add garlic, Italian seasoning, thyme, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Cook 30 seconds.
- Add tomatoes, cook 2 minutes.
- Pour in broth and bay leaves. Bring to boil, reduce heat and partially cover.
- Simmer 20-25 minutes.
- Stir in parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Remove bay leaves.
- Season to taste and drizzle with remaining oil.
- Serve topped with pesto.
