Description
Hearty creamy vegetable soup brings comfort from grandma’s kitchen to your table. Wholesome ingredients blend seamlessly, offering nourishing warmth and satisfying flavors you’ll savor with each spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups (0.95 liters) vegetable broth
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream or coconut milk
- ½ cup (50 g) shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil or butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium potato, peeled & diced
- 2 carrots, peeled & chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 cup (150 g) cauliflower or broccoli florets
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Fresh parsley or chives
- Extra shredded cheese
- Croutons for crunch
Instructions
- Vegetable Sauté: Heat fat in a large pot over medium heat, creating a sizzling base for aromatic vegetables to develop rich flavors.
- Flavor Foundation: Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery to the heated surface, stirring continuously to promote even caramelization and prevent burning while developing a deep, complex taste profile.
- Vegetable Layering: Introduce zucchini, cauliflower, and potatoes into the fragrant mixture, ensuring each piece is coated with the developing flavor base.
- Liquid Integration: Pour broth over the vegetable medley, sprinkling thyme and oregano across the surface, then season with salt and pepper to elevate the overall taste experience.
- Simmering Stage: Bring the mixture to a rapid boil, then immediately reduce heat to a gentle simmer, allowing vegetables to tenderize and meld their flavors for 15-20 minutes until completely soft.
- Texture Transformation: Utilize an immersion blender or transfer to a standard blender, processing until achieving a silky-smooth consistency that showcases the soup’s vibrant vegetable essence.
- Creamy Finish: Gently fold in cream, creating a luxurious, velvety texture that adds richness and depth to the soup’s final presentation.
- Final Flourish: Optional cheese addition provides an extra layer of complexity, while a garnish of fresh parsley, additional cheese, or crispy croutons offers textural contrast and visual appeal when serving.
Notes
- Choose the Right Pot: Select a large, heavy-bottomed pot to ensure even heat distribution and prevent burning of delicate vegetables.
- Sauté Vegetables Strategically: Cook aromatics (onions, garlic) slowly to develop deep, rich flavors without burning, creating a robust flavor foundation.
- Blend with Precision: Use an immersion blender for convenience, or transfer to a standard blender, working in batches to achieve a perfectly smooth consistency without overflow.
- Customize for Dietary Needs: Swap dairy cream with coconut milk for a vegan version, or use low-fat alternatives for a lighter, health-conscious adaptation of the soup.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg