Before becoming an adult, vegetable soup was one of my least favorite meals my mom made us for dinner. The only saving grace was the grilled cheese on the side…sorry Mom!
The vegetable soup that finally changed my perspective was enjoying my Oma’s veggie soup on a cold winter day after being outside with family while Christmas tree hunting. I knew in those first few bites I hadn’t given my mom enough credit all those years, and that it was time to perfect my vegetable soup recipe.
Meat or No Meat?
When I first started making soup, I always thought that the beef in vegetable soup was the star of the bowl. Little did I know, it could be just as flavorful without the added protein.
A few years ago, my husband went through a phase of being vegetarian for health reasons. He eats meat now, but I had to make some adjustments to a lot of our go-to meals, Homestyle Vegetable Soup being one of them. After making the soup with no beef, we have both come to prefer it this way. So I challenge you to try this dish one day sans meat and let me know what you think in the comments.
If you plan to use meat, I recommend cooking it in a pot with the onions, carrots and celery over medium heat and cutting it into very small bites (around ½-¾ of an inch size) to blend in with the rest of the veggies. I use beef tips from the meat market when I include meat in this recipe.
The Vegetables
Homestyle Vegetable Soup can really be comprised of any combination of vegetables you have on hand, but the staples really consist of onion, celery, carrots, potatoes and a bag of frozen vegetables. If you have other veggies that are close to expiring in your fridge, don’t be shy and throw them in the mix. Better than them going to waste!
You will start out by chopping everything finely and cooking the onion, celery and carrots (and beef if you’re going that route) in a large pot over medium heat with a little bit of olive oil. Once these veggies are cooked, you’ll add the broth, canned tomatoes, spices, potatoes and frozen veggies and let it cook for close to an hour.
To me, a quality bag of frozen vegetables makes a huge difference in this soup. I am definitely one to appreciate a bargain and opt for store name brands when I can, BUT after switching from Kroger frozen mixed vegetables to Trader Joe’s organic mixed vegetables, I can’t go back. This bag of frozen veggies truly is only one of two of my go-to Trader Joe’s must haves. Weird, right?
Why does this even matter you’re probably asking? Just trust me…the TJ’s frozen organic mixed veggies have shredded carrots and better tasting ingredients compared to other store brands I’ve tried. They come out less mushy in this soup as well, and to me, that’s a big difference maker!
Ingredients
- 1 white onion – finely chopped
- 3 celery stalks – finely chopped
- 3 carrot sticks – finely chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cans or 44 ounces of low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 can of tomato sauce
- 3 small Idaho potatoes – peeled and cubed into ½-¾ inch cubes
- 1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 tsp pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Over medium heat in a large soup pot, cook onion, celery and carrots in olive oil until cooked.
- Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, potatoes, frozen mixed vegetables and spices to pot with cooked vegetables and stir until well combined.
- Cover with a lid and cook on medium heat for about 45 minutes to an hour or until potatoes are tender. Stir every 10-15 minutes.
- Serve with your favorite soup toppings and grilled cheese.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container. Best enjoyed within 3-4 days of cooking.
Yumm sounds amazing!!