Greetings! I will start off my blog with the topic of soup, my absolute favorite meal to make. It's filling, comforting, easy to make, versatile, and there are hundreds of fantastic healthy recipes for it. However, the healthier soup recipes can be somewhat bland. Here are some tips for boosting flavor in soups without tons of salt or fat, which are added to many canned varieties:
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Add vinegar. I know, it sounds strange. But a tablespoon of vinegar adds a slight tang and complexity to an otherwise bland broth. Add a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to chicken soup for a slightly sweet tang, or a tablespoon of red wine vinegar to vegetable soup to enhance the flavor of the veggies.
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Season the mirepoix. The mirepoix is the combination of veggies you sautee in the pot before adding the other ingredients. Add the seasonings and spices (i.e. salt, pepper, bay leaf) the recipe calls for to the mirepoix instead of the broth. The flavors will permeate better through all layers of the soup.
* Add a parmesan cheese rind. Don't throw away that parmesan cheese rind! Drop in a small piece of the rind to add a wonderful nutty/cheesy note to the broth
of a vegetable or minestrone soup. I cut up the rind into 1 inch pieces, freeze them, and pull them out as needed. A pecorino romano rind is also delicious.
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Sautee mirepoix with bacon (or bacon substitute). Yes, bacon is high in fat, but you only need one piece to sautee with the mirepoix to add a smoky flavor to a bean soup. Pancetta, turkey bacon, and smoked ham also work. Pull it out before adding the broth.
* Add tomato paste. Pretty much any soup that has tomatoes in it will benefit from the sweet, intense tomato flavor of tomato paste. It also has tons of lycopene, which is super healthy for you. Add a few tablespoons to the mirepoix and stir until well-incorporated.
* Finish with fresh herbs. Fresh herbs dropped into the bowl before serving add a fresh flavor and color. Add basil to vegetable or minestrone soup, flat leaf parsley to chicken soup, cilantro to black bean, tortilla, or Thai soup, and chives to potato soup.
* Enjoy next day. This is probably obvious to anyone who has eaten leftover soup. It's definitely better the next day after the flavors have had time to marry in the refrigerator. If you are having guests over, make the soup the day before and reheat on the stove for low-stress entertaining and more flavorful soup!
Here is my recipe for simple vegetable soup. You can add any veggies you want to it. Sometimes I add zucchini, potatoes, beans, or broccoli, depending on what I have in my fridge and pantry.
Simple Vegetable Soup2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
8 ounces frozen chopped spinach
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
vegetable, chicken, or beef broth - the amount depends on how big your pile of veggies is and how brothy you like your soup. I usually add about 5-6 cups.
1 garlic clove, minced
2 bay leaves
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
pinch dried rosemary (optional)
1 inch piece parmesan cheese rind (optional)
fresh basil for garnish (optional)
Sautee the onion, celery, carrot, and pepper in the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot until softened. Add garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, and bay leaves to the veggies and stir until well-incorporated. Add the broth, spinach, tomatoes, parmesan cheese rind, and tbsp balsamic vinegar. Simmer on low until all veggies are softened and broth is heated through. I usually simmer for 1 hour. Before serving, remove bay leaves and cheese rind, and add fresh basil.
