TULSA, Okla. — A broth-based vegetable soup can be filling as well as low-calorie, inexpensive and so, so easy to make. This one utilizes dried or canned beans and canned tomatoes along with a few fresh vegetable staples.
Bulk up your soups with the addition of whole grain pastas and intact grains like barley, brown rice, or bulgur wheat. Add other excess or favorite vegetables to your liking!
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
- 1 medium onion, diced (white, yellow or red/purple or leeks work great too!)
- 3-4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 2 stalks celery, diced (if you have it)
- 2 carrots, sliced into rounds or diced (if you have them)
- 2 cans beans (low-sodium or no salt added) or ½ pound dried beans** (drain and rinse the beans if using canned) Try beans such as: Northern, navy, cannellini, chickpeas, black eyed peas, black beans, etc.
- 1 28-ounce can petite diced tomatoes (canned plum or whole tomatoes or tomato sauce would work too!)
- About 2 cups root vegetables like white or yellow potatoes, turnips, or sweet potatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried herbs
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 quart (32 ounces) low-sodium vegetable broth or water
- 10-16 ounces frozen or fresh spinach, kale, or other green
- 2 cups zucchini or yellow squash, diced (optional)
Directions:
1. Heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
2. Add onions and cook until translucent (clear).
3. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes or until fragrant but not browned.
4. Add celery and carrots and cook 4-6 minutes.
5. Add beans, tomatoes, root vegetables, dried herbs, black pepper, and stock or water. Then add just enough water to cover all the ingredients.
6. Simmer soup covered for 20-30 minutes or until root vegetables are tender.
7. Stir in greens and squash. Simmer until tender and warmed though, about 10 minutes.
**If using dried beans, sort and rinse the beans then either:
1) Soak dried beans in water overnight OR
2) Place dried beans in a large pot, cover with about 2 inches of water, bring to a boil and cook 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover with a lid, and allow to soak for an hour.
Then simmer in water (without salt) for 2-3 hours or until beans are soft but the skins are not splitting.
Tips:
- Add frozen veggies just before serving. Frozen veggies are already cooked and usually just need to be heated through. (One exception is frozen black-eyed peas and they do require 20-30 minutes of cook time.)
- Other additional veggies to add or sub are: corn, hominy, lima beans, black eyed peas, bell peppers, green beans, fennel, green peas, green onion, winter squash, okra, or mushrooms.
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