Little This, Little That Veggie Soup

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A friend asked what I put in my vegetable soup. It’s always fun to see what other people throw in a soup pot. I have so many different combinations I thought it would make a fun post. I love making vegetable soup because it is so healthy and is low in calories.  I am very much a “little this, little that” kind of soup cook. I utilize what is in my refrigerator/cabinets at any given time so I thought I could share a few of my latest combinations.I would love for you to share your veggie soup tips and combinations with us too. If you have a blog post on it, feel free to link up with me. If not, post it in the comments below.

I always start out with the same basic base –

6 cups water or 32 oz. beef, pork, chicken or vegetable broth
2 large/12(ish) baby carrots, chopped or sliced in rounds
2 stalks of celery, including the leafy ends
1 medium – 2 large onion, chopped or sliced in thin wedge shapes
3-4 cloves of garlic, diced or sliced or dried garlic (minced or sliced)
A large pinch of salt -kosher or smoked sea salt
Several grinds of black pepper

On to my veggie combinations –

#1
1 small zucchini,  small cubes
1/2 small/ medium eggplant, cubed
1 can diced tomatoes – 16-32 oz.
1 head/2 crowns broccoli, chopped ( or 8 oz. frozen)
1/2 – 1 sweet bell pepper, any color – diced
2 pinches parsley, dried or several sprigs fresh, roughly chopped
2-3 bay leaves
1  sprinkle or pinch chili powder
1 tiny pinch crushed red pepper

#2
2 cups leftover rice
1 cup canned garbanzo beans
2 stalks kale, rough chopped
5 brussel sprouts, thinly sliced
1/2 head cauliflower, chopped
1 diced jalapeno with almost all seeds and the veins taken out

#3
1/2 cup lentils
16-32 oz. diced tomatoes
8 oz. frozen broccoli/1 head broccoli/2 crowns, chopped
or 8 -16 oz. mixed broccoli/cauliflower
2-3 potatoes, cubed
2 cups frozen corn or 1 can creamed corn
Handful of fresh mushrooms, sliced or diced or a few pinches dried mushroom
2 pinches dried parsley/several sprigs fresh parsley, rough chopped
1 pinch basil
2-3 bay leaves
1 small pinch crushed red pepper

Usually I pop it all in the crock pot the night before I need it and cook overnight on high or stick in the fridge to start the next morning. Then I either make cornbread or grab a loaf of Italian bread at the store. I easily justify that $2-$3 purchase because it keeps me from a higher bill with take-out or eating out. I like to double or triple these recipes so I can freeze some individual servings for easy lunch for my husband or I. The only time I don’t freeze it is if it has potatoes in it.

What do you add to your veggie soup?

Feel free to link up. I just ask that you put at the bottom of your post that you are linking up with Real: The Kitchen and Beyond.

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