With summer coming, we’re going to have many options for fresh veggies and many veggie leftovers. Here is a solution for small amounts of random veggies- a vegetable soup! I’ve listed this recipe in order of things you really need followed by interchangeable ingredients such as pastas, beans and the veggies. I’ve based this on a recipe from The Food Network.
Soup Base:
- 4 cups chicken or veggie broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 15 -ounce can crushed tomatoes
Requires:
- 1 onion (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 15 -ounce can diced tomatoes
- oregano (1 teaspoon dried or 1 tbsp fresh)
- basil (1 teaspoon dried or 1 tbsp fresh)
- 1 cup pasta: elbow (best choice), penne, fusilli…
Optional additions:
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 large carrot (or more), diced
- 1 or 2 15-oz cans of beans: white, kidney, garbanzo, lima, great northern, pinto (black beans may or may not work)
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups mixed veggies: green beans, corn, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, peas, zucchini, yellow squash… cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
- You can even toss in lefteover meat bits such as chicken, saussage, ground turkey, etc. Keep in balance with the veggies so you don’t add more than 2 cups total of these ingredients or you’ll end up with stew.
Top with grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil (if available)