Soup is a beautiful way to start any meal, especially if it is made with vegetables. You can have vegetable soup for lunch, dinner, or appetizers. But what side dishes do you need to prepare that go perfectly with the soup?
Here are what to serve with vegetable soup:
- Soup with pasta (choose a thick pasta such as penne or rigatoni)
- Soup with rice (choose brown rice over white rice)
- Soup with crusty bread (whole wheat, rye, pumpernickel, baguette, garlic bread, or focaccia)
- And many more.
How does it go with other dishes? Let’s learn more about the type and how to prepare them.
What Goes with Vegetable Soup?
It is common knowledge that a bowl of vegetable soup goes well with bread. However, what about other foods?
Let’s take a look at some perfect side dishes for soup:
With pasta
Pasta is a noodle dish that comes in various shapes and sizes. Some of them have a doughy consistency while others are thin and crispy.
For a soup with pasta, choose thick pasta such as penne or rigatoni. Add tomato sauce on top of the pasta. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, and any flavorings you want.
With rice
Rice is a grain that is often eaten as a side dish or main course. It is also used to make desserts.
For a soup with rice, choose brown rice over white rice. Brown rice has a nutty taste that goes well with most flavors.
With crusty bread
Crusty bread adds flavor and texture to the soup.
The perfect bread for soup includes whole wheat, rye, pumpernickel, baguette, garlic bread, or focaccia. This bread can be served plain or topped with butter, honey, jam, or marmalade.
With meat
Steak is usually grilled or broiled. You can serve it with mashed potatoes or corn on the cob.
Other meats include pork chops, lamb chops, ham, bacon, sausage, and beef brisket. These are all great choices if you’re looking for a hearty meal.
With fish
The best fish dish for it is salmon. Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which help reduce inflammation.
You can season this dish with lemon juice, dill, capers, parsley, chives, and mustard.
With chicken
Chicken is another popular food option. It is leaner than red meat. Chicken breast is the best choice when paired with soup.
Season the chicken with salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, sage, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
With salad
Salads are usually composed of raw vegetables. Soup with vegetables can be in different forms, including green salad, sandwiches, wraps, and bowls.
You can also pair the soup with hearty salad such as fruit salad, apple salad, delicious pear salad, green bean salad, pasta salad, etc.
With dessert
Desserts are sweet treats that are meant to satisfy hunger after meals. Desserts include fruits, cakes, cookies, pies, ice cream, and more.
It is also a nutritious meal that keeps you full until dinner.
How Do You Make Vegetable Soup?
How do I make vegetable soup at home?
You can easily make it home using ingredients already available in your kitchen. However, to prepare this dish perfectly, you must follow some basic steps.
- First, wash all the vegetables thoroughly before chopping them. This will remove any dirt or bacteria on their surface.
- Next, chop the vegetables finely so that they cook evenly.
- After that, heat the stock in a large pot. Add the chopped vegetables and simmer them over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
- Finally, season the soup with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Homemade Vegetable Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups chopped onion (1 medium)
- 1 ½ cups chopped carrot (3 to 4 carrots)
- 1 ½ cups chopped celery (2 to 3 stalks)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves garlic)
- 3/4 teaspoon ground fennel seed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional for heat)
- 1 (15-ounce) can of diced tomatoes with their liquid
- 6 cups stock or broth (you can use vegetable broth or beef stock or homemade chicken stock)
- 2 cups chopped potato (2 medium)
- 3 to 4 heaped cups of chopped or shredded cabbage
- 2 bay leaves
- 1-2 cups frozen peas
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice, optional
Directions
- Heat the oil in a stockpot pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the onions, carrots, celery, and tomato paste. Stirring often, and cook the vegetables for 8 to 10 minutes. They should be soft but not mushy.
- Add the garlic, fennel, black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and red pepper flakes. Stirring constantly for one minute.
- Pour in the canned tomatoes and their juices and the stock/broth.
- Add the potatoes, cabbage, and bay leaves. Turn up the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil. Cover the pot partially with a lid, and keep the heat at a low simmer.
- Cook for 20 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender. Add the frozen peas to the soup and cook for five more minutes.
- After removing the pot from the heat, take out the bay leaves. Add the cider vinegar or lemon juice to the water. Add more salt, pepper, or vinegar to taste. Serve.
Vegetable Soup: What Is It?
It is a simple, healthy, and flavorful dish made from vegetables cooked in water or stock until tender.
The soup’s main ingredients include carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, peas, corn, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, mushrooms, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, squash, and many more.
Vegetables used can vary depending on the recipe.
For example, some recipes may call for using only one type of vegetable, while others use several vegetables to make the soup.
Variations of Vegetable Soup
It can be prepared in many different ways. These include:
- Butternut squash soup,
- Corn chowder
- Green bean soup
- Split pea soup or white bean soup
- Cabbage lentil soup
- Black-eyed peas soup
- Cabbage soup
- Cauliflower soup
- Eggplant soup
- Broccoli cheddar soup
- baked potato soup
- Albondigas Mexican soup
- Barley soup
- Basil soup chicken
- Chicken Matzo ball soup
- Chicken noodle soup
- Creamy veggie soup: creamy asparagus soup, creamy chicken soup
History
Vegetable soup has been around since ancient times. Archeologists have found evidence that people were eating them at least 5,000 years ago. They believed it was essential to their diet because it gave them the nutrients needed for good health.
However, this belief changed after the discovery of processed foods. People started to believe processed food could provide all the nutrition they needed. This led to a decline in consumption.
In recent years, it has regained popularity among consumers. Many restaurants offer it during lunch hours. Some even serve it as a side dish.
Moreover, many grocery stores sell products in cans and jars.
Types
There are various kinds, including carrot soup, tomato soup, mushroom soup, potato soup, onion soup, beet soup, chicken soup, etc. Each kind has its unique taste and texture.
As mentioned earlier, each recipe specifies the type of vegetables used to create the soup. Thus, you will find different varieties available in the market.
- The most popular one is probably carrot soup. Carrot soup is usually served cold. You can add extra flavors to the soup by adding fresh herbs, spices, and dried herbs.
- Tomato soup is another popular variety. Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, which helps boost your immune system.
- The mushroom soup contains many vitamins and minerals that help keep your body strong.
- Potato soup is very similar. It uses potatoes instead of vegetables.
- Onion soup is made from thinly sliced onions simmered in a large pot.
- Beet soup is made from beets that are boiled until soft. Then, they are blended into a smooth sauce.
- Chicken soup is made by boiling chicken bones in water until they become soft. After that, the broth is strained out and mixed with vegetables and seasoning.
- Another version is creamy vegetable soup. The cream-based soups are made from vegetables that are pureed together. The mixture is then stirred with milk and cream.
What is the best vegetable soup in the world?
According to many experts, the best one in existence is the French onion soup. It is also known as “the king of soups.”
However, other types are equally delicious. For example, the Italian minestrone. It is made from tomatoes, carrots, celery, spinach, beans, and pasta. It is then seasoned with Italian seasonings such as basil, oregano, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese.
Is vegetable soup healthy?
Yes, a bowlful of soup is healthy because it provides essential nutrients for the human body. Vegetables contain fiber, protein, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, folate, and antioxidants.
These nutrients help improve your health. They also prevent cancer, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and arthritis.
Tips
What is the secret to making good soup?
There are several secrets to making a good bowl of soup. One of these secrets is to use fresh ingredients.
Fresh veggies have less moisture than frozen ones. So, when cooking them, you should add enough liquid to cover the vegetables thoroughly. If you don’t do this, the vegetables may get soggy after being cooked.
Another critical factor is to use of quality ingredients. When buying vegetables, choose organic ones. Organic vegetables are usually fresher than non-organic ones. Also, avoid adding salt during cooking. Salt makes vegetables taste bland.
If possible, buy whole spices instead of ground ones. Whole spices retain their flavor better than ground ones.
Lastly, ensure that the soup has a balanced amount of salt and pepper. Too much salt ruins the soup’s flavor, while too little salt does not give it the necessary flavor.
What can I add to vegetable soup to make it taste better?
One way to enhance the flavor is by adding herbs and spices.
Some popular herbs include rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley, bay leaves, and oregano. Spices include cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cayenne pepper, paprika, chili powder, curry powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Other ways to make it more flavorful include:
- Adding cream and milk to the soup
- Using different kinds of meat in the soup
- Choosing different kinds of vegetables in the soup
- Making the soup spicy
How long can you keep vegetable soup?
It keeps well in the refrigerator. You can store it in an airtight container for up to 5 days. So you can enjoy your veggie-packed meals every day for five days.
Can I freeze vegetable soup?
Yes. You can freeze them. To freeze it correctly, place the leftover soup into a freezer bag and seal it tightly. Then, label the bag with the date and write down what’s inside. Afterward, put the sealed bag into the freezer.
