We love soup. And the Italians have so many different types of soup that they even have five different words for it (brodo, minestra, minestrone, passata, zuppa)! I like to have something to go alongside a sandwich or a light lunch…and what could be better than a healthy, inexpensive, filling soup?
As I made Passata di Verdure (Creamed Vegetable Soup) throughout this past winter, I realized that the method of making them was almost always the same… I’m calling it the “1-2-3-4 Method”. Here’s what you need to make these many variations:
1 onion diced and sautèed in 1 T. olive oil
2 cups of a starch: diced potato, quinoa, white or brown rice, cannellini or soy beans, etc.
3 cups of broth or bouillon
4 cups of vegetables. You can use leftovers or a variety of combinations: broccoli, celery, zucchini, carrots, fennel, beets, pumpkin or butternut squash…
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 1 T. olive oil
- 2 C. starch (diced potato, cooked quinoa, cooked white or brown rice, cannellini or soy beans, etc.)
- 3 C. broth or bouillon
- 4 C. vegetables: the ideas are limitless! You can use leftovers or a variety of combinations: broccoli, celery, zucchini, carrots, fennel, beets, pumpkin or butternut squash…
Instructions
- Saute the onion in the olive oil until soft and tender.
- Add the broth and diced vegetables and simmer until tender. If you’re using raw potatoes or uncooked rice or quinoa you’ll want to add them at this time as well (about 3/4 C. uncooked).
- When all the veggies are tender (this could be 3 minutes if you’re using leftover veggies, or 15-20 minutes if you’re using diced pumpkin), add the starch if it’s already cooked (leftover mashed potatoes, rice, beans…)
- Process the mixture in a food processor or blender, or using an immersion hand blender. Return the mixture to your saucepan and add some cream or milk to bring it to the consistency you like. This can be soy milk, skim milk, whole milk or even heavy cream. If you use cream, you’ll need very little, and may even need to thin the soup a bit with more water or broth. I generally use about 1 C. of whole or soy milk.
- Bring the soup back to a boil, adjust the seasonings and enjoy!
For additional recipes, please visit: http://ciaofromdebbie.com
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