Winter Vegetable Soup

When I’m feeling the winter blues, there’s nothing I like more than a warm, hearty vegetable soup. It’s the perfect pick me up! It’s tasty and simple to make – not to mention that it’s also a classic dish in kitchens across the world.

However, many of us have our own unique vegetable soup recipes that we’ve created. Delicious and healthy, a winter vegetable soup has always been a staple of my snowy-season diet. It’s filled with flavor and simple goodness that keeps me feeling cozy when the weather outside is frightful. I’ve played around with a few hearty vegetable soup recipes over the years, but this blended soup has become my favorite due to its creamy texture and the rich flavors of the vegetables.

The Magic of Winter Vegetable Soup

While earthy root vegetables might not be everyone’s cup of tea, when combined in this vegetable soup recipe, they add a real depth of flavor and a satisfying taste in every spoonful. For my soup, I like using onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, potatoes and garlic to create a thick and flavorful soup. This vegetable soup is perfect without being blended together, but I find that blending the soup helps you to really appreciate every flavor that goes into this winter soup, including all of its spices and aromatics. Add some bread and any other seasonings you’re particularly fond of, and this soup becomes an easily customizable dish that the whole family will love.

Whether you’re a big veggie fan, a big soup fan or neither, this dish is the perfect answer to seasonal blues. It’s easy, straightforward and can be made entirely with ingredients you’ll find at your local market or country store. So, make up your grocery list, pick up your produce and let’s start cooking.

Eat well!

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tbsp dried thyme
• 2 pinches red pepper flakes
• 1 pinch salt
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1/4 cup sour cream (optional)
• 1 stalk parsley (optional)

Instructions

1. Begin by preparing the vegetables: peel your parsnip, your potatoes and carrots. Cut your celery stalks, onion, carrots, parsnip and large potatoes into chunks.
2. Heat your oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add your onion and minced garlic, cooking until aromatic. Follow by adding the remainder of your vegetables and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes with occasional stirring. Add your dried thyme, red pepper flakes and salt.
3. Pour in your chicken broth and water. Bring the entire soup to a boil and cook uncovered until the potatoes are cooked and can be easily crushed with a fork (about 20 minutes).
4. Move the soup into a blender and puree until smooth, beginning with light pulses. Return the blended mixture to the pot and add the 2% milk.
5. Mix ¼ cup of sour cream into the soup and top with chopped parsley as a garnish (both optional). Serve in warmed bowls.