Seriously Good Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
• 1 yellow or white onion (medium, chopped)
• 3 carrots (peeled and chopped)
• 2 celery stalks (chopped)
• 2 cup seasonal vegetables (chopped; such as sweet potatoes, green beans, butternut squash, potatoes, bell pepper, zucchini, or yellow squash)
• 1 tsp fine sea salt (divided; plus more to taste)
• 6 cloves garlic (pressed or minced)
• 0.5 tsp curry powder
• 0.5 tsp dried thyme
• 28 oz diced tomatoes (one large can, with juices)
• 4 cup vegetable broth
• 2 cup water
• 2 bay leaves
• 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes (reduce or omit if sensitive to spice; plus more to taste)
• freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• 2 cup kale, collard greens, chard, or spinach (chopped; remove thick ribs from kale, collards, or chard)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Steps

1. 1

   Warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat until shimmering.

2. 2

   Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, seasonal vegetables, and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes.

3. 3

   Add the garlic, curry powder, and dried thyme. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute; do not let the garlic burn.

4. 4

   Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often.

5. 5

   Pour in the vegetable broth and water.

6. 6

   Add the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper.

7. 7

   Raise the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.

8. 8

   Cook for 25 minutes.

9. 9

   Remove the lid and add the chopped greens. Continue simmering for 5 minutes or more, until the greens have softened to your liking.

10. 10

    Remove the pot from the heat and remove the bay leaves.

11. 11

    Stir in the lemon juice and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

12. 12

    Taste and season with additional salt, black pepper, and/or red pepper flakes as desired. You may need up to ½ teaspoon more salt, depending on the vegetable broth and your preferences.

13. 13

    Divide the soup into bowls and serve.

Notes

The seasonal vegetables may include sweet potatoes, green beans, butternut squash, potatoes, bell pepper, zucchini, or yellow squash. The greens may be kale, collards, chard, or spinach. The source notes that additional salt may be needed depending on the broth and personal preference.

Nutrition per serving

• soup
• main
• vegetarian
• vegan
• dairy-free
• gluten-free
• one-pot
• simmered