Hearty Vegetable Soup
By America's Test KitchenPublished on October 14, 2011
Time
2¼ hours
Yield
Serves 4 to 6 as a Main Course
Ingredients
Stock
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped medium1 rib celery, chopped medium1 medium onion, chopped medium3 medium portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped1 medium head garlic, outer papery skins removed and top third of head cut off and discarded3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon tomato paste (heaping)9 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth2 medium leeks (about 1 pound), green parts chopped, white parts sliced thin crosswise10 sprigs fresh parsley leaves 4 sprigs fresh thyme 2 bay leaves ½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsedSoup
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained, tomato pieces chopped coarse2 small russet potatoes (about 12 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 ½ cups)2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 cup)½ medium celeriac (about 12 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 ½ cups)1 small head escarole (about 12 ounces), washed, stemmed, and leaves cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 heaping cups)1 cup frozen baby lima beans (6 ounces) defrosted (optional)2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves Salt and ground black pepperBefore You Begin
The fortified broth can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months. If you can get “petite cut” canned diced tomatoes, they can be used straight away after draining, without any additional chopping. The garlicky crostini (see related recipe) add another dimension of flavor and texture to the soup.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 450 degrees. Place carrot, celery, onion, portobellos, and garlic head on rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with oil and toss to coat. Add tomato paste and toss again until evenly coated. Spread vegetables in even layer, set garlic head cut-side up; roast until vegetables are well browned, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Combine roasted vegetables, broth, leek greens, parsley, thyme, bay, and porcini in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven; cover and bring to simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, 30 minutes. Remove garlic head; using tongs, squeeze garlic head at root end until cloves slip out of their skins. Using fork, mash garlic to paste in small bowl and set aside. Strain stock through large fine-mesh strainer, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids in strainer.
- Rinse out and wipe Dutch oven; add tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, celeriac, reserved whites of leeks, strained broth, and garlic paste to pot and bring to simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender when poked with skewer or paring knife, about 25 minutes. With back of wooden spoon, mash some potatoes against side of pot to thicken soup. Stir in escarole and lima beans (if using); cook until escarole is wilted and limas are heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley; adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with crostini floated on soup, if desired.
for the stock
for the soup
Time
2¼ hoursYield
Serves 4 to 6 as a Main CourseIngredients
Stock
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped medium
1 rib celery, chopped medium
1 medium onion, chopped medium
3 medium portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 medium head garlic, outer papery skins removed and top third of head cut off and discarded
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste (heaping)
9 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 medium leeks (about 1 pound), green parts chopped, white parts sliced thin crosswise
10 sprigs fresh parsley leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed
Soup
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained, tomato pieces chopped coarse
2 small russet potatoes (about 12 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 ½ cups)
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 cup)
½ medium celeriac (about 12 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 ½ cups)
1 small head escarole (about 12 ounces), washed, stemmed, and leaves cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 heaping cups)
1 cup frozen baby lima beans (6 ounces) defrosted (optional)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
Ingredients
Stock
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped medium
1 rib celery, chopped medium
1 medium onion, chopped medium
3 medium portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 medium head garlic, outer papery skins removed and top third of head cut off and discarded
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste (heaping)
9 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 medium leeks (about 1 pound), green parts chopped, white parts sliced thin crosswise
10 sprigs fresh parsley leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed
Soup
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained, tomato pieces chopped coarse
2 small russet potatoes (about 12 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 ½ cups)
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 cup)
½ medium celeriac (about 12 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 ½ cups)
1 small head escarole (about 12 ounces), washed, stemmed, and leaves cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 heaping cups)
1 cup frozen baby lima beans (6 ounces) defrosted (optional)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
Ingredients
Stock
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped medium
1 rib celery, chopped medium
1 medium onion, chopped medium
3 medium portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 medium head garlic, outer papery skins removed and top third of head cut off and discarded
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste (heaping)
9 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 medium leeks (about 1 pound), green parts chopped, white parts sliced thin crosswise
10 sprigs fresh parsley leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed
Soup
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained, tomato pieces chopped coarse
2 small russet potatoes (about 12 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 ½ cups)
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 cup)
½ medium celeriac (about 12 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 1 ½ cups)
1 small head escarole (about 12 ounces), washed, stemmed, and leaves cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 heaping cups)
1 cup frozen baby lima beans (6 ounces) defrosted (optional)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
Why This Recipe Works
For a satisfying vegetable soup recipe, we started with chicken or vegetable broth enhanced with roasted vegetables, including a head of garlic. We squeezed the roasted garlic out of its skin and into the broth to both thicken and flavor it. Then we simmered a blend of vegetables, including potatoes, carrots, celeriac, and lima beans, for a balanced, hearty vegetable soup recipe.
Before You Begin
The fortified broth can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months. If you can get “petite cut” canned diced tomatoes, they can be used straight away after draining, without any additional chopping. The garlicky crostini (see related recipe) add another dimension of flavor and texture to the soup.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 450 degrees. Place carrot, celery, onion, portobellos, and garlic head on rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with oil and toss to coat. Add tomato paste and toss again until evenly coated. Spread vegetables in even layer, set garlic head cut-side up; roast until vegetables are well browned, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Combine roasted vegetables, broth, leek greens, parsley, thyme, bay, and porcini in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven; cover and bring to simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, 30 minutes. Remove garlic head; using tongs, squeeze garlic head at root end until cloves slip out of their skins. Using fork, mash garlic to paste in small bowl and set aside. Strain stock through large fine-mesh strainer, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids in strainer.
- Rinse out and wipe Dutch oven; add tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, celeriac, reserved whites of leeks, strained broth, and garlic paste to pot and bring to simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender when poked with skewer or paring knife, about 25 minutes. With back of wooden spoon, mash some potatoes against side of pot to thicken soup. Stir in escarole and lima beans (if using); cook until escarole is wilted and limas are heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley; adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with crostini floated on soup, if desired.
for the stock
for the soup
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
Keep Exploring
My Rating
This is a members' feature.
0 Comments