Description
Hearty Creamy Vegetable Soup brings comfort and warmth to chilly evenings, blending garden-fresh produce with velvety richness. Nutritious ingredients and simple preparation make this soul-soothing dish perfect for nourishing you on any day.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables:
- 2 carrots, peeled & chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 cup cauliflower or broccoli florets
- 1 medium potato, peeled & diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Liquid and Dairy:
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup heavy cream (or coconut milk for vegan option)
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional, for extra creaminess)
Seasonings and Extras:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Fresh parsley or chives
- Extra shredded cheese
- Croutons for crunch
Instructions
- Prepare a spacious cooking vessel and warm the selected fat over moderate temperature, creating a gentle sizzling environment for aromatic vegetables.
- Carefully introduce chopped onion, minced garlic, diced carrots, and sliced celery into the heated surface, gently moving them around to ensure even caramelization and softening without burning.
- Incorporate zucchini, cauliflower, and potato pieces into the fragrant vegetable mixture, stirring to distribute heat and flavor evenly.
- Pour in carefully measured broth, then sprinkle thyme and oregano across the liquid surface, seasoning with salt and pepper to enhance the overall taste profile.
- Increase heat momentarily to encourage boiling, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer, allowing vegetables to tenderize and release their intrinsic flavors over approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Select your preferred blending technique: either use an immersion blender directly in the pot for a silky smooth consistency or transfer contents to a standard blender, processing until desired texture is achieved.
- Introduce rich dairy or non-dairy cream, gently folding it into the soup to create a luxurious, velvety finish.
- Optional: Incorporate grated cheese for additional depth and complexity of flavor.
- Carefully ladle the steaming soup into serving bowls, garnishing with fresh parsley, extra cheese, or crispy croutons to provide textural contrast and visual appeal.
Notes
- Choose olive oil or butter based on dietary preferences, with olive oil offering a healthier option and butter adding richer flavor.
- Cut vegetables uniformly to ensure even cooking and consistent texture throughout the soup.
- Adjust liquid consistency by adding more broth if soup becomes too thick during simmering, maintaining desired creamy texture.
- Swap heavy cream with plant-based alternatives like coconut milk or cashew cream for vegan and dairy-free dietary needs, preserving the soup’s luxurious smoothness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg