Garden Vegetable Soup

Take your favorite garden-fresh veggies, toss them into good quality stock, spike it with a few favorite herbs and, voila! Vegetable soup. Easy as that? Yep, easy as that.

I left out starchy veggies here, opting for the ones that are my personal favorites, and this turned out to be exactly what I wanted. It was not heavy, but still hearty enough on its own. I think a crumbling of fresh goat cheese would be absolutely perfect on this - or even a grating of fresh Parmesan. Either way, it's simple and full of vitamins and fiber.

Garden Vegetable Soup

Printable Recipe
Ready in 45 minutes

Serves 6

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion (I like red) diced

1 red pepper - diced

1 green pepper - diced

1 small bunch green onions - sliced, green and white parts

2 cloves garlic - minced

2 stalks celery - diced

6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 cups fresh green beans - cut into 1-inch lengths

2 small carrots - peeled and diced

2 small zucchini - diced

6 plum tomatoes - peeled, seeded and diced

1 Tablespoon freshly snipped dill

1 bay leaf

1 Tablespoon freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

sea or Kosher salt to taste

freshly ground pepper

cheese or fresh herbs for serving, if desired

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, peppers, celery and garlic and cook until vegetables begin to sweat.

Pour in stock and add carrots and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and reduce immediately to a simmer.

Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add zucchini, tomatoes and herbs. Simmer for another 20 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve topped with cheese if desired.