This is a perfect soup for a day when you don't want to turn on the oven, or wash too many dishes, as the whole dish can be made in a single Dutch oven or stock pot. The hardest part is chopping the vegetables, and taming your grumbling stomach as the lovely aroma of the mirepoix fills your kitchen as you start the cooking process. The recipe yields 6 servings, but I have a particularly large Dutch oven, so I multiplied all the ingredients by 1.5 to make a slightly larger yield to ensure I would make enough soup to stow a large container in the freezer for a later date.
Here's the recipe.
Stove Top Vegetable Soup
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 medium leek, thinly sliced
1 medium fennel, thinly sliced
1 large Yukon gold or Russet potato, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes
½ can tomato paste
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
4 cups vegetable stock (more if you like yours to be
brothier)
Basil chiffonade, for garnish
Crusty bread, for serving
In a large Dutch oven on medium, heat the oil. Add the carrot,
onion, celery, leek, and potato. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for 5
minutes, stirring frequently until the vegetables start to soften and develop a
bit of color.
Add the garlic and cook for another two minutes. Stir in the
tomatoes, tomato paste, and herbs. Cook for another two minutes.
Add the stock and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Turn
the heat down to medium-low. Cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes to let
the flavors combine. Make sure the potatoes are cooked through. Taste and
season as needed.
Serve topped with basil chiffonade and with a side of crusty
bread.
Serves 6
