How to Make Old-Fashioned Vegetable Soup

Enjoy a large bowl of homemade vegetable soup.

Making a large pot of old fashioned vegetable soup from scratch -- for a side dish or entire meal -- is not only economical and delicious, but provides many vitamins and minerals. Choose your favorite vegetables and spices to everyone's taste. Store the leftovers in the refrigerator and freezer for future meals.

Things You'll Need

• Large soup pot
• Large frying pan
• 8 cups of water
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1 cup of green beans
• 2 cups of chopped onions
• 1 cup of chopped carrots
• 1 cup of chopped parsley
• 1 cup of chopped celery
• 1 cup of chopped parsnip
• 1 cup of chopped yellow neck squash
• 4 stalks of celery
• 1 cup of chopped fresh tomatoes
• 4 tbsp. of oregano
• 4 tbsp. of basil
• 4 chopped garlic cloves
• 4 tbsp. of thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 tbsp. of lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

Instructions for Soup

1. Prepare vegetables for the soup and scrub thoroughly with a vegetable brush. Cut the vegetables into bite size chunks, keeping them separate from each other.

2. Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in the frying pan. Saute the onions, carrots, parsnips and potatoes for approximately five minutes. Add the other 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add the remainder of the vegetables and cook for three more minutes. Remove the vegetables from the stove and set aside until ready to use.

3. Fill the large pot with the water and bring to boil. Add carrots, onions, parsnips and potatoes, as well as the spices and lemon juice. Lower the stove heat to simmer and cook for approximately one hour.

4. Add the remaining vegetables, except the tomatoes ( due to high acidity) and parsley. Cook for one hour. Taste the soup for tenderness of the vegetables and taste. Add more spices if necessary.

5. Add the tomatoes and parsley and cook for one-half hour. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from stove and serve.

Tips & Warnings

• Add 2 cans of strained black or white beans for a heartier soup.

• Substitute half of the water with chicken or beef stock.

• Add 2 cups of precooked beef or chicken during the last half hour of cooking.

• Serve the soup with sprinkling of fresh Parmesan cheese along with crusty french bread.

• To avoid overcooked vegetables in your leftover soup, remove desired portions from the pot, cool and store in separate containers before storing in the refrigerator or freezer.

References

• Peta: Vegetarian Soup
• "Good Housekeeping": Soup Recipes