Tips/tricks for good vegetable soup

[redkitty]

So I have tried about a million times to make a good vegetable soup, tonight being one of them.  I always end up with bland soup, no matter the recipe.  Tonight I just dumped some veggie broth (swansons) with the frozen soup mix of veggies, a can of fire roasted tomatoes, a can of garlic and onion tomatoes, barley and some navy beans.  It is bland. What can I do to 1. salvage tonight's soup so it tastes good and 2. avoid this issue in the future.  I am not a vegetarian so it does not need to be a fully vegetarian soup.  I do NOT, however, like beef broth. 

[Magic Microbe]

Sautee up a bunch of onion and garlic and add it.

[teetime]

I made a kale, turnip, rutabega, chorizo soup last week that was so good we made it again when the left overs were finished.  I think a bit of smokey meat at the start really helps.  My SO made this last winter and it was really good (but he was in the kitchen for a long time with all the steps) http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/White-Bean-Kale-and-Roasted-Vegetable-Soup-102844

So, for my soup, buy some really great chorizo, dice a link or two and brown in a dutch oven or soup pot.  Take out the meat and brown a diced onion and a few minced garlic cloves in a T of the fat.  Add 6 give or take cups of chicken broth and once boiling the root veggies and chorizo go in.  Let that cook until the veggies are almost tender.  Add bunch of stemmed kale very thinly sliced, cover and let cook 10-15 min until everything is tender.  Salt to taste (for me this is a good bit of salt.) Once I added mushrooms, another time diced plum tomatoes.  Really anything but the flavor profile is really helped with that bit of meaty goodness.

[Magic Microbe]

I also generally add tomato paste.

[Run Amok]

I am going to say 99% of the issue is salt. Add lots more salt and it will probably taste better.

When I make veggie soups I start with a mix (about 1 cup each) of onion, carrot, cellery, and several cloves of garlic, salt, + possibly some herbs. Sweat this mixture over low/med heat (enough to release juices of the veggies but not so much that it browns) for about 15 minutes. I often add a can of diced tomatoes here (depending on what kind of soup I'm making). From there you can add other stuff- veggies, beans, grains, whatever- then add your stock.

If I'm making a bean soup, I almost always make my own beans... it really makes a big difference.

[Run Amok]

Also, until you get the hang of it- it can be helpful to follow a recipe- we've shared some really great ones in our past soup threads:

http://chrunners.net/forum/index.php?topic=77346.0;all
http://chrunners.net/forum/index.php?topic=65334.0;all

[Ice Cream]

Sautee up a bunch of onion and garlic and add it.

This is how evy soups should be started, IMHO.

[merigayle]

I was going to say tomato paste too!

[The Turtle Whisperer]

If you're planning out a weekday menu it really is easy to make your own broth.  Even if you buy a precooked rotisserie chicken.  I plan to use the chicken one night and then make the broth.  It makes all the difference in the world.  Good soup needs good broth. 

[redkitty]

If you're planning out a weekday menu it really is easy to make your own broth.  Even if you buy a precooked rotisserie chicken.  I plan to use the chicken one night and then make the broth.  It makes all the difference in the world.  Good soup needs good broth. 

I've tried this before to make chicken broth. It has never turned out well for me.  i have no idea what i am doing wrong, but it tends to be too watery tasting.  I think I am just not a good cook. 

The american test kitchen people highly recommended Swason's broth if you don't make your own broth.  Most of the advice of theirs that I have followed has worked out well for me (I got the cookbook from the library a few years ago..maybe I should get it again and see what they have to say abotu making vegetable soup.) 

I will start with the veggies first next time and then add broth. I knew I should have sauteed some onion but was being lazy (and the time before I did this my soup still sucked.) 

[maeby]

I just made a fabulous vegetable soup last night, and I don't make my own stock either. It helps a lot if you start with 1 or 2 slices of bacon (since you said you aren't vegetarian). Also, I second the advice above to saute onion and garlic first. I also generally do celery and carrot at the same time and make sure when you add the broth you are scraping all of the brown bits off the bottom b/c that adds a lot of flavor.

Last night I did that then added broth, canned tomatoes, 1/2 a head of cabbage, okra, 4 red potatoes (diced), peas, corn, etc. and I also added some sriracha, ketchup (sounds gross but this is my mom's trick and you cannot taste it once it's finished...I generally just add about 1/8-1/4 cup, and squeeze some lemon in there. Also, like RA said above, don't be afraid to add a decent amount of salt. You need it with the potatoes and veggies.

[Clementine]

I am going to say 99% of the issue is salt. Add lots more salt and it will probably taste better.

I second this.

[LilyLily]

I am going to say 99% of the issue is salt. Add lots more salt and it will probably taste better.

When I make veggie soups I start with a mix (about 1 cup each) of onion, carrot, cellery, and several cloves of garlic, salt, + possibly some herbs. Sweat this mixture over low/med heat (enough to release juices of the veggies but not so much that it browns) for about 15 minutes. I often add a can of diced tomatoes here (depending on what kind of soup I'm making). From there you can add other stuff- veggies, beans, grains, whatever- then add your stock.

If I'm making a bean soup, I almost always make my own beans... it really makes a big difference.

This.

[Cool Foot Luke]

BALSAMIC VINEGAR at the end

I was in this same position, and could not believe the difference that the vinegar made at the end. Just seemed to unlock something in all of the flavors. Trust me!

[Clementine]

BALSAMIC VINEGAR at the end

I was in this same position, and could not believe the difference that the vinegar made at the end. Just seemed to unlock something in all of the flavors. Trust me!

 This too! I always add balsamic vinegar to my lentil soup -- to individual bowls just before serving. Adds a wonderful flavor and definitely allows me to add less salt beforehand.

[Run Amok]

Yep, vinegar is a great addition- I was just coming back to add that suggestion also. I like red wine vinegar in something like minestrone but balsamic is also very tasty.

[redkitty]

I like all of these suggestions. And i still have the soup I made on Sunday, so I will try to add some balsamic vinegar to the bowl tonight. 

now i want to try to make soup again this weekend...hmmmm....

[Run Amok]

...and salt, don't forget the salt. Seriously, that is 99% of the problem... I gaurantee it.

[caribougrrl]

...and salt, don't forget the salt. Seriously, that is 99% of the problem... I gaurantee it.

1.  salt salt salt salt salt


I like to squeeze a lemon or lime in before serving... or balsamic or cider vinegar... depends on the soup.



you might not have gone wrong with the chicken broth... if it's watery you can always simmer until it's reduced more (more concentrated)... very likely it just didn't have enough salt...

[OldBaldHippie]

Spices, hot sauce, salsa, pepper etc...

[monster2]

Ok, this recipe is not exactly culinary artistry but it makes a good veggie soup:

1lb ground beef
½ cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups pre shredded coleslaw mix
10 oz frozen kernel corn
9 oz frozen green beans
4 cups hot style V-8 juice
(1) 14.5 oz can italian style stewed tomatoes, do not drain
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
*2 beef bouillon cubes
*frozen lima beans

1- In a large skillet cook ground beef, add onion and stir until tender.
  Add garlic, stir for one minute more

**2 In crock pot combine all ingredients, cook 4-5 hrs on high
or 8-10 hours on low

* not in the original recipe but I added them b/c I like
a more “beefy” taste.  I also just like lima beans so
skip them if you don’t.

[merigayle]

we found a little dash of balsamic in spaghetti sauce is the missing key ingredient.

[Ice Cream]

How much balsamic vinegar??

[hally]

I made a huge pot of veggie soup yesterday. The canned tomatoes were very bitter. Won't use that brand again, they said peeled tomatoes but they were crushed not whole.....anyway I looked online and baking powder was suggested, in 1/8 tsp at a time additions. Still wasn't loving it. I decided to change it up, tossed a huge shake of cinnamon in the pot, less cumin and some turmeric. It's yummy now. Bet even a shake or two of curry would work. This was a new thing, never had to do this before. I like the balsamic idea, sweeten it without adding actual sugar.

Anyway, I start with sauteed onions and garlic in olive oil, then add celery and carrots. I use Pacific or Imagine or Trader Joes, low salt veggie broth (sorry I avoid salt so it's pretty much add your own here) It really has much more flavor then the chicken broth imho. Then coleslaw mix, a parsnip, fresh chopped parsley, a big old bay leaf and canned, whole tomatoes that I smash through my (clean) hands. When that is all getting soft, I will throw in things that don't need cooking as much like green beans, broccoli sometimes, zucchini and yellow squash. I don't use much frozen stuff but yesterday I did use some frozen green beans that I had hanging. I like some hot pepper, black pepper, thyme. I would use frozen corn if I had any, which I generally do after the summer but Sandy took all my supplies of that sort of thing. I also like to throw spinach, or escarole or kale or other green stuff in there. Good stuff in=good stuff out

[merigayle]

we buy the Pomi tomatoes in a box, no tinny taste and tomato paste in a glass jar.

[hally]

we buy the Pomi tomatoes in a box, no tinny taste and tomato paste in a glass jar.

They weren't tinny, just really acidic and like I said if I had wanted crushed tomatoes I would have bought a can that said "crushed tomatoes"

I never saw tomato paste in a glass jar but I don't use much tomato paste. Like that idea. I have bought it in tubes.

[fancypants]

I always add a packet (or so) of taco seasoning. Or sazon.

[diablita]

I love sazon.  OBH is going to drop in here soon to remind us it's MSG. 

I was just re-reading the soup section in one of my favorite cookbooks (Olive Trees and Honey) and it reminded me of a couple of good techniques (may have been mentioned already):
reduce the broth/soup to give it more flavor
really brown the veggies before you add the liquid.  You can cook them in a big pot for 20ish minutes, then scrape up the browned bits before adding the liquid.  or you can put them all in a pan in a 450 degree oven for an hour.
soak some dried mushrooms in hot liquid for an hour, then take out and chop the mushrooms and add them + the soaking liquid (not the sediment) to the soup.