Homemade Vegetable Soup Pioneer Woman Food

ROASTED VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
• Add the zucchini, yellow squash, onion and bell peppers to a large mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper and garlic until coated. Divide the vegetables between 2 baking sheets and arrange them in a single layer. Roast, turning the vegetables halfway through, until they start to deepen in color and are slightly tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add the roasted vegetables to the bowl of a slow cooker along with the stock, stewed tomatoes, cream and bay leaf. Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 3 hours.
• Remove the bay leaf, add the lemon juice and, using an immersion blender, pulse to blend the soup until you achieve a smooth and rustic texture. Stir, taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
• Serve in a bowl garnished with the chopped parsley. If freezing, cool the mixture completely, then transfer to freezer-safe bags, seal and place in freezer.

VERY VEGGIE SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, parsnips, garlic, turnips, onion, rutabaga, ginger, allspice, coriander and some salt and pepper. Stir and sauté for about a minute, until the vegetables are all coated in butter and starting to cook. Add the stock and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil, reduce to a strong simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
• While the soup is cooking, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet. Add the shallot slices and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes. They will crisp as they cool. Drain on paper towels and salt them while they are still hot.
• Puree the soup with an immersion blender or carefully in batches using a standard blender. Serve the soup hot, garnished with the fried shallots and parsley.

ROASTED VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat 3 cups of chicken stock. Coarsely puree the Roasted Winter Vegetables and the chicken stock in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade (or use a handheld blender). Pour the soup back into the pot and season, to taste. Thin with more chicken stock and reheat. The soup should be thick but not like a vegetable puree, so add more chicken stock and/or water until it's the consistency you like.
• Serve with Brioche Croutons and a drizzle of good olive oil.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Cut the carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, and butternut squash in 1 to 1 1/4-inch cubes. All the vegetables will shrink while baking, so don't cut them too small.
• Place all the cut vegetables in a single layer on 2 sheet pans. Drizzle them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender, turning once with a metal spatula.
• Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot.
• Slice the bread about 3/4-inch thick. Cut off the crusts and then cut the slices in 3/4-inch dice. You should have 3 to 4 cups of croutons.
• Place the croutons on a sheet pan and toss them with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, tossing once, until they're nicely browned on all sides. Cool to room temperature before using and store in a sealed plastic bag.

HAMBURGER SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown the meat with the garlic, celery and onions. Remove the pot from the heat and drain off as much fat as you can. (Discard the fat once it cools.)
• Return the pot to the heat and add the beef stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley, oregano, salt, black pepper, cayenne, potatoes, carrots and green, red and yellow bell peppers. Stir to combine, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer until the potatoes are tender but not overly mushy, 15 to 20 more minutes. The soup should be somewhat thick, but if you'd like it to be more "soupy," add 1 to 2 cups more broth OR hot water and heat through. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more salt, black pepper or cayenne if needed.
• Serve with crusty bread!