On a cold day, it is always nice to curl up with a nice bowl of hot soup. But for those cold days when you literally can’t even, you need this Basic Betch-table Soup. This vegetable soup is simple, filling, and can be made with whatever vegetables that you have in your fridge.
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 stalks of celery, chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup Navy beans (pre-soaked overnight)
- 3 slices of ham (optional)
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 litres water
- Salt
- Pepper
Directions:
In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, and a pinch of salt. Stir the vegetables occasionally, allowing them to sweat out and soften, approximately 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and let it cook for 1 minute.
Add the zucchini, tomatoes, Navy beans, ham (if using), thyme, bay leaf, and pepper and cook for an additional 5 minutes. If you are not using ham, add about a teaspoon of salt at this stage. I find that the ham I use is salty enough and I don’t need to add extra.
Add the water to the pot (enough to cover the vegetables), cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until all the vegetables are cooked.
Serve hot and enjoy!
