JackieD Zuppa
I know it's springtime and soup typically isn't the first thing on the menu when it's warmer outside, but due to the chilly temps we've been having this last week, soup was on our menu. So I decided why not write a blog about how I make soup with ingredients I always have on hand.
I realize that not everybody always has fresh veggies on hand and if that is the case, you will probably have to have a plan of actions before you make your soup. Items I have on hand without fail are; onions, garlic, carrots, celery, cauliflower, spinach, turkey burger, chicken (typically from a leftover rotisserie or one I made in my roaster or Instapot), boxed chicken broth, canned string beans, corn, butter and spices.
How do I know how much to use of each ingredient? I don't, I just eyeball it and taste it. I start off with my big soup pan that holds about six quarts. The first thing I do is, pour in 2-32 ounce containers of broth. If you don't have broth, gravy works too, just water it down. If you don't have gravy, you can start with water and a teaspoon of salt.
Now, simply throw in 1 large chopped onion, 5-8 sticks of celery sliced or chunked up, 4 or 5 handfuls of baby carrots, 3 or 4 diced potatoes (or 4 cups of chunked cauliflower as a potato replacement), 1 or 2 chopped peppers if you like peppers. I add garlic to taste. I buy the minced garlic that you keep in the refrigerator and use 1-2 teaspoons of that. Sometimes I will throw in a can of string beans and a can of corn. Now all you have left to do is add your precooked meat of choice, leftover chicken is my best friend. :) I frequently make soup with leftover chicken during the cold months. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook until veggies are desired texture, typically 20 minutes is long enough. Add about 4 tablespoons of butter and a little more salt to taste and serve hot. Delicious! Easy peasy lemon squeezy! :)
The soup pictured above is my healthy version of Zuppa Toscana. The link under the picture is the downloadable recipe. Enjoy!