Creamy vegetable soup is one of the recipes I've made twice in a single week. It's prepared with simple vegetables, and the consistency can be easily adjusted with the cooking liquid. The separately baked croutons complement the soup well and are a practical solution for leftover bread.
Quick Info
Total time: not specified exactly; preparing the vegetables takes about 40-50 minutes, and the croutons bake for 15 minutes
Preparation time: not specified in the source
Cooking time: 40-50 minutes for the vegetables
Baking time: 15 minutes for the croutons
Servings: not specified; the quantity can be increased by adding more vegetables
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: creamy vegetable soup, suitable for lunch or dinner
Ingredients
For the creamy vegetable soup
500 g potatoes
2 white onions
3 carrots
2 bell peppers
1 parsnip
5 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Water, enough to cover the vegetables by about four fingers
For the croutons
Bread, any kind
Olive oil, enough to drizzle over the bread pieces
Oregano
Sweet paprika
Salt
Pepper
Instructions
1. Preparing the vegetables
Peel the onion, potatoes, carrots, and parsnip. Remove the stems and seeds from the bell peppers. The vegetables don’t need to be chopped very finely, as they will be blended at the end, but the potatoes and larger vegetables can be cut into suitable pieces for easier cooking.
2. Sautéing the onion
Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Chop the onion finely and sauté it until it starts to soften. There’s no need to brown it too much; just let it become soft before adding the other vegetables.
3. Boiling the vegetables
Add the potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, and parsnip to the pot. Add salt and pour in enough water to cover the vegetables by about four fingers.
Cover the pot with a lid and let everything simmer on low heat for about 40-50 minutes. The vegetables should be well cooked and easily pierced. The time may vary depending on the size of the pieces and how quickly the water boils.
4. Straining the soup
Once the vegetables are cooked, strain the soup and keep the liquid in a separate bowl. Don’t throw it away. It will be used to thin the cream to the desired consistency, and any leftover can be frozen and used later as a base for other dishes.
5. Blending the vegetables
Place the cooked vegetables in a blender along with a little soup. Blend until you achieve a smooth cream. At first, add only a little liquid, as it’s easier to thin the soup gradually than to try to thicken it after adding too much liquid.
When the vegetables have turned into a thick cream, gradually add the reserved soup. The amount depends on your preferred consistency. For this recipe, about 500 ml of soup was added.
6. Adjusting the flavor
Put the creamy soup back on the heat and bring it to a boil. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
If you notice small pieces of vegetables remaining or if the soup hasn’t turned out smooth enough, you can pass it through a sieve before serving.
7. Preparing the croutons
Any kind of bread can be used for the croutons. Cut the bread into slices and then into cubes.
Place the pieces on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with oregano, sweet paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix well so that all the bread cubes are coated with oil and spices.
Bake the croutons in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes. Stir them every five minutes to ensure they brown evenly.
Serve the creamy soup warm, topped with croutons.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s a simple soup made from common vegetables, without complicated preparation. The quantity can be easily increased, and the texture can be adjusted with the reserved cooking liquid. Plus, nothing goes to waste: the vegetables become the base of the soup, and the leftover liquid can be frozen and used for other dishes.
The croutons are also useful for bread that isn’t very fresh. They are cut, seasoned, and baked quickly without needing a complicated separate preparation.
Tips and Variations
Tips
Use a large enough pot, as the water needs to cover the vegetables, and the soup will be blended later.
Cut the vegetables into pieces of similar size, especially if some are much larger than others. This way, they will cook more evenly.
Keep all the liquid after straining, even if you don’t use it immediately. The leftover soup can be frozen and used as a base for cooking.
Add the liquid gradually after blending. This way, you can achieve the exact desired consistency, from a thicker cream to a thinner soup.
Stir the croutons during baking every five minutes. The bread cubes may brown more quickly on the edges, and mixing helps them bake evenly.
Substitutions
Any type of bread can be used for the croutons, depending on what you have on hand. The important thing is that the pieces are cut relatively evenly so they bake at the same time.
No other ingredients are mentioned in the basic recipe for the croutons besides olive oil, so keep the indicated spices and adjust only the amount of oil based on how much bread you are using.
Variations
For a larger quantity, add more vegetables and adjust the water according to the volume in the pot. After blending, the soup can be gradually thinned with the reserved liquid.
The consistency can be left thicker or thinner. There’s no need to use all the strained soup; only add as much as needed.
Serving Ideas
Serve the soup hot, with croutons placed directly in the bowl. If added too early to the pot, the croutons will become soggy, so it’s better to add them just before serving.
The soup can be served plain, simply with pepper and croutons. The spices used for the bread give it enough flavor without the need for additional seasonings.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much water should be added to boil?
The water should cover the vegetables by about four fingers. After boiling, the soup is strained, and the liquid is added gradually to the blended vegetables. It’s not mandatory to use the entire amount.
2. How much soup is added after blending the vegetables?
The amount depends on the desired consistency. About 500 ml of soup was used in the recipe, but you can add more or less gradually.
3. What can be done with the leftover liquid after straining?
The liquid can be frozen and used later as a base for other dishes. It’s important to keep it before you start adjusting the soup’s consistency.
4. Can croutons be made from fresh bread?
Yes. Any type of bread can be used. The bread is cut into cubes, drizzled with olive oil, seasoned, and baked at 180 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes.
5. What should I do if the soup isn’t smooth enough?
After blending, you can pass it through a sieve. This step is useful if small pieces of vegetables remain or if the blender hasn’t completely turned the mixture into a cream.
Nutritional Values
The values are estimates and refer to the entire quantity of soup, excluding croutons. The amount of bread and oil used for croutons is not specified, and the number of servings is not mentioned.
For the entire soup, the estimate is about 1,250-1,350 kcal, depending on the exact amount of oil remaining in the dish and the size of the vegetables.
Protein: approximately 25-30 g
Carbohydrates: approximately 180-200 g
Fats: approximately 55-65 g
Fiber: approximately 35-40 g
A significant portion of the fats comes from the 5 tablespoons of olive oil, while the carbohydrates mainly come from potatoes, carrots, onions, and parsnip. For an exact portion, the soup should be divided according to the number of bowls obtained.
Storage and Reheating
Leftover soup can be stored in a closed container, and for a longer period, it can be frozen. The leftover liquid after straining can be placed separately in the freezer and used later as a base for cooking.
When reheating, heat the soup until it’s hot and stir to ensure the consistency is uniform. If it has thickened after storage, you can adjust the texture with a little reserved soup. Croutons should be added at serving time to remain crispy.
Quick Info
Total time: not specified exactly; preparing the vegetables takes about 40-50 minutes, and the croutons bake for 15 minutes
Preparation time: not specified in the source
Cooking time: 40-50 minutes for the vegetables
Baking time: 15 minutes for the croutons
Servings: not specified; the quantity can be increased by adding more vegetables
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: creamy vegetable soup, suitable for lunch or dinner
Ingredients
For the creamy vegetable soup
500 g potatoes
2 white onions
3 carrots
2 bell peppers
1 parsnip
5 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Water, enough to cover the vegetables by about four fingers
For the croutons
Bread, any kind
Olive oil, enough to drizzle over the bread pieces
Oregano
Sweet paprika
Salt
Pepper
Instructions
1. Preparing the vegetables
Peel the onion, potatoes, carrots, and parsnip. Remove the stems and seeds from the bell peppers. The vegetables don’t need to be chopped very finely, as they will be blended at the end, but the potatoes and larger vegetables can be cut into suitable pieces for easier cooking.
2. Sautéing the onion
Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Chop the onion finely and sauté it until it starts to soften. There’s no need to brown it too much; just let it become soft before adding the other vegetables.
3. Boiling the vegetables
Add the potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, and parsnip to the pot. Add salt and pour in enough water to cover the vegetables by about four fingers.
Cover the pot with a lid and let everything simmer on low heat for about 40-50 minutes. The vegetables should be well cooked and easily pierced. The time may vary depending on the size of the pieces and how quickly the water boils.
4. Straining the soup
Once the vegetables are cooked, strain the soup and keep the liquid in a separate bowl. Don’t throw it away. It will be used to thin the cream to the desired consistency, and any leftover can be frozen and used later as a base for other dishes.
5. Blending the vegetables
Place the cooked vegetables in a blender along with a little soup. Blend until you achieve a smooth cream. At first, add only a little liquid, as it’s easier to thin the soup gradually than to try to thicken it after adding too much liquid.
When the vegetables have turned into a thick cream, gradually add the reserved soup. The amount depends on your preferred consistency. For this recipe, about 500 ml of soup was added.
6. Adjusting the flavor
Put the creamy soup back on the heat and bring it to a boil. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
If you notice small pieces of vegetables remaining or if the soup hasn’t turned out smooth enough, you can pass it through a sieve before serving.
7. Preparing the croutons
Any kind of bread can be used for the croutons. Cut the bread into slices and then into cubes.
Place the pieces on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with oregano, sweet paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix well so that all the bread cubes are coated with oil and spices.
Bake the croutons in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes. Stir them every five minutes to ensure they brown evenly.
Serve the creamy soup warm, topped with croutons.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s a simple soup made from common vegetables, without complicated preparation. The quantity can be easily increased, and the texture can be adjusted with the reserved cooking liquid. Plus, nothing goes to waste: the vegetables become the base of the soup, and the leftover liquid can be frozen and used for other dishes.
The croutons are also useful for bread that isn’t very fresh. They are cut, seasoned, and baked quickly without needing a complicated separate preparation.
Tips and Variations
Tips
Use a large enough pot, as the water needs to cover the vegetables, and the soup will be blended later.
Cut the vegetables into pieces of similar size, especially if some are much larger than others. This way, they will cook more evenly.
Keep all the liquid after straining, even if you don’t use it immediately. The leftover soup can be frozen and used as a base for cooking.
Add the liquid gradually after blending. This way, you can achieve the exact desired consistency, from a thicker cream to a thinner soup.
Stir the croutons during baking every five minutes. The bread cubes may brown more quickly on the edges, and mixing helps them bake evenly.
Substitutions
Any type of bread can be used for the croutons, depending on what you have on hand. The important thing is that the pieces are cut relatively evenly so they bake at the same time.
No other ingredients are mentioned in the basic recipe for the croutons besides olive oil, so keep the indicated spices and adjust only the amount of oil based on how much bread you are using.
Variations
For a larger quantity, add more vegetables and adjust the water according to the volume in the pot. After blending, the soup can be gradually thinned with the reserved liquid.
The consistency can be left thicker or thinner. There’s no need to use all the strained soup; only add as much as needed.
Serving Ideas
Serve the soup hot, with croutons placed directly in the bowl. If added too early to the pot, the croutons will become soggy, so it’s better to add them just before serving.
The soup can be served plain, simply with pepper and croutons. The spices used for the bread give it enough flavor without the need for additional seasonings.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much water should be added to boil?
The water should cover the vegetables by about four fingers. After boiling, the soup is strained, and the liquid is added gradually to the blended vegetables. It’s not mandatory to use the entire amount.
2. How much soup is added after blending the vegetables?
The amount depends on the desired consistency. About 500 ml of soup was used in the recipe, but you can add more or less gradually.
3. What can be done with the leftover liquid after straining?
The liquid can be frozen and used later as a base for other dishes. It’s important to keep it before you start adjusting the soup’s consistency.
4. Can croutons be made from fresh bread?
Yes. Any type of bread can be used. The bread is cut into cubes, drizzled with olive oil, seasoned, and baked at 180 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes.
5. What should I do if the soup isn’t smooth enough?
After blending, you can pass it through a sieve. This step is useful if small pieces of vegetables remain or if the blender hasn’t completely turned the mixture into a cream.
Nutritional Values
The values are estimates and refer to the entire quantity of soup, excluding croutons. The amount of bread and oil used for croutons is not specified, and the number of servings is not mentioned.
For the entire soup, the estimate is about 1,250-1,350 kcal, depending on the exact amount of oil remaining in the dish and the size of the vegetables.
Protein: approximately 25-30 g
Carbohydrates: approximately 180-200 g
Fats: approximately 55-65 g
Fiber: approximately 35-40 g
A significant portion of the fats comes from the 5 tablespoons of olive oil, while the carbohydrates mainly come from potatoes, carrots, onions, and parsnip. For an exact portion, the soup should be divided according to the number of bowls obtained.
Storage and Reheating
Leftover soup can be stored in a closed container, and for a longer period, it can be frozen. The leftover liquid after straining can be placed separately in the freezer and used later as a base for cooking.
When reheating, heat the soup until it’s hot and stir to ensure the consistency is uniform. If it has thickened after storage, you can adjust the texture with a little reserved soup. Croutons should be added at serving time to remain crispy.