Linda's Vegetable Soup

A proper vegetable soup doesn’t need meat to taste rich. This one builds its flavor base by sautéing onions, leeks, celery, and garlic together before the heartier vegetables go in. That five-minute sauté caramelizes the alliums and creates a savory foundation that vegetable stock alone can’t achieve.

Potatoes break down during the hour-long simmer and naturally thicken the broth without any flour or cream. The carrots hold their shape better, giving the soup a mix of textures from silky to firm.

The tomato trick here is clever: if you’re using fresh tomatoes, sit them on top of the simmering vegetables just long enough for the skins to peel away on their own. No separate blanching pot needed, no ice bath. The steam does the work for you.

Chef Tips

• Slice the leeks and rinse them well. Grit hides between the layers and will make the soup sandy if you skip this.
• Add more stock as it simmers if the soup gets too thick. Potatoes and cabbage absorb a lot of liquid.
• Fresh herbs go in early with the vegetables so they infuse the broth over the full cooking time. Dried herbs work but use half the amount.
• This soup improves overnight. The flavors deepen and the broth gets richer as it sits in the fridge.

Variations

• Chunky minestrone style: Add cooked white beans and small pasta in the last 15 minutes for a more substantial meal.
• Creamy version: Blend half the soup and stir it back in for a thicker, creamier texture without adding dairy.