How to make good soup: 10 of our most popular soup recipes ever

Warm, comforting and delicious: soup season is officially here

Ready in under an hour, a pot of soup is always welcome when the weather turns cooler. Photo: Bríd O'Donovan.

This article was originally published on September 15, 2022.

Love your veg soup

recipe by:Erica Drum

This soup uses any leftover vegetables you have and transforms it into a delicious soup

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 45 mins

Total Time

 50 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1kg mixed vegetables – carrots, courgette, parsnips, potatoes, bruised tomatoes, peppers, leeks, squash, pumpkin, peas

• 1 large white onion

• 4 garlic cloves

• Leftover fried breakfast bits – bacon, sausage or pudding (optional)

• 1l vegetable stock

• Slices stale bread

• Olive oil

• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Chop up your raw vegetables into even size pieces. Toss with two tablespoons of olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper. Place on a baking tray and cook for 20 minutes at 180°C.

2. In the meantime, dice your onions. Pour one tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepot over a medium heat and begin to fry your onions. Leave these to sauté for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Finely chop your garlic and add this to the onions.

3. If you have leftover bacon or breakfast bits, chop them up nice and fine. Add the breakfast bits to the onions and garlic and stir on a low heat for a minute.

4. Place the cooked veg from the oven into your saucepot and pour over the stock. Bring this to the boil and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.

5. While this is simmering, cube up your stale bread, drizzle with olive oil season with salt and pepper and toast in the oven for a few minutes on each side.

6. Place the soup mixture in a food processor or blitz with a soup gun. Add more water and seasoning where needed to reach your desired texture and taste. Serve with some homemade croutons and a drizzle of olive oil.
   
   Picture: Yvonne Keane