Pauline’s New Year vegetable soup

The start of the year is typically a time when we like to make some healthier choices. If you’re looking for a light lunch to start 2019 in the healthiest way possible, then this vegetable soup is quick, easy and packed with goodness. It’s perfect if you’ve decided to sign up for Veganuary, too. Thanks to our wonderful housekeeper Pauline for creating this flavourful and restorative recipe…

This is a very wholesome soup, best made with the freshest vegetables you can get your hands on and a good quality vegetable stock. The key to this recipe is to not overcook the vegetables, as you want to keep their texture and flavour.

Ingredients

Serves 4:

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 small white onion – diced

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon tomato puree

300ml good quality vegetable stock

200g new baby carrots – diced

1 yellow pepper

1 red pepper

1 small head of broccoli, cut into small florets

3 leaves of cavolo nero

1 chopped spring onion to garnish

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat 1 tsp of olive oil in a large saucepan using a medium heat.
2. Crush and chop the garlic and add to the pan, along with the onion. Gently fry for 5 minutes until soft.
3. Add the diced carrots to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes.
4. Add the chopped peppers and cook for a further 2 minutes.
5. Add the stock and let everything simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Add the small broccoli florets and cavolo nero. Simmer for a further 2 minutes.
7. Stir in the tomato puree and season with salt and pepper.
8. Serve while the soup is steaming hot, and garnish with the spring onion.

Pauline is a bit of a freestyle cook and loves to improvise in the kitchen. If you like a little more heat you can add some chopped chilli at the beginning along with the onion and garlic. Or turn it into a sweet and sour soup, with a tablespoon of cider vinegar and half a teaspoon of sugar or your preferred sweetener.