Winter Essential: Comfy Vegetable Soup

Winter Essential: Comfy Vegetable Soup

     This is my go-to soup. I have all of the ingredients for this soup almost all the time. If you're a crazy veggie eater like me, I'm sure you do too; making this a cheap, flavorful, fast, healthy dinner for an army.  This is one of those chop-n-drop soups; just chop all those veggies drop them in the pot, and voila; delicious, filling, hearty soup! You can substitute veggies you have on hand, and exclude anything you might not.  I like to make this soup on a Sunday, so that I have lunch for the week, or freeze it in individual containers for a quick dinner.
 

Comfy Vegetable Soup

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 1/2 cups carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 leek, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed between your fingers
4 cups water*
2 vegetable bouillon cubes*
4 cups (one box) vegetable stock
Parmesan Rind (optional)
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cups small red potatoes, diced
2 cups packed greens (kale, chard, collards, etc.), cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup frozen corn
1 can cannellini beans (you could also use navy, or kidney beans)
Juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste

     Heat the oil over medium heat in a large heavy-bottomed pot with a lid. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and leek. Saute until onion is translucent. Add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute.

     Add the sage, oregano, rosemary, water, bouillon, veggie stock, parmesan rind, tomato paste, stir well, and increase heat to bring to a boil. Once boiling, add potatoes, and lower heat to simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. 

     Add the greens, corn, beans, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Adjust the seasonings to taste and cook until the greens are wilted, and the corn and beans are heated through.

* You could also substitute another box of stock in place of the bouillon, OR use all bouillon (ratio 1 bouillon cube to 2 cups water).