Gentle Vegetable Soup
Cooking Time:
30 mins
Level:
Easy
A warm and simple vegetable soup for days when you want something light, soft, and comforting. I like this soup because it does not need much preparation — the water starts heating while I chop the vegetables, and everything cooks together in one pot.
Ingredients
- 1 medium potato
- 1 carrot
- 1 tomato
- 1/4 to 1/2 onion
- A handful of French beans
- A handful of spinach
- A few lettuce leaves
- 600–700 ml water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- A small pinch of ground white pepper, optional
Optional:
- 1–2 small meatballs
- A small handful of cooked chicken pieces
Start the water first
Add 600–700 ml water to a pot and bring it to a boil. While the water is heating, start preparing the vegetables. This method saves time and energy.
Chop the vegetables
Peel and dice the potato. Slice the carrot, chop the tomato and onion, and cut the French beans into small pieces. Wash the spinach and lettuce, then roughly chop the lettuce.
Add the main vegetables
Once the water is hot, add the potato, carrot, tomato, onion, and French beans to the pot. Add a small pinch of salt at this stage so the vegetables can absorb a little flavour as they cook. If you are adding meatballs or cooked chicken pieces, add them now too.
Simmer until the potato is soft
Lower the heat and let the soup simmer gently for about 15–20 minutes, or until the potato is soft. You can use a fork to check whether the potato is tender. When the potato is cooked, the soup is almost ready.
Add greens and adjust seasoning
Add the spinach and lettuce near the end. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, then add olive oil and a small pinch of ground white pepper if you like. Taste the soup first, and add a little more salt only if needed. Serve warm.