Leftover-Vegetable Soup

On any given day, most of us have some random, leftover vegetables in the fridge drawer: a bit of cauliflower, a few broccoli florets, a handful of spinach, a lonely single leek. Got a few potatoes in the pantry, not nearly enough to mash? Are your scarce cilantro leaves not enough for chimichurri and too many for a vinaigrette. Instead of trying to fit each little piece into a separate dish, the easiest way to save all your micro-leftovers of produce is to make a delicious and nutritious soup. The perfect way to save your money, and to feed your family with a fabulous and easy dish, the best part about the leftover-vegetable soup is that anything goes. We bring you a template, but swap or add to your liking because there's no wrong way of cooking this wholesome meal.

In general, making a soup requires a good aromatic base, generous seasoning, and spices and herbs. First, take stock of what you have and sort the vegetables; use only what's still in good shape and discard what seems too soft or mushy. Secondly, look for aromatics, such as sautéed onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. If you don't have any fresh, powdered onion or powdered garlic will do the trick. Finally, choose your cooking liquid, a good stock or broth is ideal but in a pinch use water and a splash of white wine if you'd like. Spices and fresh herbs complete the flavoring and add brightness to the soup. Cilantro, basil, parsley, thyme, or rosemary work wonders, and using the dried versions also adds a ton of flavor.

Our basic recipe freezes well and is certainly a friendly way to freeze vegetables and meal prep for the weeks ahead. Having soup in your freezer ready to reheat is a time-saving trick for busy weeknights when a bowl of hot soup and a loaf of crusty bread will make a wonderful and flavorful dinner. For extra richness, serve with a dollop of sour cream on top, or a generous amount of grated Parmesan.