Hearty Winter Lunch Soup (Printable)
Comforting bowl of seasonal vegetables and beans for a warm, nourishing midday meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 2 parsnips, peeled and diced
06 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 small leek, cleaned and sliced
09 - 2 cups chopped kale or Swiss chard, stems removed
→ Broth & Legumes
10 - 6 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
12 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
→ Spices & Seasoning
13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 bay leaf
16 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Finishing Touch
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
18 - Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, sliced carrots, celery, and diced parsnips. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
02 - Incorporate cubed potatoes, minced garlic, and sliced leek into the pot. Cook for an additional 2 minutes while stirring.
03 - Pour in vegetable broth, drained cannellini beans, diced tomatoes with their juice, dried thyme, oregano, and add the bay leaf. Bring mixture to a boil.
04 - Lower heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.
05 - Stir in chopped kale or Swiss chard and simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes until greens wilt.
06 - Remove the bay leaf. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. Serve hot garnished with fresh parsley and optional grated Parmesan cheese.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Ready in under an hour but tastes like you've been tending a pot all day.
- The beans give you real substance without any heaviness, and the greens at the end keep it from feeling too starchy.
- Comes together with pantry staples, so you're never caught without dinner.
02 -
- Don't skip rinsing the canned beans or your soup will have a chalky, starchy coating that overshadows everything else.
- The greens at the end are not optional filler, they're the thing that makes each spoonful feel balanced and alive.
03 -
- Chop everything the night before and store it in containers, so on a busy day you just dump and stir.
- If your soup tastes flat at the end, it's usually because it needs salt, and sometimes just a small pinch makes everything sing.