Creamy Lunch Soup (Printable)

Velvety blend of vegetables with creamy finish, perfect for a midday meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium onion, diced
02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
04 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
05 - 1 small zucchini, diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

07 - 4 cups vegetable broth
08 - 1 cup whole milk or unsweetened plant-based milk
09 - 1/2 cup heavy cream or plant-based cream

→ Seasonings

10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
13 - 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
15 - Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

→ Garnish

16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables soften.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add diced potato and zucchini, cook for 2 minutes. Pour in vegetable broth.
04 - Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
05 - Remove from heat. Purée soup using an immersion blender until smooth, or blend in batches in a countertop blender and return to pot.
06 - Stir in milk and cream. Warm gently over low heat without boiling.
07 - Add salt, black pepper, thyme, basil, and optional nutmeg. Adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, and serve hot.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, which means hot soup before your lunch break ends.
  • The cream makes it feel indulgent without requiring fancy ingredients or techniques.
  • It's forgiving enough to use whatever vegetables are lingering in your produce drawer.
  • Tastes just as good reheated the next day, and even better actually.
02 -
  • Do not skip the initial sauté of onions, carrots, and celery—that step builds all the depth the soup will have.
  • The immersion blender is a game changer here, but if you don't have one, a countertop blender works; just blend carefully and return to the pot.
  • Never boil the soup after adding the cream; it will separate and look broken even though it still tastes fine.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning before serving; the broth you use might be saltier than mine, so trust your own palate.
03 -
  • Save a ladle of the soup before blending and swirl it back in at the end for a slightly chunky, more rustic texture—it's lovely and feels less one-note.
  • If your soup tastes flat even after seasoning, try adding a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice; it brightens everything without making it taste sour.

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