Creamy Vegetable Soup (Printable)
Velvety soup featuring seasonal vegetables and cream, ideal for warm, cozy meals any day.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
07 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
08 - 1 cup broccoli florets
→ Liquids
09 - 4 cups vegetable stock (gluten-free if necessary)
10 - 1 cup whole milk or unsweetened plant-based milk
11 - 1/2 cup heavy cream or plant-based cream
→ Seasonings
12 - 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
→ Garnish
16 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic, sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
02 - Add diced carrots, celery, potato, zucchini, and broccoli florets. Stir and cook for 5 minutes to soften.
03 - Pour in vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
04 - Remove pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, blend in batches in a countertop blender, then return soup to the pot.
05 - Stir in milk and cream. Warm gently over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes without boiling.
06 - Add salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and nutmeg (if using). Adjust seasoning to preference.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
# Cooking Tips:
01 -
- It turns random vegetable scraps into something that tastes intentional and restaurant-smooth.
- You can make it dairy-free or keep it creamy, and either way it feels like a hug in a bowl.
- It comes together in under an hour and needs almost no technique, just patience while things simmer.
02 -
- Always taste your stock before you add it, because a salty stock will make your finished soup too aggressive and hard to fix later.
- Don't boil the soup after you add the cream, gentle heat keeps it smooth and prevents that grainy, separated look.
- If you want a chunkier texture, blend only half the soup and stir the puree back into the unblended vegetables for contrast.
03 -
- If you want deeper flavor, roast the vegetables in the oven with a little oil before adding them to the pot, it adds a subtle caramelized sweetness.
- A pinch of nutmeg might seem odd, but it's the secret ingredient that makes people ask what makes this soup taste so special.
- Always blend hot soup in small batches if you're using a countertop blender, and hold the lid down with a towel to avoid a dangerous steam explosion.