It’s one of the easiest healthiest dishes, full of various mix vegetables that complete the human body with needed vitamins and fibers. Easy to prepare with a very pleasing taste: it’s the best option for every family. How to prepare classic vegetable soup – That is described in the content within. It is so effortless to prepare at home or easily make on your own without any difficult procedures.
To make your vegetable soup even more nutritious, consider adding high-protein veggies. For some great ideas, check out our 10 Top High Protein Vegetables You Should Add to Your Diet and elevate your meals with these protein-packed options.
Steps & Ingredients for Classic Vegetable Soup
| Ingredient | Quantity |
| Cooked white rice | 3 cups |
| Ground beef | 1 kg |
| Chopped green bell pepper | 1 cup |
| Chopped red bell pepper | 1 cup |
| Chopped onion | 1 cup |
| Minced garlic | 4 cloves |
| Chopped tomatoes | 28 oz |
| Tomato paste | 15 oz |
| Chicken broth (thickened) | 3 cups |
| Italian seasoning | 3 tsp |
| Salt | To taste |
| Pepper | To taste |
Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients
To start preparing your classic vegetable soup, the first step is to prep the ingredients. This includes chopping and getting the vegetables like green and red bell peppers, onions, and garlic ready. Set aside the chopped tomatoes and cooked white rice. Additionally, have your ground beef ready.
Pro Tip: Instead of using canned tomatoes, fresh ones will give it a more natural and delicious taste, but if you don’t have enough time, you can use canned ones too.
Step 2: Cooking the Vegetable Soup
1. Cooking the Ground Beef
In a large pot, heat over medium heat. Add in the ground beef and, using a wooden spoon, break it into really small pieces. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the beef and continue to cook for about 5–6 minutes until well browned and cooked. The fat in the beef is sufficient, and thus no oil should be added.
2. Adding the Vegetables
Add the green and red bell peppers, chopped onion, and minced garlic to the pot containing the beef. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften and lose their raw aroma.
3. Adding Tomatoes and Seasonings
Now, add to the pot the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and Italian seasoning. Sprinkle a bit more salt and pepper to balance the flavors. Stir the mixture to combine all contents in it.
4. Chicken Broth
Add the 3 cups of thick chicken broth. Turn the heat to high to bring it to a boil, then turn it low. Let the vegetable soup simmer on low heat for 25–30 minutes. This resting time enables the flavors to meld well and the soup to thicken slightly.
Step 3: Preparing Rice to Serve with the Soup
| Ingredient | Quantity |
| Soaked rice | 3 cups |
| Salt | 1 tbsp |
| Cooking oil | 2 tbsp |
1. Initial Preparation
Put soaked rice in a pot. Add water to the level of about one finger above the rice surface. Add 1 tbsp of salt to the water.
2. Boiling and Steaming
Put the pot over medium heat and bring the water to a boil. Skim the foam off the top, reduce the heat, and cover the pot with a lid. Let the rice cook slowly for about 30 minutes until fully steamed.
Step 4: Serving and Garnishing
Serving the Soup and Rice
Ladle the vegetable soup prepared into a serving bowl. Add to the bowl one-third to half a cup of steamed rice. This is a nice-looking and satisfying combination of food.
Garnishing
Sprinkle some freshly chopped parsley over the soup. This light garnish adds freshness to the taste as well as appeal to the presentation of the dish.
A Variation: Vegetable Soup with Chicken
Ingredients for Vegetable Soup with Chicken
| Ingredient | Quantity |
| Carrots | 6 |
| Celery stalks | 6 |
| Onions | 2 |
| Minced garlic | 1 clove |
| Chopped shallots | 3 |
| Chopped parsley | 1 cup |
| Chopped spinach | 100 g |
| Bay leaves | 2 |
| Chicken | 300 g |
| Butter | 3 tbsp |
| Salt and black pepper | To taste |
| Fresh lemon juice | 2 tbsp |
Instructions for Vegetable Soup with Chicken
Preparing the Chicken
In a large pot, fill half with water and bring to a boil on medium heat. Add chopped onions, chicken pieces, bay leaves, a pinch of turmeric, salt, and black pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the chicken cook until tender, about 2 hours.
Vegetable Preparation
Peel the carrots, dice them, and slice the celery stalks into pieces. In another pot, melt butter over low heat. Add minced garlic, shallots, celery, and carrots, and sauté for 10 minutes until the vegetables soften.
Combining Vegetables with Chicken Broth
Pull the chicken from the pot once cooked, and strain the broth over the vegetables in another pot. Add strained broth into the vegetable pot then add the chopped parsley in the pot. Let simmer for 40 minutes to allow vegetables to tenderize.
Adding Spinach and Adjusting Flavor
Add the chopped spinach 10 minutes before the cooking time is over. Season the soup with salt and black pepper to your liking. Finish it with fresh lemon juice for brightness and freshness.
Serving and Garnishing
Ladle the vegetable soup with chicken into bowls. Top each bowl with chicken pieces and garnish with chopped parsley and a sprinkle of black pepper.
Tips and Recommendations
Mixed Vegetables: Other vegetables can be added to make the dish nutritious, like zucchini, sweet corn, or green beans.
Healthier Variant: For a healthier variant of your soup, you can substitute white rice with brown rice due to its high fiber content and low GI.
Garnish: Give it that extra kick in taste with a dash of balsamic vinegar or fresh lime juice.
Separate Serving: If desired, the rice can be served on the side rather than mixing it with the soup.
Conclusion
Homemade vegetable soup is both very easy and enjoyable. Vegetable soups, be it classic or chicken-based, are warm, nutritional, and deliciously flavored. For the best outcome, use only fresh, high-quality ingredients. To make shopping easier for you, stores like Hypermarket Faraz carry a great variety of fresh vegetables, meats, and seasonings for all your cooking needs.
Try either of these vegetable soup recipes and bring the warmth of a delicious homemade meal to your dining table!
