It’s officially that time of year when I trade iced coffees for broth-based decisions and start romanticizing my stovetop. Naturally, that can only mean one thing. While some lean into baking in the ‘ber months, I’ve always dove into soup season (pun intended).
Soup season is my favorite season of all time. I’ll be the first to admit that I can take it to extremes. There is something incredibly satisfying about throwing an assortment of ingredients into a pot, letting them cook for a few hours, and being rewarded with a steaming bowl of nutrient-rich goodness*.
*Laughing about this because my roommate and I just talked about food (of course, soup) and how much discussions change as you get older. All of a sudden, you care about fiber, your gut biome, and how much added sugar is in your groceries.
Naturally, the cooler weather has sent me spiraling into my annual hunt for the soup of the season. And I think I’ve found it.
The Current Soup Fixation
Minestrone. Mike and I picked some up from Trader Joe’s, and frankly, it wasn’t terrific. However, it was a good reminder of what minestrone can be.
I’ve never been one to measure, but if you measure the following with your heart, you’re destined to have a killer soup you won’t get tired of eating on the chilly days.
Madi’s Take on Minestrone
- Beef stew meat
- Carrots
- Celery
- Onion
- Garlic
- Broth
- Green Beans (I used fresh)
- Zuchinni
- Can of Cannelini Beans
- Can of Stewed Tomatoes
- Small noodles (I used macaroni)
- Peas (I used frozen)
- Turmeric
- Parsley
- Kale
- Rosemary
I threw the onion, celery, carrots, rosemary, and celery into a pot with some olive oil until they were soft. Maybe mid-way through I added the stew meat. I let it cook a little longer until the meat had a bit of a sear. At that point, I added the canned goods, broth and an assortment of seasonings and let it cook for 40-ish minutes. Alas, I threw in the peas, kale, and parsley, and noodles and cooked according to the box on the pasta.
I’m not saying it’s the best soup in the world, and I’m certainly not saying my steps are the best approach, but it hits the spot.
Get Cookin
My favorite recipes are the ones that help me clean out the fridge and pantry, and that’s likely why I enjoy making soup so much. I’m an advocate for throwing whatever you have into the pot. Not sure what to do with the leftover leeks? Kale? Lentils? Just toss ’em in.
Soup is my favorite because it seems impossible to mess up. But the downside? If I ever make a soup (or anything for that matter), that is the bees’ knees, I can never recreate it because I don’t have the slightest clue what I added, let alone how much. And as much as I promote only buying things you really really need to reduce waste, you really need to treat yourself to a Dutch oven for soup season (check your local thrift stores first!).
Anyways – happy soup season to all who celebrate! And never trust anyone who doesn’t like chili.
Shut Up Madi 