Now that I’ve been back about a week, I’m finally starting to feel back to normal. Three weeks of travel and socializing was pretty rough on this introvert and some peace and quiet over the weekend did a world of good. I got back to baking with pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread, and then figured I should make something for dinner also. With snow in the forecast this week (!) a batch of soup was definitely in order.

While traveling I ate a ton of delicious but not exactly healthy things, so now that I’m back I’m trying to do a little better in the eating department. While skimming Pinterest (like ya do) I whizzed passed a vegetable soup recipe that looked great. I didn’t really follow it so much as use it as a guideline, but I always appreciate the inspiration. Vegetable stock and spaghetti sauce make a yummy broth filled with whatever veggies suit your fancy. I threw in potatoes, celery (since we had some around), carrots, zucchini, bell pepper, green beans, corn, and peas, but you can easily tailor it to your preferences or to your supplies on hand. Pretty hard to go wrong here so just chop some fresh or throw in some canned/frozen options and you’re good to go.

I didn’t spice mine a ton, but I did throw in a few. I put some guideline measurements for the beginners but if you’re a practiced soup chef feel free to change them up. Don’t be intimidated by the long ingredients list, it’s a super easy recipe.

This is a great vegetarian option for a cool fall day, and maybe the rest of the week since it makes a ton. If you’re wanting to make it more carnivore-friendly, brown up a pound (more or less) of your favorite ground or diced meat and throw it in when you add the broth. Enjoy!

Veggie Soup

Inspired by Cooking Classy

Makes a lot (4-5 quarts)

Ingredients

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 stalks celery, chopped
6 medium carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced

5 medium potatoes, diced
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes
24 oz spaghetti sauce
32 oz vegetable stock (low sodium)

2 tsp thyme
2 tsp Italian seasonings
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup/can green beans
2 cups frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
1-2 handfuls fresh spinach

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, add oil, onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Saute for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add potatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes (no need to drain), and spaghetti sauce. Gently pour in vegetable stock, add spices, and stir to combine.
3. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to a simmer and allow to cook until potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes.
4. Add green beans (drained, if using canned), peas, corn, and spinach, then simmer for another 5 minutes or until ready to eat.
5. Serve hot, goes great with corn bread!