Soup Dynamics

a bowl of comfort for what ails you

Hey Broiler Heads! Welcome back to another edition of our Soup Season Series. This week’s recipe is one I’ve been making, in one form or another, for years. Anytime somebody is feeling under the weather, exhausted, or recovering from something major, this soup has served as a catch-all tonic for everything that ails us. It’s like a comforting hug from a person you love, a warm blanket on a comfy couch. It’s a healer, even if it’s just for a short while. This is the kind of recipe I tend to keep to myself, reserved only for friends and family, but we all need some extra comfort these days. Hopefully it soothes whoever needs a little extra love in your house, just like it does in mine.

If you’re  new to cooking, great news:  this recipe is very forgiving and lends itself to subbing vegetables in/out based on the season and whatever you can find at the store. In the summer months, I love to throw hunks of corn on the cob in with the beans to cook in the broth. In these winter months chopped cabbage and kale are great editions. As long as you keep the proportions relatively the same then you can remix this however you like. We used out of season corn for the photo but it tasted horrible, do not recommend.

a summer version of the soup with green beans in place of parsnips and yuca instead of potatoes from last year

Don’t have preserved lemons? Add two tablespoons of lemon juice towards the end of the recipe for a similar effect. The hardest part of the recipe is making sure to give the veggies enough time to brown before adding the broth or water to the pot. You want them borderline burnt and even sticking to the pot in some spots. THAT is the flavor we want; it takes the soup to the next level so don’t rush. Serve it up topped with herbs and with a side of white rice scooped right into the bowl or some warm sourdough bread on the side. You should be feeling better already.

Magic White Bean and Vegetable Soup

Makes enough for 4-6 people

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 sweet onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

1 parsnip, chopped

1 chayote or zucchini, chopped

6 yellow creamer potatoes, chopped or 1 large yellow potato, chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

½ teaspoon ground coriander or cumin

¼ teaspoon turmeric, optional

½ teaspoon ground pepper

2 tablespoons minced preserved lemon rind, optional

6 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or soy sauce

2 bay leaves

8 cups of water or vegetable broth

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 ½ cups cooked white beans like cannellini or butter beans, or one 15 ounce can, drained and rinsed

½ cup chopped cilantro

½ cup chopped parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Grab a large stock pot and warm the oil over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sauté until the onions start to brown in some spots, about 5 minutes. Throw in the carrots, celery, and parsnip and sauté for another couple of minutes until the onions are almost looking a little jammy, about 5 minutes. Add the chayote and potatoes, stir, then sprinkle in the thyme, coriander, turmeric, and pepper. Let these dried spices start to wake up and smell delicious as you sauté them for about a minute or two.

Now fold in the preserved lemon, garlic, and ginger then drizzle in the Braggs. The Braggs and preserved lemons add so much umami to this soup that everything should really be smelling good now. Sauté all this together, scraping off any spots that are starting to burn to the pot for another 2 minutes then splash in a little broth or water. Use that liquid to help lift all the deliciousness sticking to the pot and back into the soup. Once you’ve got most of it, add the bay leaves and add the rest of the liquid. Let the pot come to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low. Cook it like this until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When all the veggies are tasting right, fold in the beans, and corn cobs or greens if you are using (see headnote). Add the cilantro and parsley and let everything cook together for another couple minutes. When everything is looking good, turn off the heat and taste. Add more salt, herbs, whatever you think it might need.

Serve warm in a bowl with a side of white rice or your favorite bread. Top with extra parsley, cilantro, and black pepper.

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Thanks for joining us here in The Broiler Room. We appreciate all the feedback and ingenious substitutions you are sharing in the comments. We always knew you guys were the best but it feels great to be proven right.

Michelle