The Makings of a Hearty Soup

When I make soup, I rarely follow a recipe.  For most of my clear soups, I like to start each pot with a few simple ingredients and they never fail me.  

To begin, I always saute the trilogy {carrots, celery and onion} in a little bit of olive oil.  Once they are soft, I add garlic and cook for another minute or two.  Tip: Add pinches of salt throughout the cooking process because if you add it at the end, your soup will just taste salty rather than flavorful.     



Normally, I use organic stock, whether it be beef, chicken or vegetable.  For the pot I made on Sunday...I added a can of cannellini beans for protein, and veggie pasta for added bulk.  When adding pasta to soup, I cook it on the side until it reaches al dente and add before serving.  A can of tomatoes {I crush them myself} adds nice flavor to any vegetable/minestrone-type soup.   



Sometimes I like to add in spinach, but I had a head of cabbage in the fridge so I used that instead.   
 

It's always nice to have something on the side, so I spread leftover basil/walnut pesto over warmed Naan bread and cut it into pieces.  
 

I've given this tip before, but I love it so much that it's worth repeating.  The rinds of Parmesano Reggiano cheese can be saved {or frozen} and dropped into soups.  The warmth of the soup will melt the cheese and disperse the flavor. 
  

Also like to add dried herbs such as oregano and marjoram, as well as fresh ones such as thyme, basil or rosemary.  Before serving, top soups with something special.  I like to use Parmesan, sour cream, or chopped parsley.

Half the fun of making soup is to be creative by using what you have in the fridge and pantry.  

Do you have any tricks for making homemade soup?