Soups made from just one or two vegetables have clear flavors that range from intense to subtle. This family of soups is also generally faster than most others, so it’s a good introduction to the world of soup making, and can help you take the first steps toward understanding ingredient-driven, variable cooking. When you focus on just one vegetable, it’s easy to experiment with substitutions.
The recipes in this section also demonstrate the principle that precooking vegetables in a little oil coaxes maximum flavor from them. Though most of the action happens on the stove, a couple of the soups here highlight the benefits of oven roasting, broiling, or even grilling. A bonus: Single-vegetable soups are almost always delicious served chilled, especially when you add a little cream.