Mixed Vegetable Soup

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Almost any vegetable can be made into soup and this simple recipe can be used as a guide. For a change, try adding broccoli, courgettes (zucchini), parsnips, turnips, swede (rutabaga) or sweet potatoes, cutting them into even-sized pieces to ensure they are all tender at the same time.

Serves 2

1 small onion, very finely chopped, or 30 ml/2 tbsp frozen diced onion
450 ml/¾ pint/2 cups very hot (not boiling) vegetable stock
350 g/12 oz fresh mixed vegetables such as carrots, celery and potatoes or frozen chopped mixed vegetables
1 bay leaf
5 ml/1 tsp dried mixed herbs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
30 ml/2 tbsp milk or single (light) cream (optional)


  1. Put the onion in the ceramic cooking pot. Pour the stock over, cover with the lid and switch on the slow cooker to Low. Leave to warm for 3-4 minutes while measuring and preparing the remaining ingredients.
  2. If using fresh vegetables, cut into 5 mm/¼ in slices or dice. Add the fresh or frozen vegetables to the ceramic cooking pot with the bay leaf and sprinkle the dried herbs over.
  3. Re-cover with the lid and cook for 4-6 hours or until all the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer half the soup to a bowl or a freezer container and allow to cool.
  4. If using milk or cream, stir this into the remaining soup and cook for a further 15 minutes to bring the soup back to boiling point. (Do not heat for longer than this, as long cooking may cause the soup to separate). Taste and re-season, if necessary, then serve in a warm bowl with wholemeal toast or crusty rolls.


Second serving
Either cover the cooled soup and chill in the fridge for the following day, or freeze for up to a month. If frozen, allow the soup to defrost in the fridge overnight. To serve, transfer to a saucepan and heat until piping hot.

Cook's tip
If you are using vegetables with a high water content such as courgettes or squash, reduce the quantity of stock a little. If you are using a high proportion of vegetables such as potatoes that soak up cooking juices, or adding dried vegetables, add a little more liquid to compensate.