Vegetable Soups Built for Maximum Flavor (Published 2016) (2024)

FAQs

What will give my vegetable soup more flavor? ›

A squeeze of citrus, a dollop of yogurt or a drizzle of cream, a dusting of cheese or a good chile powder, a sprinkling of some herbs or croutons — all can take a perfectly fine soup into the realm of the delectable. Even a spiral of good olive oil to finish and some coarse sea salt can do wonders.

Not Browning Vegetables

It may be tempting to toss all your chopped ingredients into a pot, add the broth and simmer until tender. But if you take the time to brown all your ingredients before adding the broth, you'll be rewarded with extra flavor and sweetness.

Dried herbs and seasonings: homemade seasoned salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and dried bay leaves lend flavor to the soup.

Before serving, we'll brighten up the soup with a big squeeze of lemon juice (one of my other go-to soup tricks) and add another splash of olive oil for rich flavor. Taste the soup before and after these additions, and you'll notice a big difference! Finally, season to taste with salt and pepper, as necessary.

Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples

Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients.

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

Ensure you've added enough salt and black pepper. Too little salt means your soup's flavours' will remain hidden. When you know your soup is salty enough, move on to other seasonings like herbs and spices. I don't know what you put in your soup.

How do you make soup more flavorful? Depending on what kind of soup you have, there are lots of things that add flavor. Black pepper can give an “after burn" to any recipe. Worcestershire sauce, Maggi sauce, tomato paste, fresh herbs, mustard, vinegar, bouquet garni, garlic, hot sauce, soy sauce.

You can extract a clean, strong broth from a combination of water and several pantry ingredients. It's all about layering powerful flavor-enhancers that you probably already have on hand—bacon, tomato paste, herbs, peppercorns, a Parmesan rind, and, of course, kosher salt.

You can also add in some parsley, thyme, bay leaves, or Herbs de Provence. Add some salt and pepper and just let the heat bring out the flavors of your aromatics for a few minutes before adding the other ingredients in your dish.

What can I add to my vegetable soup to give it more flavor? ›

Start layering flavor to the soup by adding in carrots, celery mushrooms, garlic and seasonings. Add the broth, remaining veggies and fresh herbs. Bring to a boil, then down to a simmer and cook until sweet potatoes are tender. Add in the beans and lemon juice.

According to the Taste Atlas Awards, the international food database, the Filipino favorite, Sinigang, is hailed as the best soup in the world.

To Store: Leftover homemade vegetable soup will last a good 3 to 4 days in the fridge. To Freeze: The liquid in the soup will expand when frozen to leave an inch headspace between the lid and the soup before placing it in the freezer. I prefer to use airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags.

Fresh herbs, onions, garlic, ginger and chili peppers are also good choices. Toasted nuts, sauces like oyster sauce, soy sauce and tomato sauce do the trick too. You can also use juice, a fresh-squeezed lemon, or vinegar to give the taste of your veggies a twist.

Soy sauce or liquid aminos

These dark brown liquids bring both saline punch and some welcome caramelized flavor to dishes, along with a good boost of umami.

Using different seasonings can completely transform your plant-based cooking. Spices like chile powder, curry, smoked paprika, cinnamon, cumin, and black pepper can do wonders for vegetables. And never forget the most important seasoning: salt (just remember to add a little bit at a time and keep tasting).