The Perfect Vegetable Soup

perfection in a bowl.

Nothing says wintertime like a delicious bowl of hot soup. Too bad it was above 60 degrees in DC today, but this vegetable soup is so good that you can enjoy it any time of year. I have always loved making soups, because seasoning is kind of my specialty and soups are all about the seasoning. I was experimenting in the kitchen one day a few months ago, and somehow this delicious vegetable soup came together. The only problem is that I just threw a bunch of random stuff in a pot, and had very little idea how to recreate it. However, I have made it a few times since then, and each time it tastes different, and better, than I remember. The key is that there is no key--you can pretty much add whatever you want. My ingredients list is just a benchmark, but you can add or subtract whatever is to your liking. I like my soup spicy so I went pretty heavy on the cayenne, red pepper flakes, and hot sauce. If spicy isn't your thing, then you can just add less, to taste. Good luck, and remember--if it comes out the same twice then you're doing it wrong!

Ingredients

Serves about 4-5 hearty portions

• 50 oz vegetable stock (1 1/2 32 oz. containers)
• 2, 15 oz. cans of fire roasted tomatoes with garlic
• 10 petite red potatoes (or about 4 medium sized red potatoes)
• 4 carrots, sliced thinly
• 3 stalks of celery, sliced thinly
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 5-7 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 bag of ready to eat spinach
• Salt, to taste (at least 1-2 tbsp.)
• Pepper, to taste
• Red pepper flakes (about 1/2 tsp.)
• Cayenne pepper, to taste
• Curry powder, to taste
• Rosemary (about 1/2 tsp)
• Smoked Chipotle Tabasco Sauce (or your favorite hot sauce, about 1-2 tbsp.)
• Everyday Seasoning Mix

1. Spray a large pot with cooking spray. Turn on medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion and garlic. Let cook for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly
3. Add the potato, celery, and carrot and cook for another 5 minutes or so, stirring often, until vegetables soften.
4. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper.
5. Add the vegetable stock and tomatoes and cover. Bring to a boil.
6. When the soup is just boiling, add the seasoning to your liking. Continually add and taste. It is better to start off with less and add more as you taste!
7. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for about 20-30 minutes, until vegetables are tender but not too soft.
8. Add the spinach during the last five minutes, and submerge in the broth until the spinach leaves are wilted. 
9. Serve and enjoy!!