Vegetable Soup (Clear Soup)

A Vegetable Soup recipe is so healthy and there are so many ways you can make them. Get cooking two easy classic nutritious recipes of vegetable soup loaded with mixed veggies and high on flavors. I share a Veg Clear Soup (easy and gluten-free) with video and a Mixed Veggie Soup with Moong Sprouts (low-fat and with soy sauce).

1. About Clear Soup

This is a very simple and fuss-free recipe to make a clear soup that is light, healthy and nutritious. It is also gluten-free and vegan.

Generally I do not use any vegetable stock to make soup – it may or may not be there. Not all of us have a veggie stock handy.

I usually keep the seasonings in the veg clear soup to a minimal, so that the taste and flavors of the mixed vegetables do not get subdued in the recipe. So there are no strong flavored spiced elements in this soup.

Just a bit of ginger, garlic, black pepper and nutmeg is added for that hint of warmth and spice. You can even add a bit of soy sauce to get an umami flavor in this clear vegetable soup.

Ingredients and Variations

• Vegetables: Use veggies of your choice or any spare veggie that you have in your fridge or pantry. Usually, I make this clear veg soup with cabbage or Chinese cabbage or bok choy, carrots, beans, sweet corn and mushrooms.
  
  Make sure to add the veggies that take a longer time to cook first, followed by vegetables that cook faster. Note that the soup will take on the flavors of the veggies that you add.
• Add Protein: You can even add some tofu cubes or seitan in the soup for a plant-based protein content.
• Herbs: Include any dried or fresh herbs you have. Celery is a good addition if you have it. Whenever I make soups, I include any herbs that I have. Flavor the soup with your choice of herbs and spices according to your liking.
• Seasonings: To give a slight kick of heat in the veg clear soup add a bit of red chilli sauce or sriracha sauce. For a umami flavor, add soy sauce or tamari.

1. How to make Clear Vegetable Soup

Sauté Aromatics

1. In a pan or pot, take 1 tablespoon oil. You can use olive oil or sunflower oil. You can also use butter.

Add ½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic and ¾ teaspoon finely chopped ginger.

2. Sauté until the raw aroma of both ginger and garlic goes away. Sauté for some seconds, but do not brown them.

3. Then add ¼ cup chopped spring onions (scallions). You can also add chopped onions or shallots instead of spring onions.

Sauté until translucent. You can also add ½ teaspoon chopped celery at this step like shown in the video.

Sauté Vegetables

4. Now add ½ cup finely chopped cabbage, ⅓ cup finely chopped carrots, ¼ to ⅓ cup finely chopped capsicum and ¼ cup finely chopped french beans.

5. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes on medium-low heat.

Add Water and Seasonings

6. Then add 3 cups water. If you have Homemade Vegetable Stock, you can add it at this point instead of the water.

7. Season with ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper or according to your taste.

8. Season with salt as needed.

9. Grate about a pinch of nutmeg in the soup.

10. Mix very well.

Cook Veggies

11. Cover the pan and simmer the clear soup on a low to medium heat until the veggies are almost done. Some crunch in the veggies tastes good. So do not cook the veggies completely or make them mushy.

If using mushrooms or potatoes or cauliflower then you will have to cook the veggies until they are done. Basically, it depends on the type of veggies you will add in this clear soup recipe.

TIP: Add the veggies that take a longer time to cook first (like carrots, green beans, cauliflower) and cook them for some minutes. Then add the vegetables (like broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers) that cook faster and continue to simmer..

12. Garnish the clear vegetable soup with some chopped spring onion greens or any fresh herbs or chives. Enjoy clear soup hot or warm.

Serving Suggestions

You can drink the clear vegetable soup as it is or pair it with a side of a crusty bread or some toasts.

The clear soup can also be paired as a starter or side with an American, French or Italian main course.

Storage and Leftovers

Store the soup in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or freeze for a month without adding the garnish of spring onions.

Reheat in a saucepan until hot and while serving garnish with fresh herbs or scallion greens.

2. About Mixed Veggie Soup

This easy mixed vegetable soup recipe is the way I make Tibetan Thukpa (which is a Tibetan soup) without noodles. Of course my version is a vegetarian and vegan version of the Tibetan Thukpa.

Noodles makes this soup more filling and hearty. Not all times I have noodles in the pantry and the craving for a soup can strike any time.

These are the occasions when I often end up making this delish, light, warm and nutritious soup vegetable soup minus the noodles.

I also add some tofu or mung bean sprouts. When I made the recipe, I had some sprouts, so I added them.

Moong sprouts give a good taste and texture in the soup. Though if you don’t have moong bean sprouts, you can just skip them or you can add tofu if you prefer.

It is comforting to have this soup during winters or monsoons. The recipe is also low-fat and vegan.

This vegetable soup is also a good way to use leftover veggies from your pantry. Simply add whatever veggies you have and you get a hearty bowl of soup.

The flavor and taste of the mixed veg soup will depend on the vegetables you add. So you can add veggies of your choice.

I personally prefer to add veggies like carrots, cabbage, french beans, broccoli, onions and mushrooms.

2. Step-by-Step Mixed Veggie Soup

Prep Your Veggies

1. First chop all the veggies – I added carrots, french beans, red cabbage, button mushrooms and red bell pepper. About 1.5 to 2 cups chopped mix vegetables.

Sauté Onions and Garlic

2. Heat 1 tablespoons oil in a pan. Add ¼ cup chopped onions and 1 teaspoon chopped garlic.

You can use a neutral oil to make the soup. Toasted sesame oil is also a good option.

3. Sauté until the onions soften and turn translucent.

Sauté Mixed Veggies

4. Then add the chopped mix veggies and celery.

5. Mix well.

6. Saute on a medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes.

Add Moong Bean Sprouts

7. Add ⅓ cup moong sprouts and stir well. Sauté for 2 minutes.

Add Seasonings and Water

8. Add 3 cups of water.

9. Add 2 teaspoon soy sauce. You can add more if you prefer.

10. Then add salt as required.

11. Add ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper or as required.

Making Vegetable Soup

12. Stir well. Cover the pan and simmer the soup for 10 to 11 minutes on a low to medium heat.

If you want to add tofu, add it when the soup is cooked and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

13. Once the veggies are tender, check the seasonings and add more salt or black pepper if needed.

14. Serve the vegan vegetable soup hot or warm. You can garnish with some fresh herbs if you like.

The soup can be had as it is or add some some boiled noodles or steamed rice into it for a filling, hearty soup.

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This recipe post is from the archives (Dec 2016) and has been republished and updated on 21 March 2021.