Looking for a comforting, creamy vegetable soup that’s both healthy and packed with flavor? This Creamy Garden Vegetable Soup is the perfect balance of richness and nourishment, using fresh garden vegetables and a silky, low-calorie broth. It’s a fantastic choice for those who want a guilt-free yet satisfying meal. The best part? It’s incredibly easy to make and light on your wallet, too! This soup is ideal for a wholesome lunch or a light dinner and is sure to become a favorite in your recipe collection.
Ingredients:
For the Creamy Soup Broth:
- 1 medium head of cauliflower (600-700g / 1.2-1.4 lb)
- 500 grams (approximately 1 pound) of zucchini, roughly two large ones, trimmed and cut into thick rounds measuring about 1.5 centimeters (around 3/5 of an inch).
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 2 whole garlic cloves
- 2 cups (500 ml) vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 cups (500 ml) water
- 1 cup (250 ml) fat-free milk (or any milk of choice)
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- Pinch of black pepper
For the Soup:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 large carrots, diced into 1.25 cm (½”) chunks
- 3 celery stalks, thinly sliced into 0.75 cm (¼”) pieces
- 2 red bell peppers, cut into 1 cm (⅖”) pieces
- 500g (1 lb) zucchinis (about 2 large), peeled and cut into 1.25 cm (½”) slices
- 1 teaspoon of dried thyme (or any herb you favor)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Finely chopped parsley (optional for garnish)
Instructions:
Step 1: Prepare the Creamy Soup Broth
- In a large pot, add the cauliflower, zucchinis, onion, and garlic cloves. Combine vegetable or chicken stock with water in a pot.
- Heat until it reaches a boil, then lower the heat to let it simmer.
- Cook for about 15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and tender.
- Using an immersion blender or a standard blender, purée the mixture until smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the fat-free milk, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of black pepper.
Step 2: Prepare the Soup
- In a separate large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and chopped onion, cooking until the onion is soft and translucent (about 3-4 minutes).
- Add the carrots, celery, and bell peppers to the pot, stirring occasionally.
- Add the remaining zucchini slices and dried thyme. Stir to combine and let the flavors meld together for an additional 5 minutes.
- Pour the creamy soup broth over the sautéed vegetables. Stir well and simmer on low heat for another 10 minutes, allowing all the vegetables to absorb the broth’s flavors.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving.
Conclusion:
This Creamy Garden Vegetable Soup offers a luscious and velvety texture without the added calories of heavy cream. The blend of cauliflower and zucchini creates a smooth base, while the additional sautéed vegetables add a delightful bite to every spoonful. This soup is light, nutritious, and perfect for a healthy meal that’s low in calories but big on flavor. Serve it as a starter or enjoy a larger bowl as a satisfying meal in itself.
Creamy Garden Vegetable Soup – A Light and Nutritious Delight
This light yet creamy vegetable soup combines thesmoothness of a cauliflower-zucchini broth with the hearty flavors of sautéedvegetables like carrots, celery, and bell peppers. A delicious, guilt-freeoption that’s simple to prepare and perfect for a wholesome meal.
For the Creamy Soup Broth:
- 1 medium head of cauliflower (600-700g / 1.2-1.4 lb)
- 500 grams approximately 1 pound of zucchini, roughly two large ones, trimmed and cut into thick rounds measuring about 1.5 centimeters (around 3/5 of an inch).
- 1 large onion (roughly chopped)
- 2 whole garlic cloves
- 2 cups 500 ml vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 cups 500 ml water
- 1 cup 250 ml fat-free milk (or any milk of choice)
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- Pinch of black pepper
For the Soup:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 2 large carrots (diced into 1.25 cm (½”) chunks)
- 3 celery stalks (thinly sliced into 0.75 cm (¼”) pieces)
- 2 red bell peppers (cut into 1 cm (⅖”) pieces)
- 500 g 1 lb zucchinis (about 2 large), peeled and cut into 1.25 cm (½”) slices
- 1 teaspoon of dried thyme (or any herb you favor)
- Salt and black pepper (to taste)
- Finely chopped parsley (optional for garnish)
Step 1: Prepare the Creamy Soup Broth
- In a large pot, add the cauliflower, zucchinis, onion, and garlic cloves. Combine vegetable or chicken stock with water in a pot.
- Heat until it reaches a boil, then lower the heat to let it simmer.
- Cook for about 15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and tender.
- Using an immersion blender or a standard blender, purée the mixture until smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the fat-free milk, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of black pepper.
Step 2: Prepare the Soup
- In a separate large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and chopped onion, cooking until the onion is soft and translucent (about 3-4 minutes).
- Add the carrots, celery, and bell peppers to the pot, stirring occasionally.
- Add the remaining zucchini slices and dried thyme. Stir to combine and let the flavors meld together for an additional 5 minutes.
- Pour the creamy soup broth over the sautéed vegetables. Stir well and simmer on low heat for another 10 minutes, allowing all the vegetables to absorb the broth’s flavors.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving.