Southern Vegetable Soup

Ingredients -

3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup diced White Onion
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 quarts Vegetable Broth
1 (16 ounces can Diced Tomatoes with Juice
1 cup Fresh Green Beans, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces)
1 cup Frozen Peas, thawed
1 cup Whole Kernel Yellow Corn
1/2 cup diced Carrots
1/2 cup diced Celery
1/2 cup diced Zucchini
2 Whole Cloves
2 tablespoons chopped Fresh Thyme Leaves
Coarse Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Preparation:

1. Add olive oil to stockpot. Heat over medium heat.

2. Sauté onion 3 minutes. Stir in garlic. Sauté 2 minutes.

3. Stir in vegetable broth and diced tomatoes with juice.

4. Stir in green beans, peas, corn, diced carrot, diced celery, diced zucchini, and whole cloves.

5. Reduce heat to low. Simmer 10-12 minutes.

6. Stir in fresh thyme. Season with salt and pepper.

7. Serve hot.

Soup Making Tip

Green Beans

Fresh green beans will snap, not bend. They will look brightly colored and fresh looking. Avoid purchasing really thick beans, and instead select thinner beans for use in soups.

Soup Making Tip

Celery

Celery has a flavor that is denser and more pronounced than when eaten raw. The taste is sweet and almost like cooked fennel.