Old-Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe - Food.com (2024)

FAQs

Why does my vegetable beef soup taste bland? ›

What do I do if my vegetable beef soup tastes bland? The best way to ensure a flavorful soup is to brown the beef and onions in the beginning. If the soup tastes bland at the end of cooking, add more spices and herbs. After adding, allow the soup to cook a little longer so the flavors to meld together.

Add chopped fresh herbs just before serving. Parsley, chives, cilantro, rosemary and thyme are all packed with flavor, but don't use them all at once. Add a bit of spice by adding just a tiny sprinkling of cayenne pepper or pickled jalapenos.

Herbs and spices add aroma, flavor, and intensity to soup broth. "Use fresh or dried basil in tomato-based recipes or fresh parsley to add freshness to clear broth soups," says Sofia Norton, RD. You can also go with more heat and spices.

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.

Go Bold. A punch of flavor at the end of cooking can make your soup a standout. Mix herbs like parsley, thyme, and oregano, or spices such as cumin, coriander, and cardamom, into some olive oil, and let it infuse for at least an hour or two. Pour it over soup just before serving.

To make a good soup, you have to build flavours as you go. Vegetables like onion, garlic, celery and carrots — referred to as "aromatics" — are part of most soup recipes for this very reason, sautéed in oil or butter as a first step of flavour-making.

It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings. The same is true with soups.

Fresh lemon juice squeezed into the soup at the very end wakens up the broth. The soup won't taste lemony, just brightened and lively. Fresh herbs and fat from a dollop of prepared pesto stirred into each bowl before serving is a real treat. I like my Vegan Pesto recipe, or Gotham Greens vegan pesto.

What is a good spice to put in vegetable soup? ›

To season it, we recommend starting with our Vegetable Soup Mix. It contains celery salt, parsley flakes, garlic powder, sea salt, summer savory, marjoram, thyme, black pepper, turmeric and sage, which are all excellent with root vegetables, so you can incorporate things like carrots or potatoes into the soup.

Oregano: If you want to give your soups a fresh, fragrant, Mediterranean kick, then oregano is the one for you. Oregano works especially well with tomato-based soups, creating a light and fragrant undertone. Cayenne Pepper: Perfect for a little heat, cayenne pepper introduces a warm, spicy depth to your soup.

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.

Add acidity: A squeeze of lemon or lime juice, a dash of vinegar, or a splash of wine can brighten the flavors of a soup and make it taste more complex. Experiment with different cooking methods: Roasting or caramelizing vegetables before adding them to the soup can bring out thei.

Use a good broth or stock: A high-quality vegetable or chicken broth will enhance the flavor. You can also make your own broth for an extra depth of taste. 3. Choose a variety of fresh vegetables: Use a mix of fresh, colorful vegetables like carrots, celery, bell peppers, and tomatoes to add both flavor and texture.

If the soup is already made and you just want to deepen the flavour, try a shake of a pre-made sauce such as Worcestershire, brown sauce, barbecue sauce, soy or even kecap manis etc. For next time, more or better beef stock.