Vegetable Soup (Sopa de Vegetales) – a delicious bowl of soup made with fresh herbs and vegetables from Aida’s Garden. This soup is also an excellent meal for vegans and vegetarians. I love the summer months because I grow a variety of herbs and vegetables from two different cultures. Every week I harvest my crops based on the various stages of ripeness and size.
Once I harvest my produce, I am usually busy canning, pickling, baking and making our essential Puerto Rican puréed condiment known as sofrito. The flavors and aroma permeate into the kitchen when cooking with fresh garden produce!
Watch my YouTube Video below as I harvest some fresh herbs and vegetables for this hearty and delicious soup.
Sautéing the Herbs and Vegetables for Vegetable Soup!
Heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a 3-quart saucepan.
Add 1 chopped onion, 1 green pepper cut into strips and 4 ajíes dulces (sweet peppers), halved and seeded.
If you are unable to purchase our sweet peppers at the Latin market, click on the link to find another alternative for our Sweet Peppers.
We are ready to add 3 sprigs of fresh chopped cilantro and 3 leaves of fresh chopped culantro/recao (long coriander).
If you are unable to purchase our culantro/recao at the Latin market, click on the link to find another alternative for our Culantro.
Chop 1 zucchini and 2 stalks of celery. Add to saucepan with the other produce.
The last ingredient is adding 2 cups of chopped or shredded cabbage.
Sauté vegetables until they become soft for approximately 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Adding the Remaining Ingredients!
Add 2 chopped carrots, 1 medium potato cut into 1 to 1½-inch chunks and ½ cup of cooked chick peas (Garbanzo Beans) to the sautéed vegetables.
Pour 1 cup of homemade canned diced tomatoes and 2 cups of organic vegetable broth.
Pour 3 cups of water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt (low sodium) and 1½ teaspoons of my own Special Blend of Seasonings to add color and flavor to this dish. Stir the ingredients until well blended.
In our culture, we purchase the seasoning envelopes at the Latin Markets. However, you can Click on this link to create your own Special Blend of Seasonings.
Simmering the Vegetable Soup!
Bring the liquid to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for approximately 30 to 40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Cover saucepan with a lid.
Remove lid from saucepan. Stir vegetables and check for tenderness after 30 minutes of cooking. Cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes if the vegetables are not tender.
Serving the Vegetable Soup!
Serve yourself a hearty bowl of this delicious homemade vegetable soup made with many fresh produce from Aida’s Garden.
This soup can be accompanied with Double Fried Green Plantains or Fried Bread.
Click on the button below to watch my YouTube Video on How to Prepare Homemade Vegetable Soup!
Recipe and Nutritional Facts!
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. Please refer to our Nutritional Facts Disclaimer for more information.
Print
Vegetable Soup
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 54 Minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 9 minutes
- Yield: 6 Bowls 1x
Description
A delicious bowl of homemade vegetables soup from fresh herbs and vegetables bursting with Caribbean flavors from Aida’s Garden!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 4 ajies dulces (sweet peppers), halved and seeded
- 3 sprig fresh cilantro, chopped
- 3 fresh culantro leaves, chopped
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 cups cabbage, shredded or chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1 or 1½-inch chunks
- ½ cup cooked chick peas (garbanzo beans)
- 1 cup homemade canned diced tomatoes
- 2 cups organic vegetable broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt (low sodium)
- 1½ teaspoons Special Blend of Seasoning or 1 seasoning envelope with coriander and annatto
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large saucepan.
- Add the onions, green peppers, ajíes dulces (sweet peppers), cilantro, culantro, zucchini, celery and cabbage. Sauté the herbs and vegetables for 5 or 10 minutes or until they are soft, stirring occasionally.
- Add the carrots, potato, chick peas, canned diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, water, salt, and special blend of seasoning. Stir until the ingredients are well blended.
- Bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce to heat to low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Cover saucepan with a lid.
- Remove lid and stir the soup. If the vegetables are tender, the soup is done. Otherwise, continue cooking the soup for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
Notes
Click on the recipe section of this food blogging website for the ingredients to create your own Special Blend of Seasoning.
- Category: Soups and Stews
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Keywords: Vegetable Soup, Sopa de Vegetales
4 Comments. Leave new
Hi Aida,
Can I use canned diced tomotoes? Also, can I freeze the soup if I make a double batch?
Hi Ava, Yes, you can use canned diced tomatoes and you can also freeze the soup. During the month of September, I normally make a large batch of this soup and freeze it to consume during the winter months.
Amazing, thank you Aida. I love that you bring back traditional healthy versions of Puerto Rican food.
Hola Ava, You are very welcome! I try to prepare some of our cuisine as healthy as possible.