Soups & Stews

Broth made from scratch always sounds like a bit of an undertaking in the kitchen; something best reserved for a rainy day. They’re often sidelined as something you add to a dish and rarely given the spotlight they deserve. But, we beg to differ! Firstly: The ingredients for a nourishing, shortcut vegetable broth are often hiding in plain sight in your kitchen and, I cringe to say it, it really is easier than you think! And secondly, what’s more feel-good than a steaming, fragrant bowl to slurp from?

So cut the time and dial up the flavor! Unlike meat-based broths, with vegetable broths, you don’t need a lot of time to simmer and develop flavor: Instead you can quickly bring together something both delicate and flavorful enough to hold its own (and this way, we’re also not going to throw out the veg when we’re done!)

If you’ve ever toyed with vegetable broth at home and were underwhelmed by something watery and bland, read on. With a few tricks, it’s simple to set yourself up for quick, nourishing vegetable broths that are steaming with flavor, ready to be made into <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/stories/the-noodle-soup-that-saves-any-weeknight">noodle soups</a> and beyond.

A veggie broth needs a gentle layering of flavorings to shine, here are our essential tips:

1. Choose sweet vegetables: Carrots, leeks, celery, or celery root are often bundled up together as soup buddies, and for good reason. When sauteed and simmered they release sweet vegetal notes which contrast the saltiness of a stock. Choose one to two of these as a base, and you’re well on your way.

2. Use spices as well as herbs: Broths are somewhat synonymous with herbs, but spices really add a rich depth (which you’ll know if you’ve ever made deliciously <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/pho-vietnamese-beef-noodle-soup">fragrant pho</a> before). Not only do they pack more flavor than ground herbs, they won’t settle on the top of your soup like a powdery film. Try crushed coriander seeds and fennel seeds, like Devan does in her simple vegetable noodle soup below, for a beautiful, fragrant base supplemented by an ever-helpful bay leaf. Depending on what flavor profile you’re using you can use a touch of turmeric, star anise, peppercorns, allspice, and so on.

3. Never put onion in the corner: You can’t make a broth without an appearance from at least one, but more often at least two of the holy trifecta: onion (or leeks or scallions), ginger, and garlic. Be generous here, as these will enrich the broth with fragrance and are the secret, I think, are the most soothing of soups!

4. Build savory and saltiness with miso: I always keep long-life, all-purpose white miso in my fridge to provide an equal dose of umami and salt wherever I need it; I think of it as nature’s bouillon cube. Whisking a little into a broth just before serving can be an essential finishing touch of seasoning that really adds depth that is at once sweet, savory, and salty. You can also pair it with light soy sauce, like I do in my recipe below for a nourishing <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/quick-brothy-dumpling-soup">vegetable broth served with dumplings</a>.

5. Make it hearty with dry mushrooms: Dried mushrooms are hidden gems of flavor. Simply simmer them in the broth or let them sit in boiling water for their savory, woody flavors to emerge. They take a thinly flavored broth to something much bolder. You can reach for dried shiitake for Asian-inspired soups (particularly in clear broths) or use mixed forest mushrooms or porcini for creamy European-style soups.

6. A pinch of salt and sugar: I think of seasoning with a pinch of salt and sugar (to virtually anything) as having a kind of MSG-effect on a dish that really dials up the existing flavors in a dish. It’s especially helpful when dealing with a delicate balance of flavors, like say, a broth!

Here are 2 *NEW* quick brothy recipes that show you just how to rustle up flavor in 20 min.

Easy vegetable noodle soup

Think of this as vegetable soup for the soul: The cousin of chicken noodle soup.   The genius combination of freshly-crushed fennel and coriander seeds and dried thyme plus sweet leeks, carrots, and celery, and a hint of lemon juice and zest create a bright, slurpable soup that I’ll be making again and again (and in just 20 minutes, too!)

Quick brothy dumpling soup

This is a pantry soup that I make on the regular. It starts with ginger, garlic, and scallions, then meets dried shiitake and carrots and ends with miso and soy sauce. I like it best with vegetable tofu and dumplings pulled from the freezer, but it’s equally great as a noodle-soup base.

If you have any more questions about building flavor in vegetable broths: ask us in the comments section!

Plus, 2 *new* recipes

Say Goodbye to Bland Veggie Broths With These 6 Tips!

The last thing we feel like doing in peak summer? Spending time over a hot stove. So you can maximize your time in the sun (or the shade), our August issue is dedicated to the (nearly) no-cook recipes we turn to when it’s just “Too Hot to Cook”. To stay up to date, <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/stories/everything-we-want-to-eat-when-its-just-too-hot-to-cook">check back here</a> for a full list of our latest recipes and articles, and don’t forget to follow us on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kitchenstories_official/" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a> for more!

Even if you’ve never tried gazpacho, you’re probably either a very convinced fan or an incredibly critical skeptic of cold soups. You could call me biased, since I’m a steadfast fan, but especially on hot summer days, it’s easy to relax and feel refreshed with a bowl (or cup) of cold gazpacho.

I remember travelling to Málaga, Spain—located in Andalusia where gazpacho originated— and because my budget was pretty tight, every lunch meal while I was there was gazpacho poured from a tetra pack from the supermarket. Not the most varied diet, I’ll give you that, but it was both budget-friendly and wonderfully refreshing in the scalding heat of the city. If only I knew then how easy it was to make gazpacho!

The key ingredients for a classic gazpacho

The real key to success, which has proven itself over the years, is indisputably the ripeness and quality of the <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/stories/4-things-to-know-about-tomatoes-plus-new-recipes">tomatoes</a>. The ripest, juiciest, peak summer specimens are best suited for this purpose; even those overlooked as overripe work well in a gazpacho. In short, tomatoes should be in high season for this recipe. However, if you&#x27;re not lucky and get tomatoes that are not so ripe or are not in season, you can add a pinch of sugar to replicate the sweetness.

Gazpacho becomes especially true to itself and the “original recipe” with a dash of <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/rezepte/fried-eggs-with-sherry-vinegar-eee5">sherry vinegar</a>. Since Andalusia is known for its fabulous sherry, it is of course a must-have in gazpacho, the flagship of Andalusian cuisine. However, if you can&#x27;t find sherry vinegar in your supermarket, you can substitute it with red wine vinegar to bring the necessary acidity to your dish.

Something that has also made its way through the evolution of this soup is bread. White bread, preferably leftover from the day before, adds a nice creamy texture when blended into the soup and helps thicken and bind it slightly to further round out the flavors.

Depending on the recipe, the bread is either added directly to the blender and thus to the soup (if you soak it in a little water beforehand, it combines more easily) or sometimes it’s used as <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/sweet-corn-gazpacho">croutons as a crunchy topping</a>. You can also incorporate it both ways, as we do in our recipe. No matter what you choose, the bread takes gazpacho from something refreshing to something more filling.

In our recipe, we add a few fresh herbs to our soup before serving in addition to some extra diced vegetables. Soft herbs, such as basil or parsley, work best for this. Contrary to the classic Andalusian gazpacho recipe, we also added some dill, because we find the very fresh flavor harmonizes wonderfully with that of the tomatoes and cucumber.

Classic gazpacho

Classically, the vegetables are used raw, which makes the soup so wonderfully refreshing and hydrating. If you use the ingredients straight from the fridge, you’ll save yourself some time since the soup has to chill afterwards. Like most cold soups, the preparation of a gazpacho is quite simple: roughly chop all the ingredients and put them in the blender. Since the vegetables and all other ingredients are used raw, no further preparation such as pre-cooking or cooking is necessary. I especially liked the description from Green Kitchen Stories, who put the preparation of a gazpacho pretty aptly: <a href="https://greenkitchenstories.com/summer-gazpacho-with-dill/" rel="nofollow">&quot;A little chop chop and a little whizz whizz with the blender and it is ready.&quot;</a>

And that&#x27;s really all there is to it. So the important thing is to properly blend the ingredients after chopping. Blending in a blender or with a hand blender allows the flavors to combine even more, and you get the desired creaminess and a lovely <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/stories/6-creamy-soups-travel-the-world">creamy texture</a>; without any cream! Now it only needs to chill, preferably covered in the refrigerator overnight (at the very least for 2 – 3 hours), so the flavors can develop and combine into the optimal summer refreshment.

Different variations of gazpacho and what to serve with it

In addition to the classic gazpacho, there are other versions of the cold Spanish soup which are well worth trying. There are no limits to creativity here, and so the base (try <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/tomato-melon-gazpacho-with-coconut-croutons">water</a> or <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/cantaloupe-gazpacho">cantaloupe melon</a> or <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/sweet-corn-gazpacho">corn</a> as the main ingredient), the colors of the ingredients or, for example, the toppings can be varied to suit your mood and taste. For example, instead of croutons, how about <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/grilled-halloumi-and-vegetables-with-lebanese-garlic-sauce">grilled halloumi</a> or <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/grilled-mediterranean-skewers-with-feta">grilled skewers with feta</a>. For a non-vegetarian version, <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/marinated-shrimp-with-mango-salsa">shrimp</a> or <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/recipes/yogurt-marinated-spiced-chicken-skewers">chicken skewers</a> also go great with the soup and are not only a great visual and flavorful addition, but really make the whole thing a full-fledged main course. In any case, a glass of ice-cold white or rosé wine is also the perfect accompaniment and provides double refreshment.

Want even more inspiration for cold soup combinations? <a href="https://www.kitchenstories.com/en/stories/10-fresh-ingredients-10-cold-soups">Here are 10 fresh ingredients that make great summer soup bases.</a>

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