A One-Pot Winter Meal Packed Full of Veggies

Chow on 02.01.12

Photos: Adam and Joanne Gallagher, Inspired Taste

Don’t you just love one-pot meals?

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and then add some olive oil (or butter). Add coarsely chopped onions, carrots and celery and cook for 5-10 minutes until softened. Next, throw in potatoes and a few halved garlic cloves.

Give the potatoes a few minutes then add chicken stock.

Now, add a 2 bay leaves and fresh thyme.

Cook 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Then, use an immersion blender to puree the soup.

Pour in cream or half-and-half and add a few red pepper flakes.

Serve with croutons or as is.

Creamy Vegetable Soup
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 35 mins
Serves: 4
This soup can be refrigerated up to 3 days and kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. For a vegetarian version of this soup, replace chicken stock with vegetable stock.
Ingredients
•    2 tablespoons olive oil
•    1 pound carrots, peeled, 1/2-inch dice
•    1 large onion, 1/2-inch dice
•    4 celery sticks, 1/2-inch dice
•    3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (or 6 small), 1/2-inch dice
•    3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
•    3 cups chicken stock
•    2 bay leaves
•    3 sprigs fresh thyme (substitute: 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
•    1/4 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
•    1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
•    salt to taste
Method
1.    Heat a large pot over medium-high heat, add oil. Add carrots, onions, celery and 1/2 teaspoon of salt; cook 10 minutes until softened.
2.    Add potatoes and garlic halves; cook 5 minutes.
3.    Pour in chicken stock then add bay leaves and thyme. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook 15 minutes until potatoes can be pierced with a fork.
4.    Remove bay leaves and thyme stems then puree soup using an immersion blender, stand blender or food mill.
5.    Add half-and-half and red pepper flakes, taste for seasoning, add salt if necessary.