Warm-Weather Vegetable Soup (Pot-Au-Feu)
Apr 24, 2019, Updated Feb 23, 2020
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Warm-Weather Vegetable Soup (Pot-Au-Feu) – Brothy soup prepared with onions, garlic, leek, mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots for a robust flavor. Nothing says comfort more than a big bowl of this incredible French soup.
Hearty, savory, delicious Vegetable Soup chock full of nourishing veggies that’s quick to make with very little effort. AND, it is a million times better than what you’ll get in a can!
Pot–au–feu, or pot on the fire, is one of France’s most famous classic dishes. It features different beef cuts and vegetables, simmering in a flavorful broth until tender. It’s what we United Statesian would call, “clean out the fridge soup”. I think!?
Sure, pot-au-feu can be made with other meats like chicken or pork, but there’s no real rule about it, which is why our recipe features vegetables, only. With a bright boiled (or poached) egg on top.
Who needs meat when you can enjoy a huge bowl of this soup packed with all the vegetables sitting inside that veggie tray in the fridge.
VEGETABLE SOUP
This is a healthy Vegetable Soup and it’s versatile to suit your taste. Perfect for those following a low calorie diet, but ideal for everyone that wants a delicious healthy dish for lunch or dinner.
You can serve it as a main for a light meal, or you can serve it alongside your favorite protein, like grilled lemon chicken or baked salmon.
HOW TO MAKE A VEGETABLE SOUP
A simple Veggie Soup is a family favorite, and it is just a whole lot of vegetables – potatoes, spinach, leek, onions, carrots, asparagus, mushrooms – cooked in vegetable broth.
- We first combine potatoes, carrots, onions, and leek, and sauté until tender.
- Add in some garlic, lemon zest, and lemongrass. If you don’t have lemongrass, just use around 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.
- Pour in the broth; bring to a boil, lower heat and let simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the veggies are just tender.
- Stir in the asparagus and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.
- Mix in the spinach and continue to cook for 1 minute, or until spinach is wilted.
- Taste soup for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
- Serve.
HOW TO STORE VEGGIE SOUPS
Store completely cooled Vegetable Soup in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 4 days.
HOW TO FREEZE VEGGIE SOUPS
Store completely cooled Vegetable Soup in freezer bags or in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
MORE SOUP RECIPES
- Easy Soba Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Zoodle Soup
- Italian Sausage Soup with Kale and Beans
- Asparagus Soup
ENJOY!
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Warm Weather Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion,, sliced
- 1 leek,, white and light green parts only, quartered lengthwise and rinsed
- 6 small new potatoes,, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
- 4 carrots,, trimmed, peeled, and cut on the diagonal into 1/2-inch thick slices
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, , minced
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 piece lemongrass,, split lengthwise (2-inch long piece), if you don't have lempongrass, use 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 8 asparagus spears,, trimmed
- 4 large shiitake mushrooms,, stemmed, cleaned, and sliced
- 10 ounces baby spinach
- 4 to 6 eggs,, poached or hard-boiled (optional)
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, oregano, rosemary, etc...)
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil over medium-low heat in a dutch oven.
- Add in the onions, leek, potatoes and carrots; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring gently, for 5 minutes, or until veggies begin to soften a bit.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Mix in the broth.
- Toss in zest and lemongrass.
- Increase heat and bring soup to a boil, then lower heat and simmer gently, uncovered, until the vegetables are just short of tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- With the soup at a gentle simmer, drop in the asparagus and mushrooms; cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add spinach over the vegetables and cook another 2 minutes, just until slightly wilted.
- While the vegetables are simmering, slip the eggs into a pot of simmering water and boil to desired doneness.
- Taste finished soup for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
- Ladle the vegetables and broth into shallow soup plates, scatter with chopped fresh herbs, and finish each with a poached or boiled egg on top; serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Recipe originally published on June 3, 2011. Updated on April 24, 2019.
I missed out on the bread, as well, but LOVED the soup. Yours is beautiful!
So beautiful, Kate! And I forgot the bread to sop up the juices…but I’ll remember next time 🙂
Congrats on the Top 9!!! I love those M&M cookies!!!
Hi Kate! I’ve been sick for the past 2 weeks and haven’t cooked this week at all, and this pot-au-feu is totally calling my name! The addition of the egg was nice and making it more cozy & homey. And before I forget, congrats on Top9 today! I’m happily overwhelmed by your delicious sweets collection these days. 😉
I a so glad you did the egg! Wasn’t it amazing?? I swear I am going positively evangelistic about runny yolks. Your dish looks gorgeous!
Yes to all – the bread to mop, those bewitching vegetables and the poached egg.
What a chic and tempting veggie soup!
wow, my curiosity is awakened! i love the veggies in this soup! and pandita just blogged about this too!
sounds like a soup full of flavor for sure! Great looking with egg and I would probably just use bread myself to soak the goodness!:))
But the egg sounds lovely! You can send their servings to Cayman 🙂 Well done!
Haha! I love it! Who needs spoons?!??!!??! Happy Friday Kate!