Soups are so tasty and perfect for both lunch and dinner, warming you from the inside out. And if you tend to have a few lonesome vegetables hiding away in the fridge, it is the perfect reason to whip up a leftover vegetable soup.
We will guide you through our favourite vegetable-based soups that you can make with your leftovers. Get ready to get cooking as we present our top 11 soups made with leftover vegetables!
Broccoli soup
Broccoli is delicious in everything from soups and stir-fries to smoothies. And in soup, it is perfect if you have leftovers, as it does not matter if you already steamed or boiled it, or if it started to wilt or brown. With a deliciously creamy broccoli soup, you can use your leftover broccoli to create a comforting, creamy, delicious soup with a pronounced freshness from the earthy broccoli notes. It is an excellent choice for a light lunch or part of a larger dinner experience.
Carrot soup
Taste the sweetness with a creamy bright orange carrot soup made solely from lovely leftover carrots and the basic ingredients you have in your fridge. Carrots impart sweet and earthy flavours whether they are fresh or already cooked, and when pureed, the consistency becomes irresistibly creamy. Why wait when you can treat yourself and your family to a hearty soup of leftover carrots while alleviating your fridge from space-stealing leftover vegetables?
Cauliflower soup
A few basic ingredients and leftover cauliflower, whether cooked or raw, are all it takes to craft a delicious cauliflower soup for the ages. A whole head of cauliflower tends to yield significant leftovers and with but a few spices and cream, you can whip up a delicious, irresistible leftover dish. You can even roast some cauliflower bouquets to use as a crunchy topping!
Chickpea soup
This flavourful chickpea soup is extremely fast and easy to whip up. With few ingredients and a short cooking time, every day is a good day to treat yourself to a wholesome lunch or dinner full of hearty flavours. It is perfectly creamy, and you can use uncooked or cooked leftover chickpeas to make the base. Top with sesame seeds and a bit of cream. You can also add other leftover vegetables like celery and carrots to give more flavour and texture.
French onion soup
Known for its rich and savoury flavours, a classic French onion soup is an incredible comfort meal that will make your taste buds tickle. As delicious as it is, you would think it takes a lot of work and a long time, but no! You can make an irresistible version completely hassle-free and quickly. You will always have leftover onions in the fridge, and with this delicious soup, you have a new and delicious way to put them to use.
Gazpacho
Traditionally known as a farmer’s soup made with leftover vegetables and stale bread, now a popular soup for everyone who loves tomatoes and other vegetables. The Spanish Gazpacho is famous not only for being a cold soup but also for being able to use so many different vegetables for its base. Bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and many more are easily transformed into this chilled, refreshing soup perfect for any day of the year. So, if you feel ready to make wonderful use of your leftover vegetables, try our delicious recipe for gazpacho.
Minestrone soup
Minestrone soup is made with a broad selection of vegetables like carrots, tomatoes, onions, leeks, and celeriac that during the cooking process transform into a hearty, delicious base. Some recipes add bacon and pasta to the dish, and that is a fantastic way to pump up the volume and make a filling dinner for the whole family. Try our recipe for the classic Italian minestrone and make use of your leftover vegetables in the most delicious way.
Potato and leek soup
Did you cook with two of the most versatile vegetables in savoury cuisine: potato and leeks? That means you may have a few stray leftover vegetables lying around that you can easily put to good use. With a creamy potato and leek soup, you make the best use of your leftovers, ensuring you get a dish just as delicious as if you used fresh ones. The soup has a subtle and delicate flavour enhanced by its creamy, velvety texture, it only requires a few ingredients, and it is both quick and easy.
Sweet potato soup
You would have to look hard to find a more comforting meal than a sweet and creamy sweet potato soup. The dish is superbly sweet yet balanced with savoury flavours from onions and garlic. Not only that, but it is also very versatile as well, allowing you to spice it up with chilli for a bit of heat or add a splash of lime juice to juggle the sweetness. Our incomparable sweet potato soup tastes so good that you might start planning for leftovers to use.
Tomato soup
Tomato soup is one of the most popular soups out there – and for good reason. Tomatoes are perfect for adding depth of flavour and a truly comforting vibe to any dish – that also goes for soup whether you use canned or fresh tomatoes. Even if you use canned tomatoes, scour your fridge for leftover tomatoes. They will add more flavour. Try our simple tomato soup, use leftover tomatoes, and consider adding other vegetables, too, if you feel like it.
Vegetable soup
Do you have a cornucopia of mixed leftover vegetables in the fridge? Then you should try a mixed vegetable soup! It is the perfect soup when you have a lot of leftovers. Find the best-looking potatoes and the prettiest parsnips, a delicious leek, a couple of crunchy carrots, and whatever else you have left. With those in hand, you are but a few steps away from making a tasty, savoury soup.
9 ways to use leftover vegetables for soup
Feel inspired yet with our soup ideas? For that last notch of inspiration, read our list of 9 great ways to use leftover vegetables for soup. After this, you will be fully equipped to mix, match, and pair vegetables you see in the fridge on your very own.
1. Roam your fridge and freezer for cooked or uncooked vegetables
Sometimes, if left for too long, some vegetables go missing and you forget all about them. Whether cooked or raw, all vegetables can find a place in your favourite soup pot. So, consider a regular search for raw or uncooked vegetables in your freezer or fridge. Raw vegetables typically add a fresh and bright flavour to the soup, while cooked ones have a deeper ad complex taste. Do not hesitate to mix and match different varieties and cooking methods according to your preferences and the ingredients on hand.
2. Pairing perfection: Vegetable combinations for maximum flavour
Some vegetables pair nicer than others and complement each other in delicious ways. Get inspired and be bold when pairing vegetables to get the best flavour possible. Think of complementary flavours and contrasting textures. Starchy vegetables like potatoes or squash are good for adding creaminess and body to soups, savoury vegetables like Brussels sprouts or bitter kale pair well with sweeter vegetables like bell peppers and tomatoes, and leafy greens and legumes add a tad of chewiness. Blend some for creaminess and roast others to use as a crispy topping, and add cream, stock, or the like for more body and flavour.
Combine bell pepper, tomatoes, and courgette for a fresh, sweet, and tangy flavour base, or use carrot and sweet potato, for a sweet and earthy flavour. Season your soups with combinations of roasted garlic, fresh herbs, and flavourful spices.
3. Choose a good soup base to add flavour and texture
Most good soup bases use broth or canned tomatoes – and for good reasons. First, the broth guarantees a rich, savoury, and well-rounded flavour base for soups. It is also thinner than a base made from canned tomatoes. The flavours from canned tomatoes will impart a rich, tangy, and slightly sweet taste. So, when you plan to make a soup, consider both texture and taste and what base fits your vision.
4. Roast vegetables before adding them to the soup for more flavour
Roasting vegetables and blending them before adding them to the soup enhances the flavour. In the oven, the vegetables tend to caramelise, intensifying the sweetness, while also adding mild smoky notes. Good vegetables for roasting include onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, and courgettes. Roasting concentrates their inherent flavours and adds complexity. It also brings out rich undertones and helps meld the flavours in the soup more harmoniously.
5. Spice it up with herbs and spices that go with your vegetables
Every soup has its unique flavour, and that flavour comes from the leftover vegetables as well as the spices and herbs. For heartier, sweeter soups like sweet potato or chickpea soup, ground cinnamon, ground cumin, smoked paprika, or even a pinch of nutmeg might provide the warm touch your meal needs. Herbs like thyme, rosemary, or parsley tend to be used to give soups a balanced freshness and garden-like aroma. You can use thyme, for instance, in soups like French onion soup and mixed vegetable soup.
6. Boost the soup with delicious add-ins: grains, legumes, and proteins
Soups can be light and refreshing, but they can also make for a wholesome, comforting meal that works perfectly fine as the main course for dinner. Grains are great for this, as they absorb the lovely flavours of the liquid like fond, cream, or canned tomatoes, while legumes like beans and chickpeas bring some texture to the mix. Soups like tomato soup, broccoli soup, potato and leek soup, and the like are delicious with some extra protein. For example, chicken, beef, turkey, or pork, but you can also go with tofu, fish or seafood, or fried bacon, and in Asian-style soups, poached or soft-boiled eggs are also quite delicious.
7. Go smooth or chunky – blitz and puree or leave chunks for a bit of bite
We all have our preferences when it comes to the texture of soups. Some of us prefer the velvety-smooth creamy texture that melts in your mouth, and some of us prefer a bit of chunks to help with variation.
You can easily blitz and puree the soup to your liking to achieve the exact creamy texture you want, or you can leave out the process entirely so that lovely little chunks help make your meal more enjoyable. It is completely up to you!
8. Explore soup-making techniques: simmer, slow-cook, or pressure-cook
Soup always tastes great, but there are many ways to get there. Try out one or all of the most common methods of making a great soup!
Simmering is a method that allows the soup to be cooked on low to medium heat just below boiling point. By doing so, all the ingredients release their flavours, and their textures break down, making this a great way to cook stews or bean soups.
Slow-cooking is like simmering, but the temperature is lower and the cooking time longer. The result is also similar, but the soup becomes creamy, hearty, and with a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Pressure-cooking seals the base in a pot under high pressure. This reduces the cooking time while still providing the tender and flavourful soups you prefer. This is for busy cooks who still want tasty meals.
9. Make a big batch and freeze it for later
Meal-prepping is such a wonderful way to help future you. By cooking a large batch of your favourite soup, you can freeze it and save it for a rainy day when you need something delicious and easy.
Let the soup cool to room temperature after cooking. Divide it into portion-sized airtight containers, so you can easily thaw only what you need. Store the stored for up to 3 months depending on the type.
