Warm up with Grandma’s Vegetable Soup! It’s uses fresh vegetables for a light and nutritious broth that the whole family can enjoy. This is a fantastic starter recipe to make your own. Cook it like Grandma or mix it up using your favorite veggies!
A recipe to make your own
If there’s one way to feed the family a hearty serving of vegetables, it’s with Grandma’s Vegetable Soup. It’s a guilt-free broth loaded with a variety of nutrients and cooked together in a way that’s not only nutritious, but delicious as well!
I’m no stranger to Grandma’s soups (Mum always told me how great Ma Ma’s soups were) and because I know just how much effort goes into it, I know that my body will be nourished as soon as I have that first sip.
The greatest thing about this recipe is that it’s one that’s easily customizable. Use the veggies that we suggest or use whichever you prefer! It’s even fantastic for using up any produce you have left in the fridge.
My personal non-negotiable is using beetroot because, well, just look at the colour!
But really, the beauty of making Grandma’s Vegetable Soup is that you can easily make the recipe yours. Add what you and your family loves!
Why this recipe works
- While Grandma’s Vegetable Soup uses beetroot, carrot and potatoes, you can use whichever vegetables you like (or whichever you have in the fridge).
- Using lean pork keeps the broth light.
- Adding onion, beetroot and carrot gives the soup a natural sweetness.
What you’ll need
About the ingredients
You can adjust the amount of the vegetables to your liking or swap them out for others. Here are some other alternatives that would also work well:
- Celery
- Chayote/Choko
- Jicama
- Corn
- Daikon
Otherwise, if you want just one type of vegetable, you could use winter melon, Chinese cabbage, artichoke or watercress.
This recipe can also be turned vegetarian by substituting the meat with dried or fresh mushrooms.
How to make this recipe
Peel and cut the vegetables into smaller pieces. For the carrots and beetroot, we slice them roughly 0.5cm (0.2″) thick. The onions get quartered and the potatoes can be halved or quartered depending on your preference.
Bring the stock to a boil, season it with the salt and chicken bouillon powder and add the vegetables in. Let it simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes or until the ingredients have softened to preference.
Serve immediately as is!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can! Just keep in mind that the flavor will be slightly different since it’s a different type of onion.
If kept in the fridge and sealed well, it will last refrigerated for up to 3 days. Make sure to use clean utensils when taking any of the liquid and vegetables out.
Definitely! I would suggest storing it in smaller containers so you can reheat portions one serving at a time.
Tips for the best results
- Use fresh vegetables. You’ll get the most nutrients and taste from using fresh produce.
- Keep the vegetables on the bigger side. Since they’ll be simmering in liquid for some time, the smaller or thinner they are, the more likely they’ll break.
- Use lean meat. This will keep the taste of Grandma’s Vegetable Soup balanced and light instead of overpowered with the flavors of pork and chicken fat.
What to serve it with
- Line the table up with some homemade Lo Bak Go (Chinese Turnip Cake 萝白糕).
- Have rice ready to go with simple and homey side dishes like Grandma’s Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce (豉汁蒸魚), Tomato Tofu with Minced Pork and Stir Fried Water Spinach with Fermented Bean Curd (炒腐乳空心菜).
- Scallion Ginger Sauce (薑蔥油) will add a tasty flavor kick to all of your dishes.
- Finish the meal off with an easy Chinese Silky Egg Pudding (冰花燉蛋)!
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Grandma's Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 L / 14.8 US cup chicken and pork stock
- 1 beetroot
- 2 carrot
- 1 onion
- 6 potato
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
Instructions
- Peel and cut the vegetables into smaller pieces. For the carrots and beetroot, we slice them roughly 0.5cm (0.2") thick. The onions get quartered and the potatoes can be halved or quartered depending on your preference.
- Bring the stock to a boil, season it with the salt and chicken bouillon powder and add the vegetables in.
- Let it simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes or until the ingredients have softened to preference.
- Serve immediately as is!
Notes
- Use fresh vegetables. You'll get the most nutrients and taste from using fresh produce.
- Keep the vegetables on the bigger side. Since they'll be simmering in liquid for some time, the smaller or thinner they are, the more likely they'll break.
- Use lean meat. This will keep the taste balanced and light instead of overpowered with the flavors of pork and chicken fat.
- You can adjust the amount of the vegetables to your liking or swap them out for others. Here are some other alternatives that would also work well: celery, chayote/choko, jicama, corn and/or daikon.
- This recipe can also be turned vegetarian by substituting the meat with dried or fresh mushrooms.
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