Where I live we are obsessed with French and Spanish Basque food thanks to the numerous family-owned Basque restaurants that dot the central valley of California. At these restaurants every meal begins with a hearty vegetable soup and it is arguably the best part. I love, love, love this soup. It is incredibly flavorful, chock full of healthy phytonutrients and fiber, extremely low in calories given how satisfying it is, and the best part is that it is beyond easy to make. I have tinkered with this recipe for a few years in order to put my own healthy, crock-pot friendly, organic, and delicious spin on this classic european vegetable soup (that can be 100% vegan with one small tweak).
This soup is also easily customizable to fit into your healthy-eating goals. If you are low carb, ditch or limit the potatoes and carrots. Keto? Go with cabbage and leeks only. The full flavor still remains. Or enjoy it as I do in its original form using all organic veggies, knowing how nourished your body will be with the vitamins and minerals from this colorful medley of veggies!
I recommend the crockpot version of this recipe. For ease and convenience you can prepare the cabbage, carrots, leeks, and onion the evening before. Then just boil some water, peel and dice a potato in the morning, throw it all into your slow-cooker and come home to a house that smells incredible with a healthy dinner waiting for you! The stovetop version is great too (let it simmer for 2 to 3 hours on the stove) but I prefer mine to simmer for 6 to 8 hours in my crockpot to really allow the flavors to blend and deepen. I hope you enjoy this amazing soup as much as I do!
Ingredients and items you will need: A crock pot A pot large enough to boil 10 cups of water A stirring spoon A sharp knife 10 cups of boiling water 1 small head of cabbage, chopped roughly and into slightly larger than bite sized pieces 2 leeks, diced 4 carrots, sliced in rounds 1 large potato (or 2 if you want the starch and carbs), peeled and cut into small squares 1 diced white or yellow onion 1 can of tomato sauce (15 oz) 2 heaping tablespoons of Better than Bouillon Chicken base (not cubes!) Or vegetable base for vegans! 1/2 teaspoon of ground thyme (and if you have it and really want to knock it out of the park, some dried thyme and dried parsley to sprinkle in too) Salt and pepper Directions: It's up to you if you want to chop the cabbage, carrots, leeks, and onion the night before so that all you need to do in the morning is boil some water, add some chicken stock, thyme, and potatoes and you're done. Just don't pre-chop the potatoes because they will turn a weird color. Otherwise, prep time is about 30 - 40 minutes. And remember, if you want to make this before you go to work it takes a little time for 10 cups of water to boil. So start that pot early! Boil 10 cups of water in a stock pot on the stove Peel, dice, and chop the vegetables Have your crockpot ready on the counter, set to low Measure out 2 tablespoons of the chicken (or vegetable) base and put them in the crockpot When the water boils carefully pour it into the crockpot and stir to dissolve the chicken base Stir in 3/4 of the can of tomato sauce (Note: the stock pot is completely clean and can simply be put away when it cools. You're welcome!) Add all of the chopped vegetables, except the cabbage Add the thyme and about 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper and 1 teaspoon of salt, stir Add 3/4 of the can of tomato sauce, stir Lastly, add the cabbage. It will fill to the tip top of the crock pot. That's normal. Stir and cover. Set on low for 6 - 8 hours. Taste and add more salt and pepper as desired. I will say a key to the flavor profile is salt, so don't be shy with the salt but do be careful.
Serve alone, or enjoy with a tangy loaf of sourdough bread (french just doesn't cut it here, IMO). Enjoy!
Pearl