Have you ever found the soup that just hit the spot when you’re feeling under the weather or just completely wiped out with the flu? Maybe your stomach is tied in a knot or you are just aching for some of Mom’s home cooking! Here’s my recipe for ZuTomato Soup–my own personal spin for some good home cooking…some zucchini and tomato combo –a zumato soup.
I make this soup 2 different ways. I like to freeze a portion of it for another time and that other time usually falls in a 3 week rotation. I serve the soup with noodles and set aside a portion to blend and make a more creamy soup. This soup is wonderful blended especially if you have fussy vegetable eaters- they will never know what veggies they are eating!
Gather your Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 .5cup diced carrots
1.5 cup diced celery
4 cups diced zucchini (skin on)
1 Red Pepper chopped
1 cup brown rice noodle (any type I use macaroni)
1 large yellow onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced*
1 bay leaves
2 TB of 21 Seasonings
salt ( to your liking)
red pepper flakes (to your liking)
3 TB of dried basil
4 cups (2 28-ounce cans) crushed Italian tomatoes
32 oz vegetable broth
2 cups water
1.5 cup 2% milk
*If I make this in cold and flu season, I add as much garlic as my family can take.
Instructions:
In a dutch oven pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Make sure the pot is hot before adding ingredients.
Add carrots, celery, zucchini, and red pepper to the pot.
Saute vegetables, stirring occasionally.
When the zucchini is nearly cooked through (about 10-12 minutes)
add onions and cook until they are translucent (about 2 minutes longer)
{Carrots will take longer to cook down don’t worry they will cook through later.}
Add garlic after onions and zucchini are cooked.
{if you add garlic too early you will burn your garlic.}
Sauté garlic for about 1 minute more.
Add bay leaves, and red pepper flakes to the pot. Stir to mix in all ingredients.
Add tomatoes, vegetable stock (2 cups), and water
Continue to Stir.
(For Noodles:)
Boil Water and follow directions to your pasta. Cook al dente, once complete Strain and leave aside.
Bring soup to a simmer and leave uncovered to cook for about 30 minutes.
Taste soup-carrots should be cooked through and soft
Add salt to your taste level.
Remove soup from heat.
Remove the bay leaves.
——
Here’s where the split happens:
Take a batch of soup out of the pot and blend the soup in batches until smooth. Only fill the blender 1/2 full and ensure your lid is fitted.
Strain the blended soup in a mesh strainer and place in a large bowl. Once all of the soup is blended, stir in milk.
—–
For the rest of soup, add the remaining broth and noodles and cook another 5 minutes.
(Taste and season as necessary.)
You are ready to serve!
This soup freezes wonderfully! You can leave the noodles in the soup but I prefer to only use the noodles for soup I will be eating that week. I leave the frozen portion without the noodles, but it is totally on your personal preference.
If left unfrozen, soup should be enjoyed within 6 days.
To pair:
I like to serve with grilled cheese sandwiches
For the creamy soup I like to add some croutons or garlic bread and with a fall salad.
Your stomach will be a happy one. . .
Planting Peace,
Shelley
