This delicious winter soup is packed with healthy seasonal vegetables and loaded with goodness and flavour with a Hungarian twist. An easy and satisfying recipe that is perfect for a weekday soup!
I love the idea of taking the local seasonal vegetables and making a delicious and satisfying recipe. Whether it’s cleaning out the refrigerator or simply looking at what ingredients you have and creating a dish that your entire family will enjoy!
This winter soup is one that is loaded with healthy vegetables that are readily available which makes it so easy to make and to know it is nutritious as the same time. Mom would make many different kinds of Hungarian soups and we would always have potatoes, carrots and parnsips or parsley root available. Many of these vegetables were from our summer gardens and we would store them for the winter months so we could make delicious soups like this. Dad would smoke bacon and Hungarian kolbasz/sausage which were soooo good and often added them to various recipes. It makes me chuckle when I think about it, Dad would often take a stick from one of his smoked kolbasz and slice a piece for us kids. We so thoroughly enjoyed it and it’s these little moments that we never forget.
TIPS WHEN MAKING THIS SOUP
Bacon: often Hungarian recipes will start with bacon as the type of fat to cook the onions and the reason is for the abundance of smoky flavour you get from the butcher’s bacon which you will find at a butcher store, markets and sometimes grocery stores. If you prefer an option, butter or vegetable oil are considerations.
Roux: this recipe requires to make a roux to create a smooth and light creamy texture; don’t let this intimidate you, it’s easy, just follow the directions. If you prefer to skip the roux, then add the paprika when you add the vegetables to the pot. But I would encourage you to try.
INGREDIENTS
- butcher’s bacon
- onions and garlic
- vegetables: potatoes, carrots, celery and parsnips
- vegetable stock
- seasonings: salt, pepper and paprika
- flour
- butter
- parsley
- sour cream for garnishing (optional)
NUTRITIOUS WITH EACH SPOONFUL
Sometimes we forget how healthy soups and stews can be for us. Using root vegetables to create a soup or stew it a great way to start a recipe to know you it will have it’s nutritional value.
Root vegetables such as potatoes, celery, carrots, parsnips, onions, and garlic are packed with fiber, low in calories, fat, and cholesterol. These vegetables are loaded with antioxidants and excellent sources of carotenoids. This is known to decrease the risk of some cancers and help protect the eyes.
Parsley is a dark green in colour that helps prevent diseases, and helps to promote a healthy immune system and reduces blood pressure. It is loaded with Vitamin K which is helpful with bone health and supports the bone grow and bone mineral density.
A FEW EASY STEPS TO CREATE THIS DELICIOUS RECIPE
Start by pan frying the bacon until crispy and set aside. Then add onions and add 1 tablespoon of butter if needed. Sauté the onions for 3-4 minutes until tender. Stir in garlic, and sauté for about 30 seconds. Then add the remaining vegetables, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and celery. Pour in the vegetable stock, season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook until vegetables are tender, about 20-30 minutes.
Once the vegetables are tender, then begin preparing the roux. Melt butter in a skillet over low-medium heat, add flour and combine, then remove from heat and stir in paprika. Add a couple of ladles of soup and mix into the roux. Bring soup to a boil and stir in the roux into the soup. Soup should be slightly creamy. Stir in parsley. Garnish with sour cream, parsley and crispy bacon. Serve with crusty bread.
This is a hearty winter soup with all of the nutritional value is so satisfying and delicious. All it needs is some crusty bread for dipping, as my Dad would often do is add bits of crusty bread to his soups. 🙂
STORING
This soup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. If you decide to freeze it, I would recommend an airtight container and it should keep up to 2-3 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator and heat in a pot on the stove at a low temperature.
Hearty Vegetable Potato Soup
Equipment
- large sauce pot or cast iron pot
- skillet or fry pan
Ingredients
- 2-3 slices butcher's bacon, cut into small pieces
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 medium yukon potatoes, peeled, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled, sliced
- 2 parsnips, peeled, sliced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 tsp Himalayan salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp flour
- ½ tsp Hungarian sweet paprika
- 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp sour cream (optional)
Instructions
- Using a large cast iron pot, over medium heat, add bacon pieces and cook until crispy. Reserve fat.
- Add onions and if there isn't enough bacon fat, add 1 tablespoon of butter. Sauté the onions for 3-4 minutes until tender. Stir in garlic, and sauté for about 30 seconds. Then add the remaining vegetables, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and celery. Pour in the vegetable stock, season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook until vegetables are tender, about 20-30 minutes.
- Roux: Melt butter in a skillet over low-medium heat, add flour and combine, then remove from heat and stir in paprika. Add a couple of ladles of soup and mix into the roux.
- Bring soup to a boil and stir in the roux into the soup. Soup should be slightly creamy. Stir in parsley. Garnish with sour cream, parsley and crispy bacon. Serve with crusty bread.
