VEGETABLE CASSEROLE SOUP

My sister-in-law gave me this great recipe for vegetable soup.  She says it is the best soup she has ever made.  The soup is quite a thick soup, that is likely why the name of the soup includes the word casserole.  I think what gives the soup extra flavour is adding horseradish and balsamic vinegar.

I made a few variations to the recipe provided below.  I used my food processor for chopping all of the vegetables and I used the julienne blade.  I added a bit more quantity for the celery, carrots, sweet potatoes and cabbage.  According I had to add more water, a bit more horseradish and balsamic vinegar. I also used small pinwheel pasta.  I didn't have canned diced tomatoes so I used whole canned tomatoes. I decided instead of adding shredded cheddar to the pot of soup, I would add the cheese to the individual soup bowls.  I do agree with my sister-in-law.  This is a very tasty soup and it will be one of my favorites to make.

The julienne blade I used in the food processor.

I filled the bowl with vegetables

The soup is cooking away and just about ready.

Soup is ladled out into a bowl.

I added shredded cheddar cheese to the individual bowls.

Vegetable Casserole Soup

4 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth 

28 oz canned diced tomatoes           

1 small chopped onion

1 or 2 sliced or julienned carrots           

1 small sweet potato, julienned

1 large stalk celery, sliced           

1 cup sliced cabbage

2 cups baby spinach           

1 cup radiatori or other small shaped pasta

1 tbsp prepared horseradish           

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese           

1½ cup rinsed, drained red kidney beans (a 19 ounce can works fine)

pepper to taste           

water as required to thin soup

In a large soup pot, bring the broth and tomatoes to boil; then add the onion, carrot, sweet potato, cabbage and celery.  Cover and simmer for about 30 to 45 minutes.  

Add the pasta, bring it back to boil and simmer another 10 minutes.  Add the horseradish and vinegar, then add the spinach and kidney beans, bring back to boil and simmer for about 1 minute or until spinach is wilted.  Add the shredded cheese and pepper.   Serve with warm crusty bread for a delicious meal.  Serves 4 to 6. 

Recipe is adapted from Winter Casserole Soup by Linda Gassenheimer.