This recipe is less of a recipe, and more of a formula. It's a great way to clean out your fridge and use up lots of veggies at the end of the week, and our SECRET INGREDIENT is the thing that brings all the flavors together. This soup is something that we recently served at our Fermentation Celebration - it was very simple to prepare for a very large crowd and so tasty and nourishing to eat on a rainy fall day. 

This big delicious vegetable soup can really be a mix of whatever you have on hand you, but we recommend adding some basic elements- beans, greens, starchy and non-starchy vegetables. Below you'll find one version of this soup that I made with what I had stocked in my house, but really you can use whatever you'd like. 

The Soup Formula:

1 part aromatic vegetables (onions, garlic, carrots, peppers, fennel)
3 part non starchy veggies (green beans, zucchini, cabbage, tomatoes) 
​1 parts starchy veggies (potatoes, winter squash)  
4 parts liquid (crushed tomatoes/bone broth/stock) 
3 parts cooked beans  
4 parts greens 
seasoning  // optional protein

​Okay...it's time to shine a spotlight on the SECRET INGREDIENT. Our Root 5 Farm Herbes Salées. This herb salt adds a ton of savory flavor and really bumps up any soup that it's added too. Herbes salées is a traditional Quebecois preservation method that makes it easy to put up large amounts of herbs for use all winter. This is more than just salted herbs- it's super versatile. Beyond just adding to soups and stews, mix into salad dressings and tomato sauce, mix with cream cheese, yogurt or cottage cheese for dips, spreads and snacks.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bulb fennel, minced
2 carrots, diced
1 cup sweet bell pepper, diced
1 cup zucchini
1 cup green beans
3 cups of cooked navy beans (2 cans or 1 cup dried)
3 cups winter squash, peeled and cubed
2 cups cabbage, chopped
2 cups spinach (I had some frozen from earlier in the season!)
4 cups crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp R5F Herbes Salées

Method of Preparation

1. Chop all the veggies and heat the biggest pot you own on medium heat. First, cook your aromatic veggies like onion, carrot and bell pepper for 5 or so minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic.

2. Cook for a few minutes more, and then add squash (or whatever starchy vegetable you're using). Add the quicker cooking veggies (chopped zucchini, green beans, or cabbage). Toss everything together and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring every so often.

3. Add the crushed tomatoes and the drained cooked beans. Cook for at least 20 minutes, or longer to really let the flavors all come together. You may need to add some water or more cooking liquid depending on what vegetables you end up using in your mix. 

4. In the last few minutes of cooking, add the chopped spinach and a big spoonful of Herbes Salées. Add salt and pepper to taste. We recommend serving it with some crusty bread or a biscuit!

Ingredients

• 1 medium spaghetti squash

• 1 large kohlrabi bulb (peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes)
  

• 1 large fennel bulb (cored and sliced into thin strips, fronds reserved)
  

• 3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
  

• 2 cloves garlic (minced)

• Salt and black pepper (to taste)
  

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

• Prep the squash: Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Rub the inside with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place cut-side down on a baking sheet. 

• Prep the veggies: Toss the diced kohlrabi and sliced fennel with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Spread them out on a second baking sheet (or around the squash if space allows). 

• Roast: Place everything in the oven. Roast the vegetables for 25 to 30 minutes until tender and browned. Roast the squash for 35 to 45 minutes until the flesh is tender and easily pierced with a fork. 

• Shred the squash: Remove the squash from the oven. Let it cool enough to handle, then use a fork to scrape the flesh lengthwise into tender spaghetti-like strands. 
  

• Combine: Transfer the warm spaghetti squash strands to a large bowl. Add the roasted kohlrabi and fennel. Drizzle with lemon juice and toss gently to combine.
  

• Serve: Top with grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with reserved fennel fronds.
  

• Optional: Add a protein like white beans or grilled chicken.