Ingredients :
- 1 onion, chopped into small pieces.
- Olive oil.
- 2 leeks, chopped into small pieces.
- 2 sticks of celery, chopped into small pieces.
- 1 carrot, chopped into small pieces.
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped into small pieces.
- 1 zucchini, chopped into small pieces.
- 2 potatoes, chopped into small pieces.
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped into small pieces.
- 1 small piece of chili pepper, finely chopped (optional, for a spicy flavor)
- Add salt to your liking.
- Put as much black pepper as you want.
- Thyme (fresh or dried)
- 1 liter of vegetable broth, which is the same as 4 cups.
- Parsley finely chopped
- 3 slices of bread
- Olive oil (for making crunchy bread cubes)
- Salt (for crispy bread bits)
- Garlic that has been dried to make croutons.
- Red bell pepper (for bread pieces)
- Oregano (for crispy bread bits)
Instructions :
- Heat the chopped vegetables in a pot with olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion to the pan and cook it until it turns translucent. Then, add the leeks and celery to the pot and cook them until they start to become tender.
- Prepare the vegetables. Put the diced carrot, red pepper, zucchini, and potatoes. Mix the vegetables well by stirring them thoroughly.
- Cook slowly. Add the minced garlic, chili pepper (if available), salt, pepper, and thyme to the pot. Stir everything thoroughly. Cover the pot and let the vegetables cook slowly for 5-7 minutes to enhance their flavors.
- Put some broth in the soup and let it cook slowly. Add the vegetable broth to the soup and heat it until it begins to lightly boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Prepare the croutons. While the soup is cooking, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Slice the bread into small squares to create croutons. Place them on a baking tray and drizzle some olive oil over them. Sprinkle salt, dried garlic, red pepper, and oregano on the top. Distribute the mixture evenly. Bake the croutons in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes until they become golden and crispy.
- Complete the soup by removing it from the heat and stirring in the chopped parsley before serving. Place the warm soup in bowls and sprinkle some small pieces of toasted bread on top of each portion.
- Enjoy this hearty vegetable soup with some crusty bread or a fresh salad for a tasty and fulfilling meal.