Hearty Vegetable Soup

Cooking for one or two people can be tricky. Making big batches that can be frozen into smaller portions means you can have home-cooked meals every day, without the hassle or waste. A good place to start: this hearty vegetable soup recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped celery
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 can diced tomatoes (28 ounces)
• 8 cups mixed fresh or frozen vegetables, such as carrots, corn, green beans, broccoli, peas or potatoes
• 2 cups chopped onions or shallots
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 3 cans reduced-sodium vegetable broth (14 1/2 ounces can)
• 3 cups water
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and herbs; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Add broth, tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste, and 3 cups water to pot; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
3. Add vegetables to pot, and return to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, as desired. Top with chopped green onion. Let cool before storing.
4. Freeze soup in small containers, then pull out only what you need; there’s no need to thaw the soup before reheating.