Root Vegetable Love Soup

I call this Love soup because it’s red, and it’s Valentine’s Day, and if you love someone you should make this for them! – haha. Easy, delicious, good for you, and endlessly customizable! I’m not sure where I first got the idea for this recipe, but it’s become one of my winter staples.

First, roast whatever root vegetables you like (tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper, baked at ~375*f for 45min or so). Throw in some squash, onions, or other things that roast well – you really can’t go wrong. I would say, however, make sure there’s something sweetish in there, like beets (especially if you want the color!) sweet potato, or acorn squash. You don’t need to roast them til they’re dead, just cooked through. And don’t peel them! Peels are so good for you and you won’t notice them when this is all done.

Then, saute some onions in a pot with olive oil. When they’re soft, add the root vegetables, salt and pepper and any other spices you want (like paprika!), and then cover the whole thing with broth (or water and bouillon – whatever). Let it simmer for half an hour or however long, and then puree with your immersion blender! You may need to add some more water/broth if it’s too thick. And done!

Finally, garnish with whatever you like:

Pictured above with polenta croutons and a drizzle of basil oil. (I used store-bought polenta that I cut into cubes and stuck in the oven at 250*f for the entire duration of the soup process, and basil oil that I had previously skimmed from some store-bought pesto that was super oily – knew I’d find a use for it!!)

Pictured below with a spoonful of ricotta cheese – OMG I always forget how amazing ricotta is! Greek yogurt works well too – just something with a little creaminess and tang.