Jessica Fisher 10 Comments

Alphabet Soup with Vegetables

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Have a hankering for that Vegetable Alphabet Soup from your childhood? You can make it yourself, without the help of a can. Just good food.

Alphabet Soup | Good Cheap Eats

I am a child of the 70s which means that carpet was shaggy (as were men’s hairstyles), pants were bell-bottomed, and soup came in a can. I didn’t know any different for a really long time, and honestly I was fine with that.

I loved Bean with Bacon, Chicken Gumbo, and Chicken Noodle (but only when I was sick). I had my favorites and when we went to the sore, Mom would let me pick out my flavor from the shelf.

And one of my very favorites was Alphabet Soup with Vegetables.

I bought canned soup in college and in my newlywed years, but after a few issues of Bon Appetit and a thorough reading of A Feast of Soups, I realized I could make my own soup — even better than the can.

(Plus, I can pronounce every single ingredient.)

Sometimes I don’t use a recipe, I just use up leftovers in a basic soup like Pantry Challenge Minestrone or Stone Soup. However, when I want to recreate my favorite childhood soup, well this is my recipe. It took a little tweaking, but I think it tastes just like that Alphabet Soup of yore, only it’s got all real ingredients and no funny business.

Here’s what you need – not much!

and voila!

This soup is featured in my latest cookbook, Good Cheap Eats Dinner in 30 Minutes or Less. If you like this recipe, you’ll love the book. I promise it will more than earn its keep.

Alphabet Soup with Vegetables

Have a hankering for that Vegetable Alphabet Soup from your childhood? You can make it yourself, without the help of a can. Just good food.


Alphabet Soup with Vegetables
Preparation Time:10 minutes
Cook time:17 minutes
Total time:27 minutes
10 cups soup
Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 6 to 8 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup frozen green beans
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup alphabet pasta

Instructions:

  1. In a large stockpot, heat the oil over high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion starts to turn translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Watch for scorching.
  2. Add the broth, to taste, scraping up any browned bits.
  3. Add the corn, peas, green beans, carrot, tomato sauce, dill, paprika, cayenne, and salt and black pepper to taste. Bring to a low boil. (This may take up to 10 minutes.)
  4. Add the pasta and cook until tender, another 7 minutes or so. Adjust the seasonings and serve.
  5. The soup can be cooled and stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Alphabet Soup | Good Cheap Eats

About Jessica Fisher

I believe great meals don't have to be complicated or expensive. There's a better way, and it won't take all afternoon.

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Filed Under: Carrots, Corn, Green Beans, Main Dishes, Pasta, peas, Recipe, Soups, Vegetables Tagged With:
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Comments

  1. Crystal Hankey says
    at

    This is the best soup ever. I have made it 5 times since I got your new cookbook. My husband and I love it that much. Once I didn’t have the alphabet pasta so I added diced potatoes. It reheats well and the flavor is awesome. So easy.

    Reply
  2. Lori says
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    Could I use chicken broth instead of veggie broth?
    Thanks!

    Reply
  3. JessB says
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    I just found your site from thekitchn.com and it’s great! I enjoyed your periscope on the pantry challenge. We live a long way from the city so I buy in bulk when we go and have a full freezer. I printed your pantry worksheet today so that I can inventory what we have and work on using it up! That’s the downside of a chest freezer…it can be hard to keep track of what is in there. Do you have a garden?

    Reply
    • Jessica Fisher says
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      We have a micro backyard and we’re on water restrictions right now due to the drought, so no garden this year, I don’t think.

      Reply
  4. Betsy C says
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    Yum! I was looking for something to pair with the Italian Cheesewiches from your cookbook and stumbled upon this recipe when following your tips on improving my families diet. A very happy accident! Wonderful as all your recipes prove to be. I was out of dill and subbed thyme, it worked out well!

    Reply

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