I’ve come to the conclusion that some of my favorite fast-and-easy meals are inspired by a near-empty larder and a desire to stay indoors. That’s exactly what happened last week when, as lunchtime approached, we were in the mood for a big bowl of brothy soup and fresh out — of everything. I was supposed to have gone grocery shopping that morning but there was a menacing glaze of ice on the roads and the wind chill was below zero, so scratch that idea. Then how did I make the delicious soup you see in the photo in less than 15 minutes? It went something like this:
I sauteed some chopped onion and garlic in olive oil in a pot. Added 4 cups of water and some veggie broth base (I used Better Than Bouillon). Added about 1 1/2 cups cooked rice (leftover from previous night’s dinner), 1 1/2 cups frozen chopped spinach, and 1 1/2 cups (or a 15-ounce can) of white beans. I brought it all to a boil, then reduced the heat, added some salt and pepper and a little dried savory, and simmered for about 10 minutes. That’s it.
It was so satisfying that it’s hard to believe how simple (and quick) it was to make. The moral of the story, of course, is next time you think there’s nothing in the house to eat, think again.
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That is simple and looks absolutely perfect for a cold night. I can’t believe how the weather is so crazy this year…well I can believe it, but it’s infuriating!
i love soups like this, you can just put whatever you have in your fridge/freezer/pantry in a pot and voila…delicious things appear.
That looks very comforting. And you’ve got to love quick soups that taste great!
I’m a HUGE fan of “Apocalypse Chow”; I’ve recommended it in my neighborhood newsletter and on my blog and to anyone who will listen when I get going about hurricane preparedness. 😉 I didn’t see it on your blog, though; please put it up there, too! I’m not vegetarian but thanks to your “Beat the Blahs Black Bean Cakes” my family eats a vegetarian meal AT LEAST once a week. We’re looking for more vegetarian/vegan meals to incorporate and slowly phase out the meat we eat so I’ll be checking your blog on a regular basis, and I’ll look for your other books in the bookstore. Thank you, and thanks for many, many yummy meals from the Black Bean Cake recipe. I’m so happy to have found your blog tonight! 🙂
Sounds like my dinner last night! Boiled some pasta and all veggies about to go bad in my fridge were fair game for the “primavera”!Soup looks delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe. 🙂
This is my favorite kind of cooking, too; we call it “MacGyver cuisine!” Being thrown back on your own resources forces you into finding a creative use for what’s on hand, and the results can be really unexpected. (Okay, sometimes that’s a can of chickpeas, a tomato and a roll of duct tape, but what the hell, right?)
I’m a new follower of your blog and I made this delicious soup for dinner tonight! I forgot the beans and ate it w/out! but when I came back to write a comment, I saw i left out the beans and just opened a can to add to the leftovers for tomorrow! I can’t wait to try some more of your recipes.
This soup looks delicious. I am cooking the Pot “Roast” from your recipses right now. It will be great for dinner. I love your blog and recipes. My husband bought Vegan Planet for me as a gift for Christmas. I love it. Thanks for being such a talented chef.
The soup is fantastic… thanks for the recipe!