Winter Garden High Protein Soup (Printable)

Hearty mix of winter vegetables and beans simmered in a savory broth for a warming meal.

# List of ingredients:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 2 stalks celery, diced
06 - 1 small parsnip, peeled and chopped
07 - 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed
08 - 1 cup chopped kale, stems removed
09 - 1 cup chopped savoy cabbage

→ Beans & Protein

10 - 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
11 - 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
12 - 1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed

→ Broth & Seasonings

13 - 5 cups vegetable broth
14 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
17 - Salt, to taste
18 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
19 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

# Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic, sautéing for 3–4 minutes until translucent.
02 - Add carrots, celery, parsnip, and sweet potato to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to begin softening.
03 - Stir in the chopped kale and savoy cabbage. Cook for an additional 2 minutes until slightly wilted.
04 - Add cannellini beans, chickpeas, red lentils, vegetable broth, dried thyme, dried oregano, black pepper, and salt to the pot.
05 - Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, or until vegetables and lentils are tender.
06 - Stir in lemon juice for brightness. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with salt or pepper as needed.
07 - Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's genuinely filling, the kind of soup you can eat as a complete meal without reaching for anything else afterward.
  • Everything happens in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying the warmth.
  • The flavor deepens as it simmers, so it tastes even better the next day.
02 -
  • Red lentils will break down and thicken your broth naturally, so don't expect them to stay whole like other legumes.
  • Tasting as you go is non-negotiable; a soup that needs more salt tastes flat, but one that's over-seasoned can't be fixed.
  • If your vegetables are cut unevenly, the bigger pieces will still be crunchy while the small ones disappear, so take a minute to cut them to roughly the same size.
03 -
  • If you cook the soup ahead and the lentils have absorbed most of the broth, don't panic, just thin it back out with more vegetable broth or even hot water.
  • Cooking vegetables for the exact moment they're tender rather than soft is the difference between soup that tastes fresh and soup that tastes dull.

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