Veggie Trashcan Soup
Use what you have on hand, it’s the base that counts.
A weeknight meal answer to that “what am I gonna make” feeling, and one you can feel pretty good about.
Ingredients
Base
1/2 onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, grated
2-3 tbsp tomato paste
6 cups chicken stock (or veggie stock if you want to keep it veg)
Add-Ins
*again, you can add any frozen veggies that you have on hand and/or like best
Bag frozen roasted corn
Handful chopped shishito peppers
Handful halved cherry tomatoes
Bag frozen chopped spinach
Few stalks swiss chard, chopped (including ribs)
Bag quick-cook mixed grains (I went with barley, lentils, and split green peas)
Can black beans, drained
Some picked leftover roasted chicken (if you’re not trying to keep it veg)
Instructions
In a dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pot, get a few tablespoons of olive oil working on low medium heat. Toss in the grated garlic and chopped onions in with a big sprinkle of salt and mix around for a few minutes until they start to soften and become aromatic.
Get the tomato paste in and smoosh it around until it starts to toast and soften as well. Sprinkle in any dried herbs (I used oregano and basil) and mix those up. Slowly pour in 6 cups of chicken stock. Raise heat to medium high.
Once you have the stock at a low rolling boil, toss in your heartier veggies (chard stems, peppers). After a few minutes, toss in beans and softer veggies, along with grains (go for a grain mix that takes about 10 minutes to cook. Lower heat to low and serve once grains have cooked through.
