Easy Vegetable Potage Soup with Cheesy Baguettes
Healthy, simple and utterly satisfying, this creamy vegetable potage (i.e. pureed soup) is comfort food at its finest! The soup gets thickness and richness from sweet potatoes, and water is used in place of broth, giving the potage a clean, pure flavor (and making it naturally vegan). It’s a nutritious meal that can be adapted to what you have on hand (see above for swap suggestions). Toasted cheesy baguettes are the perfect accompaniment, but are optional (for an extra kick, rub the toasted baguettes with garlic before adding the cheese). Dunk a baguette into the steaming soup, take a cheesy, creamy bite, and welcome to heaven.
Servings: 4 -6 people
Ingredients
Potage
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- 4 thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes (1 large potato), peeled and diced
- 5 cups water
- 1 lemon wedge
Cheesy baguettes (optional)
- ½ baguette, halved lengthwise
- Olive oil, for brushing
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup packed shredded gruyere, Comté or cheddar cheese
For serving
- Finely chopped pistachios, pecans or hazelnuts (optional)
Instructions
Make the potage
- In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and sweet potato. Season with more salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, 1-2 minutes. Pour in the water. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the sweet potatoes and vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes. (While the soup cooks, make the cheesy baguettes—see below.)
- Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Using a blender or hand blender, puree the soup until smooth. Season with salt, pepper and a few drops of lemon juice to taste.
Make the cheesy baguettes
- Preheat the oven to 450˚F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange the baguette halves on the prepared baking sheet (cut sides up) and brush them lightly with olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake 4-6 minutes, or until lightly crisp on top. Mound the cheese evenly over each piece of bread. Bake 1-2 minutes longer, or until the cheese is melted. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Serve
- Ladle the soup into serving bowls and garnish with finely chopped nuts, if you'd like. Serve the soup with the cheesy baguettes on the side for dunking.
Notes
Do Ahead: The soup can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.
Tips:
- Slowly sautéing the onions, carrots and celery in olive oil helps to draw out their flavors, resulting in a better tasting soup.
- I prefer to use water in this soup, which gives it a clean flavor, but you could use chicken or vegetable broth instead (see above for more swap ideas).
- You can use a hand blender or regular blender to puree the potage. I love my Vitamix, which gives the soup a super silky texture.
- A few drops of lemon juice at the end brightens the soup and rounds out the flavors.
- If you’d like, you can drizzle the soup with olive oil, heavy cream or coconut cream before serving (although it’s not necessary). I love sprinkling the top with finely chopped nuts for a bit of texture.
Loved this recipe? Check out @nickisizemore for more!