Cream of the Crop Week 14: "Sick Day" Noodle Soup

"Sick Day" Noodle Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Cook Time: 1 hr 

A chill is in the air these days and, with that, a nasty cold found its way into my immune system. So, in honor of sick season, consider this my cure-all. It’s low effort, versatile, and tasty (even when your taste buds aren’t working quite right). Below is the ingredients I used to make it, but feel free to tweak the vegetables to include what you have. 

 Ingredients: 

2 zucchini 

1 yellow squash

3 carrots

1 onion

1 can of white beans

8 cups bouillon/stock

Protein of choice

Pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Dice onion, carrots, zucchini, and yellow squash. 
2. In a large pot, add  2 tablespoons of olive oil. Turn heat to medium and allow oil to heat through. 
3. Add carrots and onion and allow to begin to soften. 
4. When the onions have become translucent, add your squash and zucchini. Let this begin to caramelize. Turn heat up to medium-high if needed. This may take about 10 minutes. 
5. Once vegetables begin to caramelize, add 8 cups of stock or broth. I only had bouillion cubes, so I used those with 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil.
6. Once simmering, add a can of drained and rinsed beans. I find white beans hide best in here (white beans, navy beans, chickpeas). 
7. Add your additional protein source. I’m a vegetarian, so I used tofu to keep this as simple as possible. You could also use cooked chicken, meatballs, or sausage. 
8. Allow this to simmer on low for 20-30 minutes. In the final 10-15 minutes, add pasta directly to the soup and cook for box recommended time. 

Tip: This recipe is also benefitted by the bountiful green onions and hot peppers that we've received this summer. These are both such easy vegetables to freeze as they don't require any blanching. Chop them up and store them in a freezer bag for the chilly months to come. My freezer is already stocked with more than I know I what to do with. 

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About Margaux

Margaux is a veterinary technician and long-time Westsider. She draws inspirations from her Belgian and Italian heritage with recipes that resemble those passed down by mother and grandmother.

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