Thai-Style Vegetable Soup

Serves

This recipe has a flavor profile very much like a curry. Classic Thai ingredients such as lemon grass, ginger, fish sauce, coconut, and basil create a light and lively soup. Shrimp or chicken could be added for a more substantial meal. Cut all the vegetables in advance, so the actual assembly and cooking time is short.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 red bell pepper (cut into 1/2-inch pieces, about 2/3 cup)
1 small yellow onion (cut into 1/4-inch dice, about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Thai Green Curry Paste (or more to taste)
1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup vegetable stock or water
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce (optional)
2 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
1 cup cubed, peeled potatoes (1/2-inch cubes)
1 cup peeled carrots (halved lengthwise, and sliced crosswise into 1/8-inch slices)
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 small zucchini (halved lengthwise, and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch slices (about 3/4 cup))
1 cup (4 ounces) fresh green beans (cut into 1-inch pieces)
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
  Juice of 1 lime

Directions

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the pepper and onion until the vegetables begin to soften and color, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and green curry paste, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Add the coconut milk, stock, fish sauce, and sugar to the pot, and bring to a simmer.

Add the potatoes and carrots, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the vegetables just begin to soften, 5 to 8 minutes.

Add the cauliflower and continue to simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.

Add the zucchini and green beans and cook, uncovered, until all the vegetables are crisp-tender, 5 to 10 minutes. If the soup is too thick, add more stock or water to thin slightly.

Stir in the basil and lime juice and serve hot.