“Clean-out-the-fridge” Soup 101: Makes a lot, generally

Aromatics:
Onion, any kind
Shallots
Green onions, the white parts
Garlic
Ginger
Fennel bulb
celery
carrots
turnips
parsnips

Uncooked Proteins (not seafood -see below):

Leafy greens (kale, spinach, frisee, endive)
Cabbages, any kind, any color

Canned items:
Any canned tomato product
Beans of choice

Liquid:
Water or Stock to cover

Formula:

In a soup pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and add diced aromatics – any combo of anything you have will do, I generally use:

1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

But whatever you have will be fine.

Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

Now add your UNCOOKED protein – this can be ground turkey, beef, or chicken, chicken breast or thighs, any chicken, or Italian sausage you name it – steak, diced, stew beef, it’s all good here… (if using leftover cooked protein or fresh seafood, you will add that at the very end).  

Sautee your raw protein of choice with veggies until just cooked through (about 6 minutes for chicken, 4 for beef and 8 minutes for ground stuff)

Now add leafy greens and cabbage of choice, cook 3 minutes until wilted.

Now add canned items of choice (if using beans, rinse and drain if using tomatoes add canned tomato juices to the pot too). Stir well.

NOTE: if you have potatoes, you can dice and add now but since this is “empty the fridge” soup I’d personally leave the potatoes out for something else.

Add enough liquid of choice to cover taste. This is where I add: 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon mixed herb blend of choice (I like Italian but literally anything is fine), 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper. Taste again.

Bring to simmer and lower and cook on medium until veggies are as tender as you like and canned items are cooked through 25 minutes will do.

If you have leftover cooked protein, dice it and stir in now, and this is where you will add raw seafood, and let warm through for 10 minutes before serving soup.

Yum.

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