A soup that uses an entire bag of frozen vegetables!? Count us in. We love it with bread, and it would also be great over rice for toddlers.
Why We Love This Soup
We love frozen vegetables as an economical and accessible way to enjoy them. In surveys, cost is often the biggest barrier to eating more vegetables – which is a reminder that all vegetables count.
Another fantastic part about this soup is that it’s blended, which can be a great way to enjoy vegetables for kids who are still learning to like various textures. We love this one with some fresh sourdough bread for dipping, but it’s also great spooned over rice or just on its own.
Finally, dumping in a bag of frozen vegetables is much easier than chopping them! This would be a great soup to make if you have a baby or a toddler underfoot. You could even do onion powder and garlic powder instead of chopping the onion and garlic, if that’s easier!
I haven’t tried this, but also think this soup would be a great base for a cheesy rice casserole kind of recipe!
Frequently Asked Questions
- How long do I soak the cashews for?
I usually do a quick soak in hot water for about 15 minutes just to soften, but you can also soften them in regular water — the longer they soften the easier they are to blend. It also depends on the power of your blender— I don’t always remember to soak first! - My child has a tree nut allergy. Can I substitute something else for the cashews?
Absolutely! The soup does need some “cream.” Otherwise it’s just pureed veggies. There are a few different ingredients that could work. Instead of the cashews, you could use a 12oz box of extra soft silken tofu, puréed cannellini beans, or even cooked quinoa!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus, we’ll send you our free 5-day mini-course on Pediatric Nutrition!
Frozen Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil or butter of choice
- 3 Tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups low-sodium broth
- 15 ounce bag of frozen vegetables (the kind with carrots, corn, and peas)
- 2 cups milk of choice
- 3/4 cup soaked cashews
Instructions
- Cook the oil/butter over medium low heat in a large pot. Add the flour and cook to make a roux, stirring often.
- Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened. Add the salt and the broth (you can omit salt for younger kids).
- Add the veggies and simmer until cooked through.
- Purée the milk and cashews until creamy and smooth and add to the soup. Use an immersion blender (or back to the blender) to purée.
Notes
- I suppose you could also just purée the cashews and soup together with the milk if you want! Assuming it will work the same way.
- This one was also yummy stirred in with some cheese of choice — kinda like a creamy broccoli cheese vibe.
- I haven’t tried it but also think this would be good with some puréed white beans in!
- This soup is a plant-based version modeled after Dolly Parton’s famous stampede soup. I haven’t actually been to Dolly’s restaurant so I’m not sure how close this comes to the original, but it’s good.
