Garbage Soup

I’m hesitant to even write a “recipe” for garbage soup because it changes every time I make it.

In a nutshell, I look in my crisper to find veggies that are past their prime and simmer them with some broth, sautéed alliums, and canned tomatoes until they’re nice and tender. That’s it.

The combinations are endless but I always try to throw in:

• carrots and other root vegetables
• onions, leeks, or shallots sautéed until translucent in some sort of fat
• a 14-ounce can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
• chopped greens (spinach, chard, cabbage, kale, etc.)
• canned or homemade broth

If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll throw in:

• a ham hock
• rehydrated dried mushrooms
• couple of bay leaves
• fresh herbs

Time to make Garbage Soup!

Here’s a typical example of how I make garbage soup:

I chopped up some leeks, green garlic, turnips, carrots…

…half a cabbage…

…and drained a can of fire-roasted canned tomatoes.

I had recently made some beef bone broth so I took it out of the fridge. Normally, I just use the organic chicken stock from Costco.

I melted a couple tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a large soup pot and sauteed the green garlic and leeks until soft.

I tossed in the carrots, turnips…

…and tomatoes with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

I poured in the broth…

…added the cabbage…

…and turned up the heat to high so the soup would come to a boil.

Once the soup was boiling, I turned down the heat to low and simmered it (partially covered) for about 30 minutes or until all the vegetables were nice and soft. I adjusted the seasoning with salt and pepper and then ladled up some bowls.

Once you’ve made a batch of garbage soup, you can doctor it by adding leftover meats or pan-fried sausage. It’s a great way to clear out your fridge for more veggies!

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Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).

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