Middle Eastern Vegetable Soup

I love vegetable soup, who doesn't? But canned soup just doesn't quite do it for me. I make a large pot of vegetable soup and freeze single sized portions in freezer bags. Just let it thaw in the fridge and I have instant homemade soup!

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 white potatoes, chopped
• 1/2 yellow onion, cut into eigths
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 celery stalk, sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh parsely, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh string beans or canned
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups water
• 3 cups canned tomato sauce
• 1 8oz can tomato paste

Preparation:

In a large saucepan, combine water, tomato sauce and paste on medium heat. Stir well to make a good soup base. Add water or more tomato sauce as desired. Add vegetables and spices.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low-medium (about 3 on an electric range). Simmer for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Serve with pita bread or crackers.

Vegetable Variation

Sometimes, I like to add or omit vegetables depending on my craving. Fresh or frozen okra really goes well with the tomato base in this soup. You can add corn, peas, and even small macaroni noodles for a variation. The great thing about Middle Eastern cooking is that it's all about what you have on hand. You don't have to follow a recipe exactly and it really allows you to be creative.

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