Written by: Elizabeth Hall, MS, RDN, LDN, Food City Registered Dietitian

DIY or do-it-yourself is all the rage from home renovations to virtual school projects. Creating a DIY healthy soup is super easy and a convenient way to use extra produce that is about to go bad in a delicious one pot meal. As the weather gets cooler, experiment with your own warm and toasty DIY creations by following these simple steps. 

1. Start with basic aromatics. Aromatics are vegetables that deliver deep flavors and aromas when heated or crushed. Examples of aromatics include garlic, onions, carrots, and celery. Chop aromatic vegetables evenly for even cooking and remember that hearty vegetables such as carrots may require longer cooking times. To avoid weighing down your soup with extra fats and oils, try “sweating” vegetables in a small amount of oil, juice, broth, or water. To “sweat” vegetables, cook them in a covered pot with the liquid or oil. This softens the veggies without browning them. 

2. Add flavorings and other ingredients. Add spices and herbs to your aromatics and cook for only a few minutes for the best flavor. At this time, you could also add starches such as small cubed potatoes, whole wheat pasta, beans, or rice along with vegetables like kale, spinach, zucchini, and mushrooms.

3. Pour in your liquid. After lightly cooking your aromatics and other ingredients, pour in about 4 cups of liquid. You could choose vegetable or chicken broth or stock or even water if you prefer. Make sure to choose options that are lower in sodium or have no sodium added, especially if you will add salt to your soup later. Simmer for flavor for 30 minutes to an hour or until your vegetables are soft.

4. Finish your soup. “Finish” your soup with additions that help to balance and bring out the flavor. The options are endless and include lemon or lime juice, soy sauce, vinegar, or just simple salt and pepper. You can also add delicate herbs like mint, parsley, or cilantro or hot sauce for a spicy kick. Top with garnishes like fresh avocado, crispy whole grain tortilla strips, or freshly grated Parmesan.