Maybe it was the weeklong road trip eating out most of the time. Maybe it’s because of the frosty week in Bay Area. This seemed to call for a hot bowl of winter root vegetable soup. And I happen to pick up some Rutabaga from the grocery store this past weekend. I’ve never really cooked Rutabaga before and this seemed a good excuse to try it. Cooked Rutabaga tastes like a cross between potatoes, squash and turnips, only a little sweeter. This root vegetable soup recipe is super easy to make. Just chop everything and dunk them in a big pot and wait until it’s all done. I based it loosely on the recipe I found on My Humble Kitchen and of course veganized it.

Winter Root Vegetable Soup

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Rutabaga is less starchy and has lower calories than Potatoes (of the same weight), not to mention a much higher quantity of Vitamin C. It’s the perfect ingredient for a root vegetable soup.

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 3-4 stalks of celery, chopped
• 4 small carrots, chopped
• 1 rutabaga, cubed
• 1 medium potato, cubed
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 2 cubes of Rapunzel Vegan Vegetable Bouillon
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ cup chopped parsley
• 1 bunch of spinach (or kale with stem removed)
• 1 can of Organic Cannellini Beans
• Salt and Pepper to taste

In a well oiled wok, add in the onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add in the celery and carrots and stir for another few minutes. Add in the potato, rutabaga and tomatoes, stir gently until the tomatoes break down. Meantime, boil 3 cups of water and add the vegetable bouillon to make the soup base. Add the stir fry vegetables into the soup with bay leaves. Bring to boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 2 to 3 hours (or until the root vegetables are cooked) stirring occasionally. Add in the parsley and the beans and mix the spinach minutes before ladling the soup out into bowls. And remember: Tabasco goes with anything, especially soup!

How do you make winter root vegetable soup?