Linda's Willie Wonka Soup

Submitted by Secret Agent

"Good for a low carb, GI, Weight Watchers or most diets. My Mom used to make this soup and serve it with Buttermilk biscuits or crusty rolls. I jazzed it up with Paprika and like it spicy. The recipe is very forgiving and amounts and ingredients can be what you have on hand. Truthfully, I don't even measure the ingredients. If your pantry is low on ingredients a handful of rice or orzo will stretch this soup. Better the next day so it is a time saver you can put into your crock pot. My little sister gave it this name because it had inexpensive ingredients and Charley and his family could probably afford to make it."

 

• Ready In: 3hrs 30mins
• Ingredients: 20
• Serves: 10

ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb stew meat, small dice or 1 lb coarse lean ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 cups celery, diced
• 1 cup carrot, diced
• 1 bunch scallion, diced
• 1 leek, diced and very well washed
• 1 head green cabbage, chopped, core and all
• 2 garlic cloves, diced tiny
• 4 cups v- 8 vegetable juice, any flavor or 4 cups tomato juice
• 2 (15 ounce) cans Italian-style stewed tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) can white beans, liquid and all
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups stock or 2 cups broth
• 2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika (to taste)
• 2 tablespoons dried chives
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon McCormick's Montreal Brand steak seasoning
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley, stems and leaves

directions

1. Brown the meat slowly in the olive oil in your big stock pot.
2. Add in the onion, celery, carrots, scallions and leek and cook slowly until they start to get some color.
3. Add the cabbage, garlic and juice and stewed tomatoes along with the water, and stock.
4. Add the spices and herbs.
5. Cook very slowly until the cabbage is tender, about 3 hours. Cooking longer will result in a much richer soup. I like to cook it about 4 hours.
6. You can add a dollop of sour cream or some grated parmesan or romano cheese to garnish. Two totally different flavors to change it up a bit.
7. If you are missing an ingredient or two just substitute what you have on hand such as green beans, corn, broccoli, etc. If you don't have the juice use what you do have. If you like a certain spice or herb, use it. If you grow fresh herbs, use them. Really, this is very forgiving. For a fuller soup add in a couple of diced red potatoes.

Reviews

[luanne11155]

This is a yummy vegetable beef soup. I followed the recipe closely, except I did not add cabbage. Perfect for these cold midwestern winter days!