Basically, this soup is made with whatever is lying around in your refrigerator. You know what I’m talking about. The celery that got ignored, the carrots that were crunchier last week, the greens that are starting to wilt. These sorts of ingredients can be the beginnings of a great soup. It will also help you keep your refrigerator cleaned out, its gotta be good Feng Shui for your kitchen to not have rotting veggies.
The real lesson of Refrigerator Soup is that soup making is not rocket science. Simply start with some onions, maybe a bit of garlic, add some other ingredients and in a short while, you’ve got a delicious hot pot of soup!
Refrigerator Soup
serves 6
Dice up some carrots, celery and onions, one cup of each
Mince a clove or two of garlic
Heat up 1 tablespoon of butter or olive oil in a soup pot. Add the veggies and saute until they begin to soften.
Add enough water or chicken stock to half fill your soup pot.
Start adding other leftovers. This could include leftover cooked rice, quinoa, mashed potatoes, greens.
Stir it all together and add some seasoning. Go easy on the salt, try some dried herbs like oregano, basil, Italian blend, a pinch of red pepper flakes, whatever feels right. Add some more liquid, either chicken stock or water.
Bring it all up to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer. After 20 minutes or so, taste it and correct the seasonings if needed. Keep cooking for an hour.
To garnish, put out an assortment for everyone to pick their own. At the Rubin Rodeo, we love fresh cilantro. You could try sour cream, shredded cheese, crumbled tortilla chips, croutons, herbs snipped from the garden, you name it!
