42 Calorie Garden Vegetable Soup
No Guilt - 42 calories and no fat Well, until I added Parmesan cheese on top
No Guilt - 42 calories and no fat Well, until I added Parmesan cheese on top
- Carbohydrate 8.9859251096128 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.164840825311867 g
- Fiber 2.5221430480951 g
- Protein 1.50621842940525 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0415674999982697 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (223g)
- Sodium 475.037682097812 mg
- Sugar 6.4637820615177 g
- Trans Fat 0.0434606690675256 g
- Calories 39 calories
Step-by-step
- Spray a large saucepan with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Saute the carrot, onion, and garlic over medium heat until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add broth, cabbage, beans, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes.
- Stir in the squash and heat for 3-4 minutes.
Staggering the Vegetables
Adding summer squash near the end of cooking prevents it from turning to mush. Dense root vegetables like carrots require a full five to seven minutes of initial sautéing to break down their cellular walls before liquids enter the pot. Tender green beans and cabbage need only a brief fifteen-minute simmer to soften without losing their structural integrity.
Roots in Peasant Cookery
This style of broth-based vegetable soup traces its lineage directly to European peasant cooking traditions. Communities historically relied on whatever garden produce was currently in season to stretch limited pantry supplies. Utilizing vegetable stock as the primary base keeps the profile clean while letting the natural sugars of onions and carrots caramelize slightly during the initial pan-searing phase.
Freezing and Storage Behavior
Cabbage and squash structures alter significantly during freezing due to high water content within their cell walls. Consume this batch within four days if stored in the refrigerator. Freeze portions only if omitting the yellow squash entirely, as thawed squash tends to release excessive moisture and degrade the texture of the broth.
