Gypsy Soup
A delicious, healthy, and easy tomato-based stew that can be made with almost any combination of vegetables. Paprika, turmeric, basil and cinnamon give it a unique flavor, with cayenne for a little spice. Vegetables in can be varied, according to what you have on hand.
A delicious, healthy, and easy tomato-based stew that can be made with almost any combination of vegetables. Paprika, turmeric, basil and cinnamon give it a unique flavor, with cayenne for a little spice. Vegetables in can be varied, according to what you have on hand.
- 3 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 stalk celery
- 2 t olive oil
- 2 c chopped onion
- 3 medium cloves garlic crushed
- 2 c diced sweet potato
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp basil
- a dash of cinnamon
- a dash of cayenne
- 1 can (16-20 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 medium bell pepper diced
- 1.5 cups or 16 oz can cooked chickpeas (i also add the liquid from the can)
- Carbohydrate 7.16723683850216 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 4.71901137935543 g
- Fiber 1.70686508402775 g
- Protein 1.02412498612812 g
- Saturated Fat 0.68053050624499 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (205g)
- Sodium 13.4619655230518 mg
- Sugar 5.46037175447441 g
- Trans Fat 0.163641050778908 g
- Calories 71 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat olive oil in large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add onion, garlic, celery, and sweet potato, and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add salt and saute 5 minutes more. Add seasonings and water, cover, and simmer about 15 minutes.
- Add tomatoes, bell pepper, and chickpeas. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes more, or until all the vegetables are as tender as you like them (NOTE: be careful not to cook the broccoli florets, cabbage or green beans too long - a little crunch is good). Taste to adjust seasonings and salt. Serve hot with crusty bread.
Sweet potato forms the structural backbone of this vegetable stew, acting as a natural thickener as it breaks down during the initial fifteen-minute simmer. Cubing the roots to uniform half-inch dice ensures they soften evenly without requiring prior boiling. When cooking in compact spaces, selecting the right pot prevents overcrowding issues that trap steam instead of browning the onions. A heavy-bottomed Dutch oven holding at least four quarts provides sufficient thermal mass to maintain a steady simmer without scorching the bottom layer of garlic and spices. Spices like paprika and turmeric bloom effectively in the initial two tablespoons of olive oil before the liquids are introduced, releasing fat-soluble aromatic compounds that define the broth. Adjusting batch sizes requires caution regarding liquid evaporation rates; halving the water preserves the correct vegetable-to-broth ratio in smaller cookware.
Pairing dense vegetable stews demands breads with open crumb structures capable of absorbing seasoned broth without disintegrating. Sourdough loaves featuring thick crusts stand up well to the acidic tomato base and earthy chickpeas. Toasting sliced bread in a dry cast-iron skillet for two minutes per side adds a charred contrast to the soft root vegetables in the bowl. Alternatively, serving the stew over a bed of short-grain brown rice increases the protein completeness of the meal while adding a chewy texture. Keep leftover portions in airtight glass containers for up to four days in the refrigerator, noting that the spices continue to meld as the starches cool.
Scaling this preparation downward requires reducing the cooking liquid proportionally while maintaining the foundational aromatics to preserve flavor depth. Two medium cloves of garlic remain sufficient even when halving the vegetable quantities. Monitoring the sweet potato tenderness with a thin metal skewer at the ten-minute mark prevents overcooking the bell peppers added later. Storing excess canned chickpea liquid in the freezer for up to one month provides a future replacement for water when extra body is desired in similar broth-based dishes.
Appropriate Accompaniments
Pairing dense vegetable stews demands breads with open crumb structures capable of absorbing seasoned broth without disintegrating. Sourdough loaves featuring thick crusts stand up well to the acidic tomato base and earthy chickpeas. Toasting sliced bread in a dry cast-iron skillet for two minutes per side adds a charred contrast to the soft root vegetables in the bowl. Alternatively, serving the stew over a bed of short-grain brown rice increases the protein completeness of the meal while adding a chewy texture. Keep leftover portions in airtight glass containers for up to four days in the refrigerator, noting that the spices continue to meld as the starches cool.
Managing Batch Proportions
Scaling this preparation downward requires reducing the cooking liquid proportionally while maintaining the foundational aromatics to preserve flavor depth. Two medium cloves of garlic remain sufficient even when halving the vegetable quantities. Monitoring the sweet potato tenderness with a thin metal skewer at the ten-minute mark prevents overcooking the bell peppers added later. Storing excess canned chickpea liquid in the freezer for up to one month provides a future replacement for water when extra body is desired in similar broth-based dishes.
