Easy Quick Soup
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I believe that 20 minutes of soup can fix a catastrophic holiday schedule and at least temporarily calm your mother’s bewildered expectations about hosting (yes, even if you grabbed half your ingredients from Trader Joe’s while pretending you’d meal-prepped — which you didn’t). This is not lofty culinary philosophy. This is survival. Midwest practicality meets West Coast optimism (and a tiny, darkly comedic streak). If you want something that says “I tried” and “I care” without requiring you to deep-clean your oven or call your aunt for instructions, you want this: the Easy Quick Soup. Also, if you’re the pancake person who thinks broth is an emotional support food, check out my fluffy breakfast alternative here: my pancake recipe. See? Balance.
How I Learned the Hard Way (a boiling-over confession)
There was once a Thanksgiving where I tried to make soup as a “warm-up” before the turkey went in (you know, to look busy), and I managed to scorch the pot, singe my eyebrows (no, really), and invent a new aroma that haunted my kitchen for three days. Sensory details? The smell was 90% burnt coffee and 10% existential dread. My guests politely sipped and smiled while secretly planning to steal grandma’s cranberry sauce to wash it down. Regret? Yes. Humor? Eventually. Specific failure detail: I forgot to lower the heat after a furious boil and then walked away to deal with a pre-dinner meltdown (kids, dog, neighbor, the usual). Classic.
Why This Version Actually Works (and won’t end in smoke)
After several iterations — including one where I tried to “improvise” with leftover stuffing (don’t do it) — I distilled the process down to essentials: good broth, frozen veg that behaves like a dream, and aromatics in powdered form (hello garlic powder). That’s why the Easy Quick Soup exists: it’s forgiving, fast, and tastes like you meant to be this calm. The learning curve involved accepting that not every dish needs to be artisanal; sometimes you just need warmth in a bowl and a minute to breathe.
No-fuss Ingredients (yes, from the pantry and your heart)
- 1 can of vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Optional: Cooked protein (chicken, tofu, or beans)
Opinions about ingredients: frozen veg are the MVPs of late-night hosting, canned broth is not a sin (it’s efficiency), and garlic powder is life. If you want to add heft, toss in shredded rotisserie chicken or a can of cannellini beans. Budget note: This is cheap enough that you can still afford Trader Joe’s cookie butter later (priorities). If you’re more of a breakfast-for-dinner person, you might even pair this with something fun like these sausage pancake muffins for the kids. Comfort food synergy.
Quick Conversion Helper (because teaspoons and tablespoons fight)
A tiny sentence: if you’re eyeballing measurements, this converter will save you from a salt catastrophe.
Cooking Process (messy, chatty, but effective — follow me)
- In a pot, combine the vegetable broth and water and bring to a boil.
- Add the frozen mixed vegetables, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Reduce heat and let simmer for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- If using, add cooked protein and heat through before serving.
Okay, here’s the real talk (non-linear, like my thought process when stirring): start high heat so everything wakes up, then TURN IT DOWN — serious, I mean it (this is where I used to fail). If you’re distracted by family meltdown (see below), set a timer or the soup will judge you. Tip: if you want more depth, splash a teaspoon of soy sauce or a squeeze of lemon at the end (tiny miracle). If your frozen veggies are clumped, dump them in frozen; they’ll separate with heat. Add protein last so it doesn’t dry out. Sometimes I add a bay leaf for pretend-cheffiness (and then forget it’s there — which is exciting).
Household Chaos Diary — You and Me in the Kitchen
You: “Can I have mac and cheese?”
Kid: “No, soup.”
Dog: “I will stare into your soul until you drop a carrot.”
Neighbor: “Did you get the bread?” — Wait, I didn’t. Does Trader Joe’s deliver to your house at 7 p.m.? (Probably.) Also, don’t try to host and film a TikTok simultaneously. Unless you enjoy multi-tasking disasters. If you’re juggling a toddler, a Zoom call, and a collapsing casserole, this soup is your friend — fast, forgiving, and able to be reheated. Serve with toast, crackers, or a stolen cinnamon roll from last night’s batch of easy sourdough cinnamon rolls (I do not condone reheating in the microwave but — also — I do).
About 3–4 days if stored in an airtight container. Reheat gently — high heat is the enemy. Reheat like you’re counseling it through a mild panic attack.
Absolutely. Use what you have. Chicken broth will add a savory note and is great if you’re adding chicken as the protein. No judgment.
Yes — stick to vegetable broth and plant proteins like tofu or beans. It’s perfectly hearty and will not miss meat the way your uncle misses his high school glory days.
You can, but cook them separately and add at the end so they don’t soak up all the broth and become mush. Nobody wants noodle regret.
Add acid (lemon, vinegar) a pinch of salt, or a splash of soy sauce. These small acts of defiance fix a lot.
Self-awareness: I know this is not a Michelin-starred explanation (nor do you want it to be — save that energy for the pie crust). Slight humor: soup is basically edible therapy. Emotion: if feeding your person means a bowl of humble broth and some frozen veggies assembled with love (and maybe a bit of sarcasm), then you’ve done a thing that matters. I’ll probably burn the next pot. Or not. Okay wow — actually — I probably won’t. Also, have you considered bread? Because you should.
Daily Calorie Needs Calculator (one tiny helpful tool)
A simple calculator to estimate how many calories you might need daily — because knowledge is power (and also because leftovers are a thing).
Easy Quick Soup
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 can vegetable broth Canned or homemade vegetable broth can be used.
- 1 cup water Use to dilute the broth for a lighter flavor.
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables No need to thaw; add them directly from the freezer.
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder For added flavor.
- 1 teaspoon onion powder Adds savory depth.
- to taste salt and pepper Adjust seasoning according to preference.
- optional cooked protein (chicken, tofu, or beans) Ideal for added protein; add last to prevent drying out.
Instructions
Cooking Process
- In a pot, combine the vegetable broth and water and bring to a boil.
- Add the frozen mixed vegetables, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Reduce heat and let simmer for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- If using, add cooked protein and heat through before serving.
