Chilean vegetable soup, or sopa de verduras, is a light, comforting soup of potatoes, carrots, squash, green beans, and celery simmered in water seasoned with garlic sautéed in olive oil and paprika, optionally finished with beaten eggs and fresh cilantro. It takes 30 minutes of preparation and 30 minutes of cooking, and serves 6.
It is a Chilean winter classic, served piping hot to warm up on cold days, ideally with freshly baked pan amasado.
How to Make Chilean Vegetable Soup?
It is a very flexible recipe that uses what you have at home, mainly potatoes and carrots, with squash, celery, green beans, and herbs. Garlic is fried in olive oil, paprika is stirred in, the vegetables are added with water, and everything simmers until tender.
Nutritional Information
Each serving of vegetable soup contains approximately 100 kcal, 2 g of protein, 3 g of total fat (0.5 g of saturated fat), 0 mg of cholesterol, 15 g of carbohydrates, 3 g of sugars, and 300 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
Homemade Chilean Vegetable Soup Recipe
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 liters (8 cups) of water
- 3 potatoes
- 2 carrots
- 2 pieces of winter squash
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 eggs (optional)
- 1 cup of green beans
- 1 teaspoon of paprika (ají de color)
- 1 celery stalk
- Olive oil
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh cilantro
- Fine salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Wash all the vegetables well, peel them, and cut them into small cubes or half moons of similar size. Wash and drain the parsley and cilantro. Set everything aside separately.
- In a large pot, heat a generous splash of olive oil over high heat, add the sliced garlic, and fry, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it starts to turn golden. Lower the heat to the minimum, sprinkle in the paprika, and stir.
- Add the potatoes, carrots, squash, and chopped parsley, cook for about 2 minutes, then add the water. Season with salt and pepper and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes with the pot half covered. Add the green beans and celery and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Check that everything is tender. If you like, stir in 2 freshly beaten eggs. Serve right away, piping hot, topped with fresh cilantro and with freshly baked pan amasado.
Additional Tips
Add legumes
Stirring in half a cup of cooked lentils or beans at the end adds protein and fiber and turns the soup into a complete meal.
Use homemade broth
Replacing part or all of the water with homemade vegetable broth greatly improves the flavor without the sodium of store bought stock.
Freeze it without potatoes
Potatoes turn mealy when frozen. Freeze the soup base with the other vegetables and add fresh potatoes when reheating.
| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | Homemade vegetable broth | 1:1 | More flavor |
| Green beans | Peas | 1 cup | Sweeter |
| Eggs | Cooked lentils | ½ cup | Vegan, more fiber |
| Vegetables only | Add shredded chicken | 300 g | Heartier main course |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Which vegetables are essential?
Potato, carrot, and squash give body and natural sweetness. Celery and parsley add aroma, and green beans are a classic in the winter version.
2. Can I freeze cooked vegetable soup?
Yes, ideally without the potatoes, which change texture when thawed. Freeze the base and add fresh potatoes when reheating.
3. How can I add more fiber and protein?
Stir in half a cup of cooked lentils, beans, or chickpeas at the end of cooking.
4. Can I add meat?
Yes. In Chile it is common to add shredded chicken or a little diced beef to make it heartier and serve it as a main course.
What Is Sopa de Verduras?
Sopa de verduras is the everyday Chilean vegetable soup, light and inexpensive, made with whatever the market offers. It is a staple of winter dinners and is often served before a main course or on its own with bread.
Chilean Street Markets
Chilean ferias, the open air street markets held weekly in every neighborhood, are where families buy the fresh, seasonal vegetables that go into soups like this one.
Did You Know?
Squash, beans, and corn were among the first crops domesticated in the Americas thousands of years ago, and they remain at the heart of Chilean home cooking.
How to adapt this recipe to a vegan or vegetarian version?
How to adapt this recipe to a gluten-free version?
How to adapt this recipe to a keto (ketogenic) version?
Recommended
- Chilean Menestrón Vegetable Soup Recipe
- Chilean Chicken Consommé Recipe
- Mapuche Vegetable Stew Recipe
- Homemade Pan Amasado Recipe
