Happy fall! One of my favorite memories is of coming home after Trick or Treating to the smell of Mom’s Gypsy Soup. It’s from the Moosewood Cookbook and is absolutely one of my go-to healthy soup recipes during the cold weather season! We’d first pile into wagons and have our dads pull us around from house to house as we collected candy. The final stop was always back home where my mom would have a huge pot of homemade vegetarian soup ready. Until I was a teenager I was (obviously) off stuffing myself with candy, but as I grew this hearty soup became my favorite part of Halloween.
Gypsy Soup is quick, easy, and super yummy with an autumn harvest vibe. It pairs well with red wine or a nice hard cider and is great to leave out in a crockpot in case anyone gets hungry. I’ve made it for SO many occasions! It’s gone over crazy well at tailgates (Gypsy Soup is literally the perfect filling food to stay warm in the fall air), potluck parties (there’s always people look for a good homemade vegetarian soup recipe), and even just cold snowy nights. It’s one of my favorite healthy soup recipes leftover and can last the whole week if you make a huge batch. This homemade vegetarian soup recipe is super easy and can be made ahead of time if you’re busy!
Gypsy soup only takes 30 minutes to make. There’s tons of variations with this that you can throw in – I’ve added cubed chicken, pasta (ditalini or orzo are my favorites), or even rice. Shredded cheese is a great topping and although almost any type tastes good, sharp Cheddar is my favorite. I love a hearty bread to dip (When Pigs Fly is great!) or even croutons could be fun. For those that want some zing, I’m sure you could add in jalapenos, cayenne, or crushed red pepper. My recipe is super similar to the Moosewood Gypsy Soup but I’ve added a few things that make it my own homemade vegetarian soup recipe. It’s one of my favorite healthy soup recipes any time of the year!
Gypsy Soup Moosewood Recipe Ingredients:
- 3-4 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 cups chopped onion
- 2 cloves crushed garlic
- 2 cups chopped, peeled sweet potatoes or winter squash (you can use both – sweet potatoes are definitely my favorite)
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped, fresh tomatoes
- 3/4 cup chopped sweet bell pepper
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
- 3 cups stock (you can use boxed chicken or vegetable stock) or water (you’ll be shocked – you still get an amazing amount of flavor!)
- 2 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. turmeric
- 1 tsp. basil (you can use dried but using fresh really makes a difference and adds the right punch of color)
- 1 tsp. salt
- Dash of cinnamon
- Dash of cayenne
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Tbs. tamari
Instructions:
1. In a large saucepan, sautee the onions, garlic, celery, and sweet potatoes in olive oil for 5ish minutes. Add the seasonings except for tamari and the stock/water.
2. Simmer (covered) for 15 minutes. Add the remaining vegetables and chickpeas. Simmer for another 10 or so minutes until all the vegetables are as tender as you like them.
3. Taste test and add more salt if needed. Add the tamari at this point (go slowly if you don’t want a lot).
4. Serve the soup. You can also leave it simmering (super low!) for hours on end if you’re not sure when people will want to eat. It’s pretty hard to get wrong. I like to serve it with a nice this bread.
If you give this Gypsy Soup recipe a try and add your own twist, I’d love to hear about it! Let me know what you think. Stay tuned for more another homemade vegetarian soup recipe (who doesn’t love a healthy soup recipe?). Hope everyone has an extra spooky Halloween!
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