Veggie soup....what can I add?

[Dave7]

Don't say meat.
I am a meat eater but bought a bag of mixed/chopped veg which I now have in the slow cooker with a veggie stock.
Its new to me so wondering what I can add.

 

[Salty seadog]

Crushed walnuts.
Cream.
Touch of chilli/cumin.

 

[derrick]

Neck of lamb.

 

[vickster]

Don't say meat.
I am a meat eater but bought a bag of mixed/chopped veg which I now have in the slow cooker with a veggie stock.
Its new to me so wondering what I can add.

Many options…Rice, Pearl barley, tomatoes, chilli, beans, curry powder, lentils, other veg.
Whatever you do, don’t add meat

 

[Cycleops]

Taste it first and then you can decide what it needs.

 

[Norry1]

Beans.

Pasta.

 

[craigwend]

Worcester Sauce

 

[byegad]

Meat, lots of it!

 

[PeteXXX]

Pepper
Garlic
Vegetable stock cubes

 

[KnittyNorah]

Don't say meat.
I am a meat eater but bought a bag of mixed/chopped veg which I now have in the slow cooker with a veggie stock.
Its new to me so wondering what I can add.

In the first instance, lentils (wash them first) for protein and thickening, a tin of tomatoes (if you like tomatoes) and some onions you've browned off in a little oil (if you can digest onions).
Then, if this is going to be a meal, think of some starch. Are going to eat it with hot bread rolls, or do you want the soup to be a meal in itself?
If you want it to be a meal in itself, at some point it will need some starch adding. This can be a grain (rice or pearl barley are probably most common) or potatoes - probably cut into small chunks. You can also use pasta of various sorts - there are some types expressly made to go into soups.

Then you need to think of what herbs and/or spices you like. I'd add a very little salt, plenty of freshly-ground black pepper, and a lot of paprika.

Stick em all in together and leave to simmer in the slow cooker. At several points, taste to make sure everything's cooking and the flavours are developing as you like. Add whatever else you think it needs or could benefit from. When all is cooked, you can either serve as is or blast in, or with, a blender/processor to the thickness/texture you prefer, or pass through a Moui mill to make a puree. or do half-and-half.

 

[presta]

You could try the environmentally friendly recyclable option:

Keep reusing the washing up water until it's thick enough to serve as soup, then watering down the soup leftovers until it's thin enough to use for washing up again.

 

[MichaelW2]

Yogourt
Cumin or bay leaf

 

[Nibor]

Marmite

 

[Cathryn]

Thai paste, lentils or chickpeas,

 

[KnittyNorah]

Don't say meat.
I am a meat eater but bought a bag of mixed/chopped veg which I now have in the slow cooker with a veggie stock.
Its new to me so wondering what I can add.

There are lots of suggestions to add cream or yoghurt.
I agree - with the proviso that you add the cream or yoghurt to the soup when it's in the bowl ready to be served. Just put a dollop on top and swirl it lightly with the tip of the spoon. Sprinkle with a bit of fresh herbs - a parsley or coriander leaf , a bit of chopped chives, or a pinch of paprika. This will also make it look posh and hence more appetising!
The risk with simply plopping cream or yoghurt right in during the cooking process is that it can - probably will - curdle and although the taste won't be affected, the appearance and/or the texture can be quite offputting to some people. There are easy ways and means to prevent this happening, if you do want to add dairy during the cooking process, but I get the sense that you might not want to get so involved at the moment.