Old-fashioned Golden Vegetable Soup is ideal for deliciously easy, quick, homely, and budget-friendly vegetable packed family meals. Fill up your food flask with this warming soup for tasty wholesome lunches on-the-go, especially good and nourishing throughout the chilly months. Our golden vegetable soup can be easily prepared as vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free.
This sunny soup is ideal for warming you up during the chilly, windy, dark days autumn and winter. Although it's just as tasty during the spring and summer months as any seasonal vegetables can be added to suit your taste and budget.
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❓ What is golden vegetable soup?
Golden vegetable soup is a classic British soup that is simply prepared with any vegetables available but commonly swede or turnip, carrots, leeks, onions, and peas are included.
The vegetables are cooked in vegetable stock or broth, and are flavoured with a little turmeric powder. The result is a lovely golden, sunny, wholesome soup that can be enjoyed chunky or blended smooth. With the addition of a swirl of cream it transforms the golden vegetable soup into a Cream Of Golden Vegetable Soup.
⭐ Golden vegetable cup-a-soup
A cup-a-soup is a powdered dried soup that is usually sold in individual packets and is rehydrated with boiling water to make a quick instant soup.
Golden vegetable is a popular British cup-a-soup flavour. The main British brand that produces golden vegetable cup-a-soup is Batchelors, although many supermarket own brands also offer the same flavour.
However, as packaged cup-a-soups may not be suitable for a vegan or gluten-free diets, and many may contain undesirable additives and flavour enhancers, the next best thing is a simple home-made golden vegetable soup that can be easily adapted as suitable for everyone.
⭐ Is golden vegetable soup suitable for a gluten-free diet?
This warming soup is very versatile so can be adapted for most dietary requirements. For gluten-free diets simply use a gluten-free vegetable stock or broth, or a home-made stock. Also, if using margarine to sauté the veggies, ensure that the ingredients are also safe for gluten-free diets.
⭐ The benefits of adding turmeric to our daily meals
Turmeric can be a great addition to daily meals and has been researched for it is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. The bioactive compound curcumin is found within turmeric and it is the curcumin which elevates turmeric to the status of being a superfood.
Curcumin is more easily absorbed and used within the body if black pepper is also consumed at the same time. The alkaloid piperine is found in black pepper and when consumed along with curcumin it increases the body's absorption of curcumin by 2000%! So be sure and give your golden veggie soup a good doze of black pepper.
Also, as turmeric is fat soluble meaning it dissolves in fat, consuming some fats within the same meal ensures that the turmeric can work its magic even better. However, if you'd rather not add any added fats such as butter, margarine, or oil to the soup then you can add a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or crushed nuts over the soup for healthy added fats, that will help the turmeric absorption.
Alternatively, a sunflower seed butter, peanut or almond butter sandwich along with the golden vegetable soup is the perfect accompaniment. As is smashed avocado on toast with a good sprinkle of black pepper, which is one of my all-time simple favourite lunches whenever I can pick up some reduced priced avocados.
🥕 Ingredients
The ingredients you will need are:
- margarine, butter, or oil [or replace with a small amount of vegetable stock]
- carrots
- swede [also known as turnip in Scotland]
- potatoes
- celery
- leeks
- garlic
- onion
- ground turmeric
- vegetable stock or broth
- salt & black pepper
Optional garnish:
- fresh parsley
- spring onions [green onions]
🔪 How to prepare
Golden vegetable soup has long been a British favourite as it's so easy, makes good use of every-day vegetables, and is budget-friendly yet tastes humbly delicious. Root vegetables are especially delicious in a golden vegetable soup.
***As we are a plant-based family recipe blog all our ingredient suggestions are for vegan-friendly ones, but if you have different dietary requirements then feel free to use your usual ingredients.***
Step 1: First, melt the margarine or heat the oil - we used vegan butter. Alternatively, heat half a cup of vegetable stock for an oil-free veggie soup).
Step 2: Sauté the diced carrots, leeks, potatoes, swede, onions and fine chopped garlic for 15 minutes. Stir frequently.
Step 3: Stir through the ground turmeric and pour in the hot vegetable stock.
Step 4: Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Step 5: Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 6: Add more salt and pepper if necessary. The soup can either be blended smooth or left chunky. Blending the soup does result in a more vibrant coloured golden soup and a velvety smooth texture.
Also, for any family members who are reluctant to eat vegetables, blending the soup is a good hack to encourage them to eat a good amount of vegetables. When younger our kids did enjoy vegetables but at times, due to food texture sensitivities some food was an issue so blending was a huge help.
Optional serving suggestion - Serve garnished with chopped fresh parsley, thin sliced spring onions (green onions) and a drizzle of cream - we used Alpro single soya cream.
📖 Recipe notes
⏲️ Storing
Leftover golden vegetable soup will stay fresh for up to 3 days within the refrigerator. Store within a covered container.
Or freeze for 3-4 months. Thaw within the refrigerator and reheat until piping hot throughout.
♨️ Reheating
To reheat, pour the soup into a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes until piping hot throughout.
If preferred add extra vegetable stock or some milk to loose up the soup and to extend the leftovers into more portions. A can of drained beans can also help bulk out leftover soups into more portions.
📋 FAQ’S
Yes you can sub any of the vegetables for whatever vegetables you prefer. Just keep to the same weight measurements and dice any substitutions.
A few suggestions:
* parsnips
* turnip, swede, or rutabaga
* celeriac
* cauliflower
* fennel
* sweet potatoes
* butternut squash
* pumpkin
* cabbage
* kale
* peas fresh or frozen
* asparagus
* sweetcorn, fresh or frozen
* green beans/ field beans/ yard long beans
Each portion of golden vegetable soup is around 118 calories so if you would like to bulk out the soup into a more substantial meal then here are a few ideas:
* add a can of white beans such as butter beans, cannellini, haricot beans, or white kidney beans
* add a handful of orzo or small pasta shapes/broken up thick noodles after the stock is poured in
* add a handful of long grain rice after the stock is poured in (use a quick cook rice unless the rice is partially precooked before adding)
* add home-made or shop-bought vegan dumplings
* add some mashed potato to each bowl before adding the soup
* break up some bread [buttered/unbuttered] and add to each bowl before ladling in the soup [perfect for using up stale bread]
[if adding orzo, pasta, or rice then do add an extra cup or so of veggie stock as the additions will soak up liquid during cooking. Alternatively add already cooked pasta, rice, or orzo to the serving bowls before dishing up the cooked soup. This is an ideal way to use up small amounts of leftover pasta etc]
For a simple lunch no other accompaniments other than perhaps a wedge of crusty bread or a few crackers are needed. Perhaps add sliced cheeses, raw vegetables, pickles, and various spreads and dips along with the bread, crackers, etc]
For a more substantial meal try one of these few ideas as a side dish:
* toasted Irish soda bread [wholemeal no-rise bread] or Australian Damper Bread [similar to a white Irish soda bread] with a scoop of baked beans or Boston baked beans
* buttermilk scones
* Scottish oatcakes
* American biscuits
* cheese scones
* British malt bread
* quick dinner rolls
* slow cooker cornbread or cornbread muffins
* vegan tofu ‘egg’ mayonnaise sandwich
* coronation chickpea and kidney bean tortilla wrap
* vegan Ploughman's lunch
* vegan cheese toastie [grilled cheese toastie]
* creamy scrambled chickpeas [delicious packed into a wholemeal pitta bread]
* classic chickpea 'tuna' and potato mornay [make this up in individual ramekins for a tasty, filling side-dish]
Garnishes look pretty but can also add valuable extra nutrition, texture and tasty flavours. The right garnish can really bring a soup alive and elevate it to a special meal. A few ideas:
* red pepper/chilli flakes
* croutons [easy method over on the cream of swede soup recipe]
* crispy chickpea croutons [easy method over on the curried cauliflower soup recipe]
* toasted or plain sunflower or pumpkin seeds, or any variety of chopped/flaked/slivered nuts
* fresh herbs such as parsley, dill, coriander (cilantro), tarragon, basil, chives, thyme
* sliced spring [green onions]
* a dollop of creme fraise, yogurt, sour cream, soft cream cheese, or a drizzle of pouring cream
* grated/shredded cheese - we like vegan cheddar style cheese
* nutritional yeast flakes
* diced cooked bacon -we like meat-free bacon
If you are on an added fat free diet then simply omit the margarine, butter or oil. Instead, a small amount of vegetable stock or water can be used to sauté the vegetables. Start with about ½-3/4 cups of stock or broth and then add extra tablespoons if needed.
As the margarine adds to the flavour of the soup, perhaps add 1-2 teaspoons of white miso paste to the soup at the end of cooking for extra flavour. Ensure that the miso paste is stirred through thoroughly as any clumps will have a very intense flavour. [If your in the UK, white miso paste can be found in Asda or at a local whole-food or health food store] Or stir through a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast flakes at the end of cooking for extra flavour.
⭐ Leftover soup idea - Golden vegetable gravy
Got a small amount of golden vegetable soup leftover? Blend the soup to a creamy, velvety, and smooth puree and use it as a golden vegetable gravy or sauce. If necessary gently boil the soup until it's at the thickness you like.
Pour the thick vegetable gravy over mashed potatoes, rice, baked potatoes, roast vegetables, steamed or boiled vegetables, pies, sausages, noodles, etc. Or add the sauce to home-made lasagnes, stuffed peppers, pie fillings, or stews.
Using leftover pureed soup as a gravy alternative, is an old-fashioned idea that used to be very popular and does help's avoid food waste. Another idea is to add some curry powder and cook this out within the pureed soup for a tasty quick and easy vegetable curry sauce. Very nice poured over chips or fries.
Need a hot meal on-the-go? Heat up this golden vegetable soup and pour it into a thermos flask and enjoy warming nourishing soup at school, college, work, down at the allotment, at the park, on a hike, etc. It’s a great way to save the pennies.
🍜 More warming vegetable soup recipes
We love vegetable soups as they really are the best warming, wholesome, and budget-friendly meals. Home-made soups are so versatile as you can easily switch out an ingredient for one you prefer or need using up. Also extra seasonings, herbs and spices can be added so do feel free to tailor any of our soup recipes to your own tastes. A few of our family favourite soups that we make on a regular basis are this Old-Fashioned Scottish Potato Soup, Scottish Lentil Soup, Orcadian Oatmeal Soup, and this Carrot and Cumin Soup.
***please note: for US measurements lick the ‘ US customary button’ within the recipe below, and the measurements will switch to tablespoons, cups, and ounces.***
📖 Recipe
Old-Fashioned Golden Vegetable Soup
Equipment
- Soup pot non-stick
- mixing spoon
- Stick blender optional [only required if soup is to be blended]
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons margarine [or butter, olive oil, rapeseed oil, etc.,or ½ cup vegetable stock]
- 140 grams carrot [1 medium-large, diced]
- 170 grams swede [⅓ medium swede, diced]
- 240 grams potatoes [1 medium-large, diced]
- 75 grams celery [1-2 sticks, diced]
- 150 grams leek [1 medium-large, thin sliced]
- 4 cloves garlic [if small cloves use a few extra]
- 130 grams onion [1 medium-large, diced]
- 1.2 litres vegetable stock [hot]
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder [add extra if liked]
Garnish, optional
- 4 tablespoons parsley [chopped]
- 2 spring onions [green onions/scallions, fine chopped]
Instructions
- Dice the carrots, potatoes, celery, swede, leeks, onions into small pieces. It doesn't have to be perfect dice just rough chopped.Fine chop or mince the garlic.140 grams carrot, 170 grams swede, 240 grams potatoes, 75 grams celery, 150 grams leek, 130 grams onion, 4 cloves garlic
- Melt the margarine or butter, or heat the oil or a half cup of veggie stock in the soup pot.2 tablespoons margarine
- Add the vegetables, potatoes and garlic. Stir well.
- Place the lid askew over the pot, and over a low-medium heat saute the veggies for 15 minutes. Stir a few times during cooking. If the veggies are starting to stick to the pan just add a few tablespoons of water to loosen them up.
- After 15 minutes, stir through the ground turmeric. You can add a few extra pinches of turmeric if liked.⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
- Pour in the hot vegetable stock and season with salt and black pepper.1.2 litres vegetable stock
- Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the veggies are soft.
- Check the seasoning and add extra salt and black pepper if required.
- If preferred the soup can be blended with an immersion stick blender or food processor.
- Optional: Serve garnished with fine chopped parsley, sliced spring onions and a drizzle of cream [we like Alpro soya single cream or Oatley cream].4 tablespoons parsley, 2 spring onions
Notes
- Nutritional data is provided for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients vary.
- Leftover soup can be stored for 3 days within a covered container in the refrigerator.
- Or freeze for 3-4 months.
- We are a plant-based family recipe blog so all our ingredient suggestions are for vegan-friendly ones so if you have different dietary requirements then you can use your usual ingredients.
- Add a drizzle of cream before serving for a traditional cream of golden vegetable soup. Or add a scoop of creme fraise, sour cream, or plain yogurt.
- For gluten-free soup choose a gluten-free stock and ensure that the margarine is free from gluten ingredients.
- In Scotland, we tend to call a swede a turnip.
- Can't source swede? Swedes may also be known as rutabaga, Swedish turnip, neeps, yellow turnip, or wax turnip depending on where you live!
- Alternatively replace with turnips which are within the same brassica family as swedes, but turnips are much smaller in size so a few may be required.
- Fun fact: A swede is a cross between a cabbage and a turnip!
Nutrition
💬 Comments
Prepared our Old-Fashioned Golden Vegetable Soup? We would love to know how you got on. It would be wonderful if you could drop us a comment below and click the star ratings. Thanks so much, Jacq xxx
Paul says
I found this by chance. I was looking for a tasty, straightforward nutritious soup and this does it for me. Tasted great and now my go to soup.
Jacq says
Hi Paul, thanks for letting me know! I'm very glad you enjoyed the soup. Jacq x