My vege soup seems to lack flavour, i load

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cherie19, Apr 27, 9:03pm
Could i add chopped brussel sprouts without ruining the flavour!

cookessentials, Apr 27, 9:28pm
Brussel sprouts do have a pretty strong flavour cherie19, if you dont mind the flavour at all, then yes, add them in, but maybe just a few to see how much it will alter the taste.

simber1, Jul 23, 10:55pm
it up with carrot, onion, punkin, bit of kumera i had on hand. put in stock powder, bit of salt and it just lacks flovour.Why???? please

cookessentials, Jul 23, 11:02pm
you may find the stock powder does not have enough substance. I alwys use Campbells liquid stock. Tinned tomatoes ( chopped) and tomato paste will also help. If you can, add other vege such as celery ( including tops) swede, potato etc.

simber1, Jul 23, 11:08pm
Thanks cookessentials, i just added a can of tomatoes which is something i would never have thought of adding.thanks,hope ti works for me.

buzzy110, Jul 23, 11:18pm
I wonder how you cooked it. With soup and stews it is better to saute the onion, celery, carrot and other vegetables first to bring out the flavours and partially caramelise those vegetables. Also the oil/fat they are sauteed in does add flavour to the finished product.

When I am sauteeing my veges I also add in some spices near the end to add to the flavour of the soup. Herbs - fresh or dried are also a good addition.

Are you specifically wanting only plant material in your soup. The addition of some bacon bones, a bacon hock, browned shin, or chicken bones (which can be taken out after cooking), all add flavour to vege soup.Salt brings out flavour as well. If you used a lot of starchy foods then you need more salt.

A traditional vegetable/ham soup will usually have some split peas and barley, but not all the time.

Another trick is to cook it the day before. These things always taste better after they have been marinating in the fridge overnight and then reheated. You could also blend it up and make a thick creme soup to which you can add sour cream or tabasco at the table.

lindylambchops1, Jul 24, 12:37am
Curry powder works wonders!

lx4000, Jul 24, 1:05am
add silverbeet, cabbage and a tin of sweetcorn!

I always keep the cooking water from carrots, silverbeet, cabbage, broc and cauli and freeze down for soup and stews! Why buy stock when you make your own all the time!!

I would also add celery and some vegemite. Along with adding salt and pepper to taste!!

deluxe4u, Jul 24, 2:03am
I could never replicate the taste of my late grandmas vege soup (made with lamb shank) until I added grated parsnip. Adds a lovely sweet undertone.

hestia, Jul 24, 2:08am
The missing ingredient is: long, slow cooking?

cookessentials, Jul 24, 3:21am
It was for vegetable soup as per the heading., if you added a ham hock ( as in my ham hock soup) it woud no longer be called vegetable soup.There is no need to saute' the vegetables for vegetable soup or any soup for that matter. Use good quality ingredienst incuding stock. Use a variety of different ingredients for different tastes and textures and dont forget the seasoning including freshly ground pepper.

cookessentials, Jul 24, 3:21am
Goes without sayiing.

ferita, Jul 24, 4:18am
Brown the onions deeply for a good 15 minutes before adding anything else. This will impart umami.

Other vegetarian umami sources are: Fermented foods such as soy sauce, miso, balsamic vinegar, and wine; dried shiitake or matsutake mushrooms; sea vegetables; green tea; vegetarian bouillon; tomato juice, marmite and vegemite and tomato products like tomato paste. Browning foods by sautéing, grilling, and caramelizing also produces umami compounds.

ferita, Jul 24, 4:19am
And dont forget salt... even adding a little more salt can greatly impove the flavour of a dish

buzzy110, Jul 24, 4:19am
Fyi I have seen many vegetable soup recipes using a ham hock.

auburn4, Jul 24, 4:33am
Celery, heaps of it and try adding smoked paprika.

motorbo, Jul 24, 4:36am
even if u hadnt you would still argue the point

buzzy110, Jul 24, 4:47am
I wonder if you noticed that cooks had gone out of her way to attack my post specifically? I had not, until then, made any reference to her prior post. Merely gave my opinion on how simber1 could improve her soup.

karenz, Jul 24, 4:47am
I wish there was one stock that you could buy that didn't taste artificial,andjust way too salty, Countdown used to sell a home brand type one (the Aussie equivalent) in a soft pack with a spout which was brilliant,and conistent of (for exapmple) chicken and vegetables, but that has been replaced with a square pack which is just as horrible as the Campbells one. I find a little soy sauce works helps.

ferita, Jul 24, 10:07am
Which should be called ham and vegetable soup.

eastie3, Jul 24, 10:16am
Campbells used to have a wonderful canned chicken stock,I haven't seen it for years.The tetra packs are ok,but not nearly as good.

matakatia, Jul 24, 10:25am
My mother ALWAYS puts in about 2 teaspoons of vegemite... the vege soup I made the other day lacked flavour too but I remembered her 'trick' and it worked wonders. :D

motorbo, Jul 24, 10:28am
BUZZY YOU SIT HERE EVERY DAY READY TO POUNCE u think everyone is out to get you and take every remark to heart and attack people all the time...CHILL...or your gonna have a heart attack

suzanna, Jul 24, 10:41am
I have found that some people do actually call their soup vegetable soup but in fact it does have a ham bone or similar in it. In fact when growing up the standard saturday lunch post netball was vegetable soup cooked with a shin bone but simply called vegetable soup. Does it really matter? It's cold, it's snowing, we are still experiencing aftershocks...soup is hot, flavoursome...vegetable or otherwise...does it really figure in the big picture?

schnauzer11, Jul 24, 12:18pm
Meat-bones,or not-always some dried herbs,a dose of brown sugar,and some garum masala-available most places these days.