4 large carrots or several handfuls baby carrots, sliced
4 celery stalks, sliced
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
approx ¼ teaspoon ground sage
approx ½ teaspoon oregano
approx ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
approx ½ teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
leftover pork tenderloin, chopped (could also use leftover cooked chicken or beef...as much as you have)
leftover cooked veggies
approx ¾ cup dry white rice (or 1 cup of dry pasta)
8 cups chicken or veggie stock (two tall boxes)
Instructions
Add olive oil to the bottom of a large soup pot and heat over medium.
Add sliced onions and cook for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften.
Add sliced carrots and celery and cook for another 10 minutes until they are tender.
If you have any mushrooms to use up, now would be a good time to add them and cook until they're softened.
Add minced garlic and cook for about 2-3 minutes until fragrant but not dark.
If you are using a can of diced or crushed tomatoes, now would be a good time to add them and stir to combine.
Deglaze the pan by adding the chicken and/or veggie stock (I used a box of each) while scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen all the nice brown flavor that has accumulated as the veggies have cooked down.
Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium heat.
Add cooked meat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add uncooked rice and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender. OR if you are using pasta, add it and simmer for about 10 minutes or until it's tender but still al dente.
Add any other cooked veggies you have on hand and stir to combine. You just want these to heat through, not get too mushy.
Give it a taste and add more salt if needed. If it seems well salted but lacks "depth" of flavor, try adding a splash or two of balsamic or red wine vinegar and simmering a little longer.
**To give the soup a Mexican flare, use cumin & coriander instead of sage & bay leaf and be sure to add a can of black beans and a can of tomatoes. Green peppers could be substituted for the celery. Frozen corn would be a nice addition too. Adding the beans would make the soup hearty enough to skip the rice or pasta.
**To give the soup an Indian Flare, use curry in place of the sage. Keep the bay leaf and think about adding fresh ginger when you add the garlic. Use rice instead of pasta or sub garbanzo beans and skip the grains!
Recipe by Daily Rebecca at https://www.dailyrebecca.com/2014/03/leftovers-soup/