It’s been a bitterly cold start to 2026 here in Toronto – with “feels like” temperatures regularly in the -20C to -30C range thanks to the wind chill. It’s too cold to spend much time outside but if you do (like, you know, walking home from the subway), you’ll be craving something warm to eat or drink as soon as you get inside (and your hands have thawed out!). For me this is likely an herbal tea, a hot chocolate or, if it’s a mealtime, a cup of soup. I love making soup – it’s so easy to make, gives you a few meals’ worth, makes the house smell great and feel cozy – a very good result for not much effort!
This recipe is inspired by a couple of things – firstly, by the Velouté de Légumes recipe from In the French Kitchen with Kids (a recipe that has been described as “life changing” by more than one tester, taster and student in a class where I have taught it!) and secondly, by the produce that arrived over the past couple of weeks in my Odd Bunch box.
Ok so let’s back up to the “life-changing soup”. Though there’s nothing particularly French about a vegetable soup, my original recipe reminds me of my time living in Paris when I didn’t have a proper kitchen or any space for equipment. I bought a lot of ready-made food through necessity and became slightly addicted to one particular brand of boxed soup whose Velouté de 9 légumes I ate a lot of. Nowadays, I prefer to make my own – vegetable soup is one of the easiest things you can make, and it’s a great way to use up leftover vegetables.
Ah yes, leftover vegetables… that’s where Odd Bunch comes in! Founded in 2017 in London, Ontario, Odd Bunch is proudly Canadian. Their mission is simple: reduce food waste and ensure fruits & vegetables are affordable for households across the country.Read more about their mission here. I get a box of “odd” veggies and fruits a few times a month and it’s the best $25 I spend! Sometimes, though, it really does stretch your creative muscle with “what to do” with the produce…
Recently I found myself with the tiniest butternut squash, turnips and sweet potatoes needing to be used up and my mind immediately went to a soup. Specifically, a creamy vegetable soup where all those ingredients would marry beautifully with a few carrots and onions. Thanks, Odd Bunch for the inspiration!
Creamy Vegetable Soup
What to make and eat during a Polar Vortex!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion (7 oz/200 g), roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 small sweet potatoes (approx. 350g total) peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 small carrots (approx. 300g total ), peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 large turnips (approx. 400 g total), peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 small butternut squash (approx. 350g before peeling), peeled and roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups (500ml) vegetable stock
- 2 cups (500 ml) 2% milk
- Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning
- Chopped parsley or chives, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, then add the onion and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until the onion is just starting to soften but not brown.
- Add the sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips and squash with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and give them a good stir in the pot to coat them well with the butter.
- Pour in the stock, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.
- Turn down the heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered (with the lid slightly off the top of the pot), for about 30 minutes. The vegetables should be fairly soft at this point.
- Remove the pot from the heat and allow the soup to cool slightly. Stir in the milk.
- Use an immersion blender or a regular blender to purée the soup.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings with more salt and pepper, if you like, and garnish with something green (parsley or chives).
Notes
Adapted from Velouté de Légumes (In the French kitchen with kids by Mardi Michels, Appetite by Random House 2018).
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I am loving the texture of that hearty soup. I saw how bad the weather was in Toronto and thought of you!
It’s so perfect for this weather!