Housemade Soup + Tossed Salad Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Peel and dice the onion, carrots and potatoes. Trim and slice the celery and zucchini. Mince the garlic. Halve the cherry tomatoes only if using fresh instead of canned.

Sweat aromatics

In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Build the soup

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add the diced canned tomatoes with their juices, dried oregano, dried basil and the bay leaf. Pour in 6 cups of broth and bring to a simmer.

Simmer vegetables & starch

Add the diced potatoes (or drained cannellini beans if using) and simmer gently until potatoes are tender, about 12–15 minutes. Add the zucchini and frozen green beans or peas and continue simmering 5–7 minutes.

Cook pasta and finish

Add the small pasta directly to the simmering soup and cook until al dente per package instructions (usually 8–10 minutes). If needed, add extra broth or water to reach desired consistency. Stir in the baby spinach until wilted, then season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Finish and serve

Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle chopped fresh parsley and grated Parmesan to taste. Adjust seasoning and serve hot alongside the tossed salad.

Make dressing

Whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon honey, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl or shake in a jar until emulsified.

Assemble salad

In a large bowl, combine 5 cups mixed salad greens, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber and thinly sliced red onion. Add croutons if using.

Toss and serve

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately alongside the soup.

Optional variations

For Caesar: replace the dressing with Caesar dressing, use romaine hearts, toss with grated Parmesan and croutons. For Chop Chop: chop all vegetables fine, add chickpeas and herbs, dress with the vinaigrette or a lemon-herb dressing.