Souper! Salad! Recipe

Sauté aromatic vegetables

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and a pinch of salt; cook until translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add vegetables

Add diced carrot, celery and zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4–5 minutes until they begin to soften.

Simmer broth

Add the stock, diced tomatoes, dried thyme, dried oregano, bay leaf, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Finish soup

Stir in chopped fresh parsley and optional cooked small pasta/orzo if using. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove bay leaf before serving. Keep warm while preparing salad.

In a small bowl or jar combine 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 tablespoon minced parsley and 1 tablespoon minced chives. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Whisk or shake vigorously until emulsified. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness as desired.

Assemble greens and vegetables

In a large bowl, combine 6 cups mixed salad greens, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, 1/2 cup shredded or julienned carrot, and 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion.

Add avocado and cheese

Gently fold in the diced avocado and 1/4 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese (if using), taking care not to mash the avocado.

Dress and toss

Drizzle about half of the vinaigrette over the salad (reserve remaining vinaigrette). Toss gently to coat. Taste and add more dressing if desired.

Add crunchy garnish

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons toasted seeds over the salad for texture.

Portion the salad into bowls. Ladle 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the warm vegetable broth alongside or, for a more integrated 'soup + salad' experience, serve the warm broth in a shallow bowl and place a portion of the dressed salad on a plate beside it. Top salad with sliced grilled chicken or a 1-cup serving of chickpeas for protein if desired. Serve with lemon wedges.

To serve as 'Souper! Salad!': place a portion of salad into a wide, shallow bowl and ladle about 3/4 cup warm broth around (not directly over delicate avocado) — this lets diners enjoy warm broth with crisp salad in each bite.