Vegetable soup
Works in the UK and the US. This version uses UK words and measures (hob, grams, gas marks); the US version uses stove, cups and °F. · US version of this page
A warming soup on the hob: knife skills, softening, simmering and seasoning.
- Serves 4
- About 45 min
- Hob
- Best for: KS3 (ages 11–14)
- Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- 1 medium potato
- 1 celery stick – contains celery
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1000 ml vegetable stock (from a cube or pot) – contains celery
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs or oregano (optional)
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
Need a different amount? Use the recipe scaler.
Equipment
- chopping board
- cook's knife
- peeler
- large saucepan with a lid
- wooden spoon
- measuring jug
- stick blender (optional)
- ladle
Safety first
- Wash your hands for 20 seconds.
- Wash and peel the vegetables.
- Turn saucepan handles inwards, away from the edge of the hob.
- Ask about allergies: celery and stock cubes can trigger a celery allergy.
Allergens: Celery. Some brands may also contain gluten. Always read every label and ask about allergies before anyone cooks or tastes.
Method
- Peel the onion, carrots and potato. Halve them with the bridge hold, then chop everything into pieces about the same size with the claw grip.
- Heat the oil in the saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently, stirring, until soft but not brown.
- Add the other vegetables, herbs and stock. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down, put the lid on and simmer until the vegetables are soft.
- Turn off the heat. Leave it for 5 minutes, then blend with a stick blender, keeping it under the surface – or leave it chunky.
- Taste with a clean spoon and add pepper if it needs it. Ladle into bowls.
What this recipe teaches
Knife skills: the claw grip, Using the hob safely, Boiling and simmering, Blending safely, Tasting and seasoning. Steps marked “Adult” are done by an adult or closely supervised.
Try the interactive lesson
Step by step: a quick safety check, questions marked by Classfern, timers for each cooking step, then an honest look at how it went – a teacher or parent judges the cooking, and learners rate their own work. Photos of the finished dish stay at home.
Use the code your teacher gave you – never your name. Progress is kept on this device.