A flexible recipe for seasonal lemon garlic roasted vegetables to freeze and then use to make a delicious vegetable soup to enjoy in the winter. This is a great way to stock the freezer with in-season vegetables you grew or found at the farmer's market to feed your body (and soul) all year!
When I first started growing vegetables in our Portland city lot years ago, I ran into that thing most gardeners run into: what to do with all the last of the vegetables. Or what's left after making all the things you had on your preserving list.
Though it's not limited to just gardeners - anyone who has found deals at markets or farms knows that feeling of running out of time before your precious produce starts to go bad.
So when I discovered the basis of this recipe for roasted vegetables and a soup you make with them in the newspaper, I knew that by adding a freezer meal prep element, I'd have a winning way to quickly use up all that end of season produce.
Making the roasted vegetables seasoned with lemon, garlic, and herbs when they're in season has become a wonderful way to preserve vegetables from the end of the harvest. I always make sure to have at least four bags of these vegetables in the freezer every fall, preferably more, though making this any time of the year you have extra vegetables to use up is good, too.
Let's talk a minute about how wonderful the quick soup you make with the vegetables tastes in the winter. The flavor is SO good: garlic, a little lemon, the lingering of fresh herbs, and of course the vegetables.
What a fantastic way to get a good, healthy variety of vegetables during the dark winter months!
What do you serve with this soup?
I like to serve this with a nice hearty bread (usually either of these two easy recipes: regular artisan bread or sourdough artisan bread) and a fun charcuterie board with cheeses, nuts, and fruit.
It can also be a first course or a light lunch. It's perfect for anytime you have only 10-15 minutes to get a meal on the table. That's when simple meal prep ideas like this are gold.
Make & Freeze the Lemon Garlic Roasted Vegetables
The main thing to remember with this recipe is to cut the vegetables up about the same size, so they roast evenly. I find it easiest to do one vegetable at a time, layering the vegetables in the pan.
What Vegetables to Use
The vegetables you can use are pretty flexible, depending on what's available from the garden, but I always try to use:
- chopped zucchini (or other type of squash)
- sweet peppers (ripe, colored ones only - bitter green peppers will make the soup bitter)
- carrots
- onions
Other options are:
- cauliflower
- broccoli
- sweet potatoes
Lately I've been chopping the stems from cauliflower and broccoli and keeping them in the freezer until I have enough for a recipe like this, which is a great place to add them.
What not to use?
No tomatoes, because that would turn it into a tomato soup. I don't have anything against tomato soup (in fact I love this recipe), it's just not what we're going for here.
Also, no potatoes since they don't freeze as well. You can add potatoes when you make the soup as an option, though I usually don't.
What else do I need?
Chop whatever herbs you've got growing in the garden. A favorite mix of mine is:
- basil
- thyme
- chives
- parsley
Grate the zest of a lemon right over the pan, then juice the lemon in to the pan. Add olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper.
Sweet and simple, right?
Stir it up and roast at 450 degrees.
You could eat it now, of course, but that would spoil the treat you'll get in the depths of winter when you make the soup.
For now, place 3 cups in each freezer bag (you'll get about 2 bags from each recipe), label it and put it in the freezer.
Trust me, you'll be glad you did.
Make the Roasted Vegetable Soup
When it comes time to make the soup, pull out a bag of your frozen vegetables an hour or two before so they thaw just a bit (or if you're really prepared with your meal planning, let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator).
Now it's as simple as boiling the mixture with broth (hopefully a nourishing bone broth you also pulled from the freezer) for a few minutes, whirring it all together with in immersion blender (or in batches with a regular blender - carefully, though, so the hot liquid doesn't go everywhere), and seasoning with more salt and pepper if you'd like.
And you have a warm, homemade, healthy soup, ready to eat in just 10 minutes.
That in itself is something to love, but with one bite you will realize this goes way beyond just convenience food because it tastes amazing.
Isn't it nice when healthy, quick, and delicious all coincide like this?
Freezer Lemon Garlic Roasted Vegetables & Delicious Soup Recipe
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables:
- 3 medium zucchini and/or summer squash
- 2 sweet bell peppers, orange, red, or yellow
- 2 carrots
- 1 onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/3 c. mixed fresh herbs such as basil, rosemary, thyme, chives, and parsley
- Zest and juice of one lemon
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
To Make Soup:
- 3 cups Lemon Garlic Roasted Vegetables
- 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth for vegetarian
- salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 cup peeled and diced potato and/or 1 cup milk*
Instructions
To Roast The Vegetables:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Chop all the vegetables to similar sizes and place in a large roasting pan.
- Add the herbs, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and stir to mix.
- Roast for 30-40 minutes or until vegetables are lightly brown and very tender.
- Let cool and then pack into quart-size freezer containers in 3-cup portions, label and freeze. You should have enough for 2 containers.
To Make The Soup:
- Combine the vegetables and broth (and potato, if using) in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes (15 if using potato).
- Use an immersion blender to puree right in pot, or let cool slightly and puree in batches in a blender.
- Add salt and pepper to taste (add milk here if using), and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe has been updated - it was originally published in October of 2009.
Kris says
I'm loving your canning and freezing recipes as I take advantage of our local farmer's market and farm stands! So I have three questions for you regarding his recipe:
1. Have you ever made this with dried herbs and do you know the amounts I would use?
2. If I wanted to add tomatoes to try for a tomato bisque, would you drop the lemon and add something else in its place?
3. And if I wanted to try for a butternut squash soup, would you drop the lemon and add something else and possibly use some different herbs?
Lots of questions, I know, but we LOVE your recipes! You've made me into a great cook, which was a HUGE task for you since I grew up mainly eating processed foods. I have really branched out and have learned to not be afraid to experiment in the kitchen. Can't wait to hear your suggestions!
Jami says
Oh, this makes me so happy, Kris!! My #1 goal is to help my readers see that they can do whatever - cook good food, create a welcoming home, grow a flower or vegetable - so to know my little blog has made a difference for you and your family...well, that's just the BEST. 🙂 Thank you so much for telling me!
I'm happy to answer your questions about this, but with one note first: since this is a freezer recipe, you can change it up any way you want! All soups make great freezer meals, so adapting the idea to use what you have and your family likes is a terrific idea. So on to the answers:
1. I have. I use about 1 TB. dried basil, 2 tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. thyme.
2. I would just drop the lemon, but wouldn't add anything else (basically, that would be my roasted tomato sauce with vegetables - and we add chicken broth, etc. to make that a soup all the time!).
3. I'm not a squash fan, so I don't know. But I think it would work great - I'd go online to see what's in butternut squash soup and add that.
Diane says
I'd like to try this but not sure about the lemon flavour in it. Jami, have you ever made this without the lemon?
Jami says
I haven't, Diane, 'cause I find the flavor refreshing, but I'd make it without it if I didn't have lemons - how can you go wrong with garlic roasted vegetables? 😉
Jami @ An Oregon Cottage says
Thymeless-
Thanks for all your encouraging words! I'm so glad you are finding recipes that you and your family enjoy. And thanks especially for leaving comments on the things you try to let me know!
Thymeless says
This recipe is wonderful. I roasted the veges and made the bisque.....and my husband declared it one of the "best ever". Jami, your recipes are so much fun to make, the pic's help a lot.....not to mention that they have all been delicious!!! Thanks so much for sharing these! My husband sends his thanks too!! : )
T
Jenelle says
Yum!