Chunky Root Vegetable Soup with Swiss Cheese Croutons

I decided to serve soup as the main dish, partially because one of these posts falls on Soup Wednesday and partially because a nice hearty soup easily serves many people. This recipe is full of vegetables and can easily serve a crowd if doubled or tripled.

Adapted from the Clever Carrot.

Other Soup Wednesday Posts: Roasted Wild Mushroom Chowder; Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup with Maple Roasted Chickpeas;  Onion Soup with Fontina and Thyme.

A Hamless Holiday
Snowman Cheeseball, appetizer
White Christmas Sangria, drink
Pear, Pomegrante and Spinach Salad, side dish

Chunky Root Vegetable Soup with Swiss and Herb Croutons, main dish

Ingredients:
Soup
-1 cup chopped red onion
-1 cup chopped carrots
-1 cup chopped parsnips
-1 cup chopped celery
-1½ cup chopped red potatoes, skin on
-4 cups vegetable broth
-olive oil
-salt and pepper

Croutons
-2½ cups cubed day old bread
-½ cup grated swiss cheese

In a large pot, warm the olive oil over moderate heat. Add the chopped red onion, carrots and parsnips. Season with salt and pepper, and sautè until the vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes.

Add the vegetable broth and the potatoes. Bring to a gentle boil. Then reduce the heat to low, and simmer until all of the vegetables are tender and cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Using a hand-held immersion blender, puree a small portion of the the soup; you want the texture to be chunky but not too thick. 

For the croutons: Add the cubed bread to a small bowl. Drizzle with melted butter to coat and season with salt and pepper. Layer the bread cubes on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper and sprinkle the grated cheese over the top. Place the croutons under a low broiler for about 2-3 minutes. They are ready when the bread is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with croutons.

This got mixed reviews. Dave really liked this soup and had seconds. He thought the best bites included the croutons and a hearty mix of root vegetables. I thought it was just okay, but ate leftovers for lunch the next day. It had a good flavor, but it didn't do anything to wow me.