refrigerator soup ~ 2 versions…

refrigerator soup with vietnamese spinach flowers

refrigerator soup with roasted cauliflower

Holiday weekends are full of fun, friends, and delicious eating. When the new week starts, I often find myself overwhelmed with a fridge full of random items, feeling in desperate need of something healthy. Cue…refrigerator soup!

Refrigerator soup can be called many things, including “leftovers,” or “soup with everything but the kitchen sink,” but I prefer to call it a delicious way to use up all the odds and ends hanging out (and taking up space) in the fridge. This healthy soup makes frequent appearances at the bungalow, especially at the beginning of the week when I need to use up what I have before the schedule gets back into full swing. Refrigerator soup is typically vegetarian, a great way to honor “Meatless Monday” and start your week off on a healthier note. And since yesterday was a holiday, today still feels a bit like a Monday, so I thought I’d share some recent combinations that were delicious. Plus, you may be wondering what to do with all of the leftover crudités, half onions, and bits of herbs in your fridge.

Here are two different refrigerator soups that have made recent appearances at our table:

On the left in the yellow bowl is a darker version with lentils and market veggies. Remember the gorgeous Vietnamese spinach I discovered at the farmers market a couple of weeks ago? I used as a flower arrangement first, then used the leftovers in this delicious soup.

The bowl on the right is a lighter mix of veggies, chickpeas, and amaranth (grain that looks like quinoa but is smaller), which I garnished with orange cauliflower that I had roasted in the oven. I added both a squeeze of harissa and fresh lemon juice just before serving to give it a pop of brightness and flavor.

Read on for tips on how to make your own delicious refrigerator soup!