Beet Soup with Turnips

This soup has a bright color and smooth texture. I hope you enjoy making this soup.

A bowl with red soup.
A bowl of beet soup with turnips.

I like this soup because it is very budget friendly and is a good way to use up a lot of vegetables. Making a big pot of soup means that you don’t have to cook as much during the week. This recipe will make about two quarts of soup. You can store the leftovers in a mason jar in the refrigerator if you are going to eat it in the next few days, or freeze them for longer storage. The beets might dye a plastic storage container red.

Most chicken bouillon cubes or prepared chicken stocks are UPF. Be sure to read the label on the chicken broth if that is something you are trying to avoid. You can also make your own broth or use water if you do not have broth.

Equipment

Stock pot

Ladle

Knife

Cutting board

Immersion blender

Ingredients

1 onion

6 medium beets

4 small turnips, or other root vegetables

2 cups chicken stock, or vegetable broth

Garlic powder or favorite spice mix, to taste

Salt, to taste

Optional: Any hearty greens you want to use up such as kale, mustard greens or cabbage.

Instructions

Put olive oil in the bottom of a large pot, and heat over medium heat.

Cut onions into evenly sized pieces and heat in pot for 5 minutes.

Cut off tops and bottoms of beets and turnips. Rinse them under clean water to make sure there is no dirt or grime. Cut into evenly sized chunks. Add to pot.

Add any leafy greens or other complementary vegetable that you are trying to use up.

Add chicken stock to pot, and increase heat to medium high. Once the pot comes to a boil reduce the heat to medium low. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Beets should be soft.

Turn off heat and carefully use the immersion blender to make the soup smooth.

Serve with homemade crackers, cornbread, or sourdough toast.

Recipe Notes

If you do not have an immersion blender, you can use a regular blender. Be very careful transferring the hot soup into the blender.

Mustard greens and kale work well added to the soup. Leftover broccoli or carrots can also be blended into the soup.

Beets have a strong red color, and can dye things that they come into contact with.