Vegetable Velouté

Vegetable velouté is a comforting and nutritious dish, perfect for warming up during the cold months or for enjoying a light and healthy dinner.

Ingredients

• 500g of assorted vegetables (such as zucchini, carrots, potatoes, pumpkin, etc.)
• 1 white onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 500 ml of vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Selected aromatic herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, parsley)
• Cream or cooking cream for garnish (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by cleaning and cutting the vegetables into roughly the same size pieces to ensure even cooking.

2. Finely chop the onion and garlic. In a large pot, heat the extra virgin olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic until they become transparent.

3. Add the chopped vegetables to the pot and let them sauté for a few minutes.

4. Pour in the vegetable broth until it covers the vegetables and bring to a boil. If you have chosen aromatic herbs, add them at this point.

5. Reduce the heat and let cook over medium-low heat until the vegetables are tender, this may take about 20-30 minutes depending on the size of the pieces.

6. Once cooked, remove the whole aromatic herbs and blend the vegetables with an immersion blender until you achieve a smooth and homogeneous cream.

7. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. If the velouté is too thick, you can add a little more broth until the desired consistency is reached.

8. Serve hot, with a drizzle of raw olive oil and, if you like, a touch of cream or cooking cream.

Fun Facts

The word “velouté” comes from the French term “velouté,” which indicates one of the mother sauces of French cuisine. The vegetable velouté is distinguished from vegetable cream by its particularly smooth and velvety consistency, hence its name, obtained after blending. In Italy, it is customary to serve it with a bit of grated Parmesan cheese or with croutons to add crunchiness to the dish.