It’s time to eat your ABCs with this deliciously easy recipe for Alphabet Soup!
It’s incredible the things we can remember as we get older. Looking over this recipe for alphabet soup stirred memories of me as a young girl, sitting at the table and forming words with my spoon. There was definitely a lot of finger licking going on as I used my fingertips to move around the letters on the spoon to form words. Of course, once the words were formed, into the mouth they went! I had a crazy method of eating this soup. First came all the green beans, then the peas, followed by the corn, and lastly, the carrots. My research shows there were also potatoes in the soup, but my memory fails me on that.
Fast-forward a few years to when my children were young, and there it was again, that same can with the red-and-white label. Grab the can opener, pour it into a pot, and add a can of water—which was also a great way to rinse out the can and ensure that you didn’t miss any of the corn, peas, or alphabet-shaped noodles. However, as I became more aware of what was on the label, not to mention in the can, meal planning changed in my house. I didn’t want to serve my kids products with MSG or ingredients with long chemical names I couldn’t pronounce. That’s when I started making more things from scratch that I used to buy in cans, boxes, and packages.
And, while it only takes a few minutes to heat a can of soup on the stove, it takes less than 30 minutes to make it from scratch. To me, that’s a winning scenario. Plus, when I make ABC soup—as kids like to call it—from scratch, I can control the ingredients. For example, since the soup I grew up on also contained green beans, a package of frozen corn, peas, and green beans can be used. You can also opt to use any frozen or cooked veggies you like in this soup.
Another benefit is controlling the sodium level by choosing a low-sodium broth and tasting the soup before adding salt. One cup of some brands of canned soup packs far more sodium per serving than this homemade variety. You can also use chicken, beef, or turkey broth if desired.
If you don’t plan to consume the entire pot of soup in one meal, I recommend cooking the pasta separately rather than in the soup. As it sits, the pasta will continue to absorb the liquid, becoming mushy. By making the pasta separately, you can add it to each bowl when serving.
Other pasta recommendations for this soup
For those who require gluten-free pasta for alphabet soup, it may not be easy to find pasta in this shape in local stores. You may be able to find products online, especially those imported from overseas. If you don’t need to use alphabet shapes but still want small pasta in this recipe, I highly recommend going with regular or gluten-free versions of ditalini, stelline (stars), pastina, or anellini (little circles).
You might also find cute little shapes, such as brown rice pasta “little dreams” or “farm animals and tractors.” I also found a regular, organic pasta from Italy online in the shape of numbers, which can help children learn to count or perform simple mathematical problems.
How do I store leftovers?
Allow leftover alphabet soup to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If the leftover soup contains the pasta, you will likely need to add more broth or water when reheating, as the pasta will absorb the liquid. If you prepare the pasta separately, drain it well and store it in a separate airtight container. Then, add it to each bowl when reheating in the microwave, or to the pot when reheating the soup on the stove. You can also freeze the chilled soup (without the pasta) in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost it overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat it on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Serving suggestions
Serve some crusty bread with alphabet soup, or, for those corn lovers out there, try it with this Cornbread With Creamed Corn. It’s so good. You can also serve a crisp salad with this Easy Greek Salad Dressing Recipe or Greek Yogurt Ranch. This soup also goes great with this Turkey Burger Recipe or Cheeseburger Sliders. Try this Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Recipe for dessert, or bring a platter of Date Cookies to the table for a delicious treat.
Alphabet Soup
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 celery ribs diced
- 1 large carrot peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14 ounces), with liquid
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup frozen peas and corn
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup dry alphabet pasta
- Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
- Finely grated Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional
- Crusty white bread for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
- Stir in garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until the mixture is fragrant.
- Add the diced tomatoes, low-sodium vegetable broth, frozen corn and peas, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil. Then add dry alphabet pasta and reduce the heat to let it simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked but still firm.
- Remove the bay leaf and taste the soup. Adjust salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning if needed.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and Parmesan if desired, and serve with a side of crusty bread.
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