This soup really highlights the vegetables of Hyrule. This soup can be found almost anywhere throughout Hyrule where vegetables can be grown or found in the wilds. Cream soups in Hyrule are made by simmering the ingredients in a milk based broth. In the case of this soup, carrots, Hyrule herb, and any other vegetables of choice asw slowly simmered in a milk broth to create a quick, simple, and nutritious meal.
“Made by simmering vegetables in milk, this healthy dish is as simple as the ingredients.”
In order to bring this dish to life, we will be taking some inspiration from Japanese cream stews. The vegetables will be simmered in broth first to soften them, and then a béchamel sauce will be stirred in to thicken the soup and add the cream quality. The last of the vegetables will be added at the end and allowed to simmer until the soup is done. We will be using bok choy to represent the large stalks of Hyrule herb floating in the soup. We will also add in some potato and celery to round it out. It’s a hearty and tasty vegetable soup. It’s filling enough to be a stand alone as a vegetarian main course. Add a side salad and some crusty bread… perfect!
Ingredients
Add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil to a pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until it is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, and potato, along with 1 tsp of salt and ½ tsp of black pepper. Stir. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the vegetable stock along with the thyme sprigs and the bay leaves. Allow the soup to come to a boil and then reduce to low heat to bring it to a simmer. Allow to cook for about 12 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables have soften.
While the vegetables are carrots are cooking, chop the base off the bok choy stalks so that the leaves are all separated. Rinse the bok choy in a colander under cold water to rinse any sediment from between the leaves. Allow them to dry in a colander while we build the béchamel.
While the vegetables soften, we will make the béchamel sauce. Set another smaller pot over low heat. Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in the pot. Once the butter is melted, add the 3 tablespoons of flour. Whisk the flour into the butter to create a smooth roux. Allow the flour to cook for about 2 minutes, but do not allow it to brown.
After the 2 minutes, start slowly whisking in the milk. Pour the milk in slowly, about 2-3 tablespoons at a time and completely whisk it into the roux before adding more. Continue this process until the full three cups of milk have been whisked in. Once all of the milk has been added, add ¼ teaspoon of salt. Whisk the salt into the sauce to fully blend. Turn the heat up to low-medium and allow the béchamel sauce to thicken a little more, about 3-5 minutes. When the béchamel sauce is done, remove it from the heat.
When the vegetables have softened, remove the Dutch oven from the heat, and then remove the thyme and bay leaves from the soup and discard them. Now we’ll temper the béchamel before adding it to the soup. Scoop out one ladleful of the hot soup broth and add it to the béchamel sauce. Stir the broth into the béchamel sauce to fully incorporate it. Repeat with a second ladleful of hot broth. Once the béchamel has been tempered, slowly pour it into the soup pot and stir it into the remaining broth and vegetables. Continue stirring until the béchamel sauce is fully incorporated into the soup.
Return the soup to the heat. Now, add the bok choy and cook until the soup thickens and the bok choy softens and slightly wilts, about 3-5 minutes. Season the soup further with salt as needed. If the soup is too thick for your liking, it can be thinned out by stirring in an additional ½ cup to 1 cup of vegetable broth.
1 small onion, finely diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 ¼ tsp salt, divided, plus more to taste
½ tsp pepper
5-7 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
2 cups vegetable broth
3 cups milk
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp butter
3 carrots, peeled and chopped small
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped small
2-3 bok choy
2-3 tbsp chives, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 ¼ tsp salt, divided, plus more to taste
½ tsp pepper
5-7 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
2 cups vegetable broth
3 cups milk
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp butter
3 carrots, peeled and chopped small
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped small
2-3 bok choy
2-3 tbsp chives, diced
Add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil to a pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until it is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, and potato, along with 1 tsp of salt and ½ tsp of black pepper. Stir. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the vegetable stock along with the thyme sprigs and the bay leaves. Allow the soup to come to a boil and then reduce to low heat to bring it to a simmer. Allow to cook for about 12 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables have soften.
While the vegetables are carrots are cooking, chop the base off the bok choy stalks so that the leaves are all separated. Rinse the bok choy in a colander under cold water to rinse any sediment from between the leaves. Allow them to dry in a colander while we build the béchamel.
While the vegetables soften, we will make the béchamel sauce. Set another smaller pot over low heat. Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in the pot. Once the butter is melted, add the 3 tablespoons of flour. Whisk the flour into the butter to create a smooth roux. Allow the flour to cook for about 2 minutes, but do not allow it to brown.
After the 2 minutes, start slowly whisking in the milk. Pour the milk in slowly, about 2-3 tablespoons at a time and completely whisk it into the roux before adding more. Continue this process until the full three cups of milk have been whisked in. Once all of the milk has been added, add ¼ teaspoon of salt. Whisk the salt into the sauce to fully blend. Turn the heat up to low-medium and allow the béchamel sauce to thicken a little more, about 3-5 minutes. When the béchamel sauce is done, remove it from the heat.
When the vegetables have softened, remove the Dutch oven from the heat, and then remove the thyme and bay leaves from the soup and discard them. Now we’ll temper the béchamel before adding it to the soup. Scoop out one ladleful of the hot soup broth and add it to the béchamel sauce. Stir the broth into the béchamel sauce to fully incorporate it. Repeat with a second ladleful of hot broth. Once the béchamel has been tempered, slowly pour it into the soup pot and stir it into the remaining broth and vegetables. Continue stirring until the béchamel sauce is fully incorporated into the soup.
Return the soup to the heat. Now, add the bok choy and cook until the soup thickens and the bok choy softens and slightly wilts, about 3-5 minutes. Season the soup further with salt as needed. If the soup is too thick for your liking, it can be thinned out by stirring in an additional ½ cup to 1 cup of vegetable broth.
Remove the soup from heat when it is finished. To serve the soup, ladle it into bowls. Garnish each bowl with diced chives. Enjoy!
Learn more about the Cream of Vegetable Soup dish from Breath of the Wild at Zelda Dungeon.