Vermicelli and Vegetable Soup/شوربة شعيرية

Vermicelli and Vegetable Soup

Who else grew up in an Arab household with شوربة شعيرية/vermicelli soup? 

I know I did! Every time anyone in the house was sick, my mom would always whip up a huge pot of this vermicelli soup with whatever vegetables were in her fridge. And I LOVED IT! Every single time. I guess you could call this the Arab version of chicken noodle soup. Or chicken noodle soup with an Arab twist? Either way, I know I’d take this over standard chicken noodle soup any day.

I was in the mood for something that brought me back home into my mom's kitchen, but I knew I didn't want to prep too much or babysit my meal. So, vermicelli soup was my answer. 

I shopped my fridge and pantry, and used whatever I could find in this soup! That includes potatoes, carrots, corn, and all my favorite seasonings. I always try to make my recipes easy, approachable, quick, and versatile, and this dish is the epitome of that. You can add in, leave out, or replace any veggie you want! Below is how I love hubby and I love our vermicelli soup. I know you'll love it too!

VERMICELLI AND VEGETABLE SOUP

Yields: 8-10 servings

INGREDIENTS:

- olive oil

- 2 tablespoons of butter

- 3 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes and washed

- carrots, thinly sliced (to your liking, I used about 10 baby carrots that I thinly sliced using a mandolin)

- 1 can of corn, washed and drained

- 1 large onion, finely chopped

- 5 cloves of garlic, finely minced

- 1 bay leaf

- salt

- pepper

- onion powder

- garlic powder

- 7 cups of water or chicken stock

- 2 chicken bouillon cubes

- 1 and 1/3 cups of vermicelli pasta

TO MAKE: 

1. In a large pot, drizzle some olive oil and add in 1 tablespoon of butter. Add in the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Season the onion and garlic with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.

2. Add in the potatoes and the extra tablespoon of butter and toss everything together. Allow the potatoes to cook for about 7 minutes. Add in the carrots and the corn (whatever veggies you're using) and mix everything together.

3. Add in the water or stock and the chicken cubes. Season with more seasonings to your liking then add in the bay leaf. Give everything one more stir, then cover the pot and allow the potatoes to cook through completely on low/medium heat, for about 25-30 minutes or until they’re fork tender.

4. Add in the vermicelli and give everything another stir. Cook the vermicelli until it’s soft and tender, about 6 minutes. Stir frequently. If you think the soup needs more liquid, add in more water or stock to your liking! 

5. Before serving, taste your soup. Add in any seasonings you think may be missing. Remove the bay leaf and serve warm. Enjoy!