Pot-au-feu Vegetable Soup: My Recipe to Reduce Food Waste

The vegetables left over from yesterday's pot-au-feu make a great soup: skim the fat off the broth, dice the carrots, turnips, and leeks, reheat everything for 5 minutes, and add a handful of vermicelli. In 20 minutes, the leftovers turn into a real meal again.

In the evening, when the mistral is howling outside, we close the slats on the pergola, turn on the space heater, bring out the blankets, and the soup arrives steaming in large bowls.

Ingredients for 4 people

• 1.2 liters of pot-au-feu broth
• 500 g of cooked pot-au-feu vegetables (carrots, turnips, leeks, celery)
• 150 to 200 g of pot-au-feu meat (optional)
• 1 onion
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 60 g of vermicelli
• 1/2 bunch of flat-leaf parsley
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Grated Parmesan or Gruyère for serving (optional)

For 2 people, 60 cl of broth, 250 g of vegetables, and 30 g of vermicelli are enough.

Preparation: 10 min · Cooking: 15 min · Rest: Overnight in the fridge to skim the fat off the broth

The Step-by-Step Recipe

1. The day before, let the broth cool, then put it in the refrigerator: the fat will solidify on the surface and can be easily skimmed off with a spoon.
2. Cut the cooked vegetables into 1-cm cubes. Shred the meat with two forks, if you're using any.
3. In a saucepan, sweat the thinly sliced onion in olive oil for 5 minutes over low heat, without letting it brown.
4. Pour in the broth, bring it to a boil, and taste it: depending on your pot-au-feu, you may need to add a little salt.
5. Add the vegetables and meat, and let them simmer for 5 minutes to heat them through.
6. Sprinkle in the vermicelli and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, as indicated on the package, stirring to prevent them from sticking.
7. Remove from the heat, season generously with pepper, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with the grated cheese on the side.

My Cooking Tips

• Creamy version : Blend half of the vegetables with a ladleful of broth, then stir the purée back into the soup. It becomes creamy without a drop of cream.
• No leftovers from the pot-au-feu : Cook 2 carrots, 2 turnips, 2 leeks, 1/4 of a celeriac, 2 potatoes, and 1 onion studded with 2 cloves in 1.5 liters of salted water with a bouquet garni, simmering gently for 35 to 40 minutes. You’ll have a meatless pot-au-feu soup.
• If you plan to save some soup for later, cook the vermicelli separately; otherwise, it will swell and soak up all the broth.
• A bone with marrow cooked in pot-au-feu? Spread the marrow on a slice of toast and place it on top of the soup, along with a pinch of coarse salt.

Under the pergola: how to serve

Served with toasted country bread rubbed with garlic, a piece of cheese, and a glass of Palette white wine—in moderation—this is the kind of simple dinner that warms everyone’s hearts. It’s not a fancy dish, but I guarantee you that no one will leave their bowl half full.

Without the vermicelli, the soup will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator, tightly covered. The broth alone can be frozen for about 3 months—enough to make a quick soup on a weeknight.

Your Questions

How can you use leftover pot-au-feu vegetables?

In soup, as shown here, or as a puréed soup blended with the broth. You can also mash them into a purée to serve under a meatloaf made with the meat, or serve them warm in a salad with a mustard vinaigrette.

What vegetables should you put in a pot-au-feu?

The base consists of carrots, leeks, turnips, celery, and an onion studded with cloves. The potatoes are best cooked separately, in a little broth, so that the broth remains clear. Cabbage is optional.

What vegetables should you put in vegetable soup?

In the fall, go for carrots, leeks, turnips, squash, and potatoes, which give the dish a hearty texture. Add an onion and a little celery for flavor, and fresh herbs at the end.

Can you make pot-au-feu soup without meat?

Yes: Cook the pot-au-feu vegetables in water with a bouquet garni and an onion studded with cloves, as described in the tip above. This will give you a flavorful broth that’s lighter than one made with beef.

How long does pot-au-feu broth keep?

Three days in the refrigerator, in a sealed container, and about 3 months in the freezer. Cool it quickly after cooking and bring it to a rolling boil before using it.