Vegetable soup with leftover pot roast

[kyrn80]

I have a bunch of leftover pot roast that I diced up and used to make soup. The soup base is tomato juice and some beef broth. The veggies are potato, carrot, peas, corn, green beans, onion, tomatoes. I seasoned with fresh garlic, salt and pepper. My veg/beef soup is always bland. What else can I season this with? TIA!

[eepi]

For future soups, start by putting a drop of oil in your soup pot and browning the onions. You don't have to do a full caramelizing, but at the same time, make sure you don't have the heat up too high - you don't want crispy or blackened pieces, just nice soft bits. Then a splash of either soy, Worcestershire, or Maggi. If you add some ground-up dried mushroom to this, it will intensify that "deep" flavor. If you don't like mushrooms, although this really doesn't add a "mushroomy" flavor to my taste, as an alternative you could put a dab of anchovy paste, a drop of fish sauce, or a drop of any kind of sherry to enhance. If using sherry, you will want to reduce for a few minutes until it no longer smells like alcohol & just smells 'nutty' before adding your tomato juice & beef broth.

[chefathome]

When sauteeing the veg, I add double concentrate tomato paste, ground dried mushrooms and soy to make a flavourful paste that I cook for a few minutes to intensify the flavours.

[blue room]

I ususally stir a tablespoon or two of squeezed lemon juice into a pot of vegetable soup if it's bland. Have used (bottled, key lime) lime juice too.

[ipsedixit]

Salt, msg, ginger.

Also, try simmering and reducing down your soup, it'll help concentrate and bring out the flavors of your existing vegs (and beef).

[twyst]

If its bland with all that stuff in it Im pretty sure you need more salt! :P

Id add some thyme, chive and parsley. Probably a little cayenne too, but thats just the cajun in me :P