If you've searched for "vermicelli soup" before, you've probably landed on something Asian-inspired, a clear, spiced broth with rice noodles. This isn't that.
This is the Dutch version: a butter-and-flour roux thickens the broth until it's just shy of a cream soup, and a handful of fresh herbs from the garden, not a packet, does the flavoring. It's the homemade version of a soup nearly every Dutch household grew up on.
Vegetarian soup recipe
My granny made a version with meat. Which you make with a delicious beef broth some meat and supplemented by hand-rolled meatballs.
Today I opt for a vegetarian variety. Because it's summer and I want to get my soup ready in just 20 minutes, so it won't get that hot in the kitchen with the warm weather. And because sometimes I just think meat isn't necessary.
As my grandmother always said: Eat well, never too much. The only "too much" that's allowed is being too happy at the table.
Why the roux works
Frying the flour in butter for two minutes before it goes into the broth isn't optional. Though raw flour thickens a soup, it also leaves a floury taste behind. Frying them in butter lets it cook through. That way the broth turns silky instead of pasty. Skip this step and you'll definitely going to taste it.
Top Tip
- You'd just want to make granny's Sunday version of the soup, put the broth with ½ pound (300 grams) of beef poulet (add the beef to cold water otherwise the poulet will be tough). Also, roll ½ pound (300 grams) ground beef in small balls and add those 15 minutes before serving (together with the vermicelli) to the soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make this soup ahead of time? Make the broth and roux base, but hold off on the noodles until you're ready to serve. Vermicelli goes soft fast once it's in hot broth, and this soup doesn't reheat well for that reason, make just what you'll eat that sitting.
- Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh? Fresh is worth it here since the herbs aren't cooked, just stirred in at the end, but if you only have dried, use about a third of the amount and add it a few minutes earlier so it has time to soften.
- Is this soup gluten-free? Not as written, the roux uses regular flour. You could try a gluten-free flour blend for the roux, though I haven't tested it myself, so I can't promise the texture will match.
- What can I use instead of chervil, parsley, or chives? Thyme and basil, cut into thin strips, work well as a substitute, that's the swap I make myself when the garden's running low.
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Ingredients
- 5 cups vegetable broth, unsalted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ oz. vermicelli noodles
- 1 piece mace
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 oz. fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, chives
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
- Heat the broth until it's just beyond cooking. Add salt.5 cups vegetable broth, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Break the noodles into small pieces and sprinkle them in the stock.1 ½ oz. vermicelli noodles
- Put the bay leaf and a piece of mace in the soup and simmer for 15 minutes.1 piece mace, 1 bay leaf
- Melt the butter in a second pan and, when it is melted, stir in the flour at once.3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons flour
- Fry the roux for 2 minutes so the flour bakes (else you will taste it).
- Add the roux to the soup, while you continue stirring.
- Chop the fresh herbs finely. Sprinkle in the soup.1 oz. fresh herbs
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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