Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, sliced
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced
  • 2 cups cauliflower florets
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 5 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp dried thyme

Instructions:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and celery, sautéing for 4-5 minutes until the onions are translucent and soft.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 60 seconds until you can smell it clearly, making sure it doesn't turn brown or bitter.
  3. Toss in the sliced carrots, diced zucchini, and cauliflower florets. Stir them around for a minute to coat everything in that garlic infused oil.
  4. Pour in the 5 cups of vegetable broth and stir in the dried thyme. Bring the whole thing to a boil, then immediately turn the heat down to a simmer.
  5. Cover the pot and cook for 12-15 minutes until the carrots are tender when you pierce them with a fork.
  6. Stir in the frozen peas during the last 2 minutes of simmering. Note: Doing this prevents the peas from turning gray.
  7. Turn off the heat. Use an immersion blender to blend directly in the pot, or transfer the soup to a high speed blender in batches until the texture is velvety. For the best results, follow [Serious Eats](https://seriouseats.com) techniques for blending hot liquids to avoid splashes.
  8. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and season with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Give it a final taste and add a pinch more salt if it feels like it's missing something.