Easy Vegetable Soup
This homemade vegetable soup recipe is my absolute favorite! It’s loaded with fresh and frozen vegetables, a light tomato broth, and it’s perfectly seasoned with Italian herbs. It’s warm, comforting, and easy to make using whatever vegetables you have on hand.
If you’re not a salad person, this simple vegetable soup can be an easy way to get your daily serving of vegetables. I make this soup often, especially on busy days when I need something healthy and nourishing.
Why you’ll love this healthy vegetable soup
It’s quick and easy to make: This cozy soup comes together in less than an hour and uses just one pot.
It’s easy to customize: This is the perfect soup for when you need to use up vegetables that are starting to go bad in the fridge.
It’s also perfect for when you only have a handful of fresh ingredients and need to reach for the frozen vegetables.
Everyone can enjoy it: It’s vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free.
Homemade vegetable soup ingredients
Onions, carrots, and celery: The combination of onions, carrots, and celery cooked in butter or oil, also known as mirepoix, serve as the flavor base for this soup.
You can use leeks instead of onions if you prefer.
Garlic: Fresh garlic gives this soup an incredible flavor. You can add more or less, depending on your taste preferences.
Potatoes: I use yellow potatoes in this recipe because that’s usually what I have on hand. Russet potatoes would also taste good in this soup.
Spices & seasoning: I use dried oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, salt, black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes in this soup. If you’re sensitive to heat, then leave out the red pepper flakes.
If you don’t have these spices, you can substitute it with 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning or use 2 tablespoons of fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, oregano, parsley, or basil).
If you substitute with fresh herbs, add them to the soup with the lemon juice after cooking so their flavors will really pop.
Vegetable broth: You can use homemade or store-bought broth. I like to use Better Than Boullion Seasoned Vegetable Base for this recipe.
Diced tomatoes: I like using canned finely chopped tomatoes in this vegetable soup. They’re sweet, less watery, and make this soup taste incredible.
I usually find canned finely chopped tomatoes in the international (Italian) section of my grocery store. If you can’t find them, then regular diced tomatoes will taste great too.
Green beans: I use frozen cut green beans in this recipe because they’re convenient and I usually have a bag in my freezer.
If you don’t have green beans, you can substitute with any frozen or fresh vegetables you have. I’ll share some suggestions below.
Green kale: I use curly green kale in this recipe. Make sure to remove the stems before adding it to your soup.
If you don’t have kale, you can substitute with baby spinach, swiss chard, cabbage, or collard greens.
Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice gives this soup a bright and fresh flavor. If you don’t have lemons, you can substitute with fresh lime juice instead.
What vegetables are best for soup?
This vegetable soup recipe is easy to customize based on whatever vegetables you have at home.
Besides the flavor base of this soup, which is onions, carrots, and celery, you can add any seasonal vegetables you wish.
Just make sure to cut your vegetables into small, bite-sized pieces. This will help the soup cook faster and you’ll get a ton of vegetables in every bite.
I usually like to use root vegetables and fresh or frozen vegetables. Below are some suggestions:
- Potatoes (Russet, Yukon Gold, yellow, or sweet potatoes)
- Butternut squash
- Acorn squash
- Pumpkin
- Turnip
- Parsnip
- Zucchini
- Yellow squash
- Corn
- Green peas
- Bell pepper
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Brussel sprouts
- Leeks
- Cabbage
- Mushrooms
How to store vegetable soup
This vegetable soup is easy to make ahead so you can enjoy it throughout the week.
To store: Let the soup cool down to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To freeze: Let the soup cool down to room temperature and store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Let frozen soup thaw overnight in the fridge. Use a pot on the stove top over medium heat until it’s warmed through.
What to serve with vegetable soup
Vegetable soup pairs well with a variety of dishes. Below are some suggestions:
- Salad (garden salad, Cesar salad, Greek salad, Italian salad)
- Crusty bread
- Dinner rolls
- Focaccia bread
- Corn bread
- Garlic bread
- Biscuits
- Grilled cheese
- Sandwiches
- Baked potatoes
- Roasted potatoes
- Quesadillas
- Roasted vegetables
- Protein of your choice (chicken, fish, tofu, tempeh)
Easy Vegetable Soup
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This homemade vegetable soup recipe is my absolute favorite! It’s loaded with fresh and frozen vegetables, a light tomato broth, and it’s perfectly seasoned with Italian herbs. It’s warm, comforting, and easy to make using whatever vegetables you have on hand.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- Fine sea salt
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped small (I use yellow potatoes)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- A pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 14–oz can diced tomatoes, with their juices (I use finely chopped tomatoes)
- 1 cup frozen cut green beans
- 2 cups tightly packed chopped green kale, stems removed
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and a large pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Add the celery, carrots, and potatoes. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables have softened, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, dried rosemary, a pinch of red flakes (if using), and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant.
- Pour in the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, and the bay leaf. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid and add the chopped green kale and frozen cut green beans. Continue simmering until the kale is wilted and the green beans are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and remove the bay leaf. Stir in the fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. You may need to add a little more salt, depending on your taste preferences. Serve the soup hot in bowls with a side of crusty bread. Enjoy!
Notes
- Potatoes: I use yellow potatoes, but you can use Russet, Yukon Gold, sweet potatoes, or red potatoes.
- I like using frozen green beans in this soup, but you can substitute with chopped zucchini, frozen green peas, corn, bell pepper, cauliflower, broccoli, butternut squash, or your favorite seasonal vegetable.
- If you’re substituting with fresh vegetables, add them to the soup when you add the broth and diced tomatoes so they can soften. Frozen vegetables should be added during the last 5 minutes of cooking time as they will cook quickly.
- Green kale is a hearty green that holds up well in this soup. You can substitute with baby spinach, collard greens, cabbage, or swiss chard if you prefer.
- Make this soup more filling by adding a 15-oz can of drained and rinsed beans. I recommend using red kidney beans, cannellini beans, or chickpeas. You may need to add more broth or water.
- Nutrition information is a rough estimate based on 4 servings. The sodium content will depend on which vegetable broth you use.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 301
- Sugar: 10.37g
- Sodium: 754mg
- Fat: 9.99g
- Saturated Fat: 1.43g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.48g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 49.61g
- Fiber: 9.6g
- Protein: 6.4g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
