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
Units
Scale
- 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