Full of fresh, wholesome ingredients, this vegetable soup recipe is so easy to make and tastes fantastic. It’s such a versatile recipe that is perfect if you have a ton of odds and ends in the fridge that you need to use up. You can use in-season vegetables or your favorite frozen vegetables year-round.
All you have to do is some chopping and then some simmering, and you’ll have this vegetable soup ready in next to no time. This soup is so good that you’re going to want to make an extra big batch to enjoy throughout the week or freeze for later. Serve this vegetable soup with some crusty bread or my garlic bread recipe for a heartier meal.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Vegetables — you can’t make vegetable soup without vegetables! I use a variety of vegetables such as onions, carrots, celery, green beans, corn, and peas.
Diced tomatoes — the diced tomatoes contribute to the flavor and liquid content of the soup. I recommend canned diced tomatoes, but if you only have canned whole tomatoes, you can use that instead.
Broth — using broth instead of water adds much more flavor to the soup.
Potatoes — waxy potatoes are great for soup as they’re high in moisture and low in starch, helping them hold their shape better when simmered.
How to Make Vegetable Soup
1. Cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
2. In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions start to brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the carrots, celery, and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add the diced tomatoes, thyme, and black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
5. Pour in the broth, scraping the bottom of the pot with your spoon to loosen any vegetables that may have stuck.
6. Stir in the potatoes, green beans, corn, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil before reducing the heat to medium-low. Partially cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in the peas and cook for 10 minutes. Stir the parsley into the vegetable soup just before serving.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- If you use frozen vegetables, there’s no need to thaw them before adding them to the pot.
- Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make this soup vegetarian-friendly.
- Add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to add some heat to the soup.
- For a thicker vegetable soup, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of tomato puree.
- Feel free to chop the vegetables larger if you want a chunkier soup or smaller for a less chunky soup.
- Do not over-simmer the soup. You risk the vegetables turning mushy if the soup is over-simmered.
- Fresh herbs such as basil, oregano, marjoram, or dried mixes such as Italian seasoning and herbs de Provence make for a great addition to the soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I store leftovers?
This vegetable soup will last in the refrigerator for about 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat the soup over medium-low heat on the stove or in the microwave.
Can I freeze this soup?
This soup is perfect for making a double-batch for freezing for later. Let the soup cool down completely, then transfer the soup to an airtight container and freeze for 3 to 4 months. You can thaw the soup overnight in the fridge before reheating when ready to enjoy.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
If you prefer to make this vegetable soup in a slow cooker, you can. I recommend still sauteing the onions, carrots, garlic in a pan beforehand, so you get a more flavorful soup. Add everything but the corn and peas to the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 3 hours or on LOW for 6 hours. Add peas and corn near the end, so they do not overcook.
What else can you add to this soup?
Feel free to add whatever you have in your fridge to the soup. Zucchini, mushrooms, parsnip, spinach, kale, sweet potatoes, broccoli, or cauliflower make for a great addition. For extra protein, try adding beans or chickpeas. If you want some carbs, try adding al dente pasta or cooked grains to the soup. A sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese or lemon juice before serving is also excellent.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Vegetable Soup recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Vegetable Soup
Equipment
- Dutch oven or large pot
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 3 carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 can diced tomatoes (28-ounce/794g)
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth (1440ml)
- 1 pound potatoes peeled and diced (450g)
- 2 cups chopped fresh green beans or frozen green beans (260g)
- 1½ cups fresh corn or frozen corn (214g)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
- 1½ cups fresh peas or frozen peas (200g)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently until the onions start to brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the carrots, celery, and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes. (Reduce the heat if anything is starting to stick and burn, but browned caramelized bits are good!)
- Add the diced tomatoes, thyme, and black pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Pour in the broth, scraping the bottom of the pot with your spoon to loosen any vegetables that may have stuck. Stir in the potatoes, green beans, corn, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Partially cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and add more salt, if needed. Stir in the peas. Cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley just before serving.
Video
Notes
- If you use frozen vegetables, there’s no need to thaw them before adding them to the pot.
- Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make this soup vegetarian-friendly.
- Add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to add some heat to the soup.
- For a thicker vegetable soup, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of tomato puree.
- Feel free to chop the vegetables larger if you want a chunkier soup or smaller for a less chunky soup.
- Do not over-simmer the soup. You risk the vegetables turning mushy if the soup is over-simmered.
- Fresh herbs such as basil, oregano, marjoram, or dried mixes such as Italian seasoning and herbs de Provence make for a great addition to the soup.
