Homemade Vegetable Soup Recipe (Steps + Video)

Warm up the whole family with this nourishing from-scratch hoemeade vegetable soup recipe. It’s perfect for making up a nice big batch to ladle out for everyone. Delicious and hearty, you don’t have to worry about everyone getting enough vegetables when you serve it!

Best Vegetable Soup Recipe

Brimming with tons of veggies, this is the best vegetable soup recipe you’ll find. A combination of fresh, frozen, and pantry staples come together to create a healthy and tasty soup everyone will want to fill their bowls with again and again!

Homemade Vegetable Soup Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil – To sauté some of these veggies with first.
Yellow onions – Chop them up!
Celery – Chop these up too.
Carrots – Peel and chop for added color and nourishment.
Butter – Works with the olive oil for sauteing.
Garlic – Mince it fresh.
Vegetable stock and chicken broth – This healthy vegetable soup recipe calls for both to add to this veggie soup. For vegetarian soup, simple omit the chicken broth and substitute with more vegetable stock.
Potatoes – Use the golden ones, peeled and diced up.
Diced tomatoes – You’ll need 2 cans and do NOT drain the juice!
Fresh herbs – You’ll need chopped parsley and minced fresh thyme, sage, and rosemary. The perfect blend of vegetable soup seasoning.
Bay leaves – The quintessential ingredient in any vegetable soup.
Frozen veggies – You’ll need green beans, peas, and corn.
Salt and pepper – To bring out the flavor
Kidney beans – For added protein.
Ditalini pasta – It’s optional, but it makes the soup heartier.
Fresh spinach – A great mega-dose of nutrients.
Green onions – Chop them up for your garnish.

Easy Vegetable Soup Recipe

I know that looks like a LOT of ingredients, but this veggie soup is super-simple. You’ll have it prepped in 20 minutes and the rest of the time is simply enjoying the wonderful aroma it creates in your home.

How do you Make Vegetable Soup from Scratch?

Get a large soup pot and heat olive oil and butter on medium-high heat. Once melted, add onions, carrots, and celery and sauté them for 4 to 5 minutes. Then add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Pour in the broth, tomatoes with the juices, parsley, potatoes, bay leaves, salt and pepper and let it boil. Once boiling, add the green beans and corn, reduce heat to simmer, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes. Add the pasta if using 8 to 10 minutes before the end of the cook time, then add the peas and cook 5 more minutes. At the end, add the fresh spinach so it just slightly wilts, then serve!

Expert Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Veggie Soup Every Time

Sauté those aromatics. Sure, your veggie soup will taste ok if you put everything together in the pot and boil. But by sauteing the garlic, onions, carrots, and celery, it brings out their best flavors.
Fresh herbs make a difference. These deepen the base of the soup.
Starchy veggies are a must. Without potatoes, it won’t be as filling. The same is true of adding the beans which gives it more depth.
You can replace any green veggies in the soup. As long as you replace them with other greens.
Texture is important. That’s why adding the beans, the light and wispy fresh spinach, and pasta will elevate your soup.

Happiness is…hot soup on a cold day.
Anonymous

What is the secret to making good soup?

The secret is in the layering of flavors and textures. It starts with aromatics and fresh herbs. The veggies themselves should have different textures while adding in beans, pasta, and something fresh like spinach all create a unique mouthfeel while enjoying the soup.

Which vegetables are good for soup?

Any vegetable makes for a good ingredient in vegetable soup however, you need to like that vegetable. If you hate green beans for example, you may want to use a different green veggie that you like instead.

What are the healthiest vegetables to put in soup?

Carrots, potatoes, spinach, celery, and green beans are all healthy options. Everything in this soup is a healthy vegetable so feel free to have second helpings!

How to Cook Vegetable Soup

This vegetable soup is made in one pot on your stove for easy cooking and cleanup!

What vegetables go first in a soup?

The aromatics of onions, carrots, and celery get sauteed first followed by the garlic, making them first in the soup. Once the broth goes in, so too do the tomatoes, potatoes, parsley, and bay leaves. Then you add your frozen veggies. Fresh spinach will always go last since it will wilt quickly.

What can I add to vegetable soup for flavor?

Fresh herbs make a difference. They bring out the best in the vegetables and add flavor to your broth.

What can I add to vegetable soup to make it taste better?

Vegetable soup needs layers of flavor to taste good. That’s why you sauté those aromatics first, add the tomatoes in the juice with the broth, and put in fresh herbs and veggies.

What can I add to bland vegetable soup?

If your soup is bland, you should be sauteing those aromatics first. You should also add in fresh herbs. Don’t forget bay leaves either. They add a savory and rich flavor to soups.

What goes well with Vegetable Soup?

Vegetable soup like this is so filling, it eats like a meal. Still, I love to serve it with a crusty sourdough bread or cornbread. Salad is good too even though you have lots of veggies already. But the light and refreshing flavors of a pear salad will be a nice accompaniment to this soup.

How to Store Vegetable Soup?

Once the soup cools, you’ll need to store it in your fridge so it won’t go bad.

How Long Does Vegetable Soup Last?

In your fridge, you should use your vegetable soup up in 3 days. If you’ve made a ton though, turn to your freezer for help.

Can You Freeze Vegetable Soup?

Yes, and this works out so well for meal prep or when you need something to go with a meal but just don’t feel up to doing much. It will be good for a month or so, though ideally, you’ll use it up before then.

How to Reheat Vegetable Soup?

Simply warm it up on your stove until it’s hot!

Watch How To Make Vegetable Soup (Video)

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Homemade Vegetable Soup Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 498

This Vegetable Soup Recipe is exceptionally good! I make this for large groups on cold days and everyone asks for the recipe. There is nothing quite like homemade vegetable soup to warm the soul and put smiles on faces.

Ingredients

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cups yellow onion (chopped)
4-5 stalks celery (chopped)
2 1/4 cups carrots (peeled and chopped)
2 tbsp butter
6 garlic cloves (minced)
4 cups vegetable stock
4 cups chicken broth (For vegetarian soup, simple omit the chicken broth and substitute with more vegetable stock)
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes (undrained)
3-4 medium golden potatoes (peeled and diced)
1/2 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
3 bay leaves
2 1/2 tsp fresh thyme (minced)
2 1/2 tsp fresh sage (minced)
2 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary (minced)
salt (large pinch)
2 tsp black pepper
2 cups frozen green beans
1 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 1/2 cups ditalini pasta (uncooked, optional)
1 cup kidney beans
2 cups fresh spinach
1/4 cup green onion (chopped, garnish)

Instructions

In a large soup pot, on medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and butter through until melted. Once heated, add in the onions, carrots, and celery and saute for 4-5 minutes. Once softened, add in the garlic and saute for an additional 30 seconds. Add the broth, tomatoes, parsley, potatoes, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then add in green beans and corn. Reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until potatoes are nearly fork-tender, about 25-30 minutes. Add in the ditalini pasta 8-10 minutes before the end of cook time, so that the pasta is cooked al dente. Add the peas and cook an additional 5 minutes. Finally, add in the fresh spinach just before serving, allowing the leaves to slightly wilt. Serve hot and enjoy!

Calories: 498kcal

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Nutrition

More vegetable soup recipes:

As a seasoned enthusiast in the culinary realm, particularly in the domain of homemade soups, let me dive into the intricacies of the delightful vegetable soup recipe presented here. My culinary journey has involved countless experiments, extensive research, and, most importantly, a passion for creating soul-warming dishes that resonate with both flavor and nutrition.

Now, delving into the components of this vegetable soup, the recipe appears to be a harmonious symphony of fresh, frozen, and pantry ingredients, carefully selected to craft a nourishing and hearty dish. Allow me to dissect the key elements and provide insights into each component:

Aromatics and Sauteing Technique:
- The use of yellow onions, celery, carrots, and garlic as aromatics lays the foundation for rich flavors. The sautéing process, involving a combination of extra virgin olive oil and butter, enhances the taste by unlocking the full potential of these vegetables.
Broths and Stocks:
- A combination of vegetable stock and chicken broth contributes to the robust flavor profile of the soup. For a vegetarian version, one can easily omit the chicken broth and replace it with an additional quantity of vegetable stock.
Vegetables:
- The inclusion of golden potatoes, diced tomatoes (with juices), green beans, peas, corn, and kidney beans ensures a diverse and nutritionally dense vegetable medley. The variety of textures and colors not only enhances visual appeal but also elevates the overall dining experience.
Herbs and Seasonings:
- Fresh herbs, including parsley, thyme, sage, and rosemary, play a pivotal role in deepening the flavor profile. Bay leaves, a classic addition to vegetable soups, contribute a distinctive aroma.
Optional Additions for Texture:
- The introduction of ditalini pasta not only adds heartiness to the soup but also introduces a pleasing textural element. This, coupled with the inclusion of kidney beans, ensures a satisfying and filling meal.
Finishing Touch:
- Fresh spinach, added towards the end, imparts a burst of nutrients and a subtle wilt, contributing to the overall freshness of the dish.

Now, let's address some common queries related to vegetable soup:

Secret to Making Good Soup:
- The secret lies in the layering of flavors and textures. Aromatics and fresh herbs set the foundation, while a diverse selection of vegetables, beans, pasta, and fresh spinach creates a unique and satisfying mouthfeel.
Vegetables Suitable for Soup:
- Virtually any vegetable can find a place in vegetable soup. However, personal preference plays a key role. Opt for vegetables you enjoy to ensure a delightful culinary experience.
Healthiest Vegetables for Soup:
- Carrots, potatoes, spinach, celery, and green beans—all featured in this recipe—are excellent choices for a healthy vegetable soup. The dish, in its entirety, is a nutritious ensemble.
Order of Adding Vegetables to Soup:
- Aromatics lead the way, followed by tomatoes, potatoes, parsley, bay leaves, and frozen vegetables. Fresh spinach takes the spotlight towards the end, preserving its freshness.
Enhancing Flavor in Vegetable Soup:
- Fresh herbs are a game-changer. Sautéing aromatics, using tomatoes with juices, and incorporating a mix of veggies contribute to the layers of flavor that make a vegetable soup exceptional.
Accompaniments for Vegetable Soup:
- While the soup is hearty enough to stand alone, crusty sourdough bread, cornbread, or a light pear salad can complement the flavors and textures splendidly.
Storage and Reheating:
- Refrigerate the soup for up to 3 days. Freezing is an option for longer storage, with a recommended usage within a month. Reheat on the stove until piping hot.

With these insights, embark on a culinary journey, savoring the warmth and goodness of this homemade vegetable soup—one ladle at a time.

Homemade Vegetable Soup Recipe (Steps + Video) | How To Cook.Recipes (2024)