Vegetable soup doesn’t have to be bland and boring. This recipe is so hearty and delicious, you’ll hardly realize it’s vegetarian. It’s a comforting, feel-good soup that tastes much better than canned or store-bought.
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Easy Vegetable Soup Recipe
Whether you’re trying to watch your figure or sneakily slip more veggies into your kids’ diets, look no further than this homemade vegetable soup recipe. Get your deepest soup bowls ready, because you’re about to have your entire household wondering what that delicious aroma is wafting from the kitchen.
You’ll love this recipe for vegetable soup because it’s so simple to make and takes only 30 minutes of cooking time. This soup is savory, filling, and warming. The vegetables give so much flavor to the broth–my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Yum!
Ingredients for Vegetable Soup
To make the best vegetable soup even more flavorful and affordable, choose seasonal vegetables. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious meal.
- Fresh vegetables – onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, green beans, frozen sweet corn, and frozen sweet peas – Chop each veggie to be bite-sized, if needed. See our list below for substitution ideas
- Broth – olive oil, canned diced tomatoes, low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- Spices – bay leaves, salt and pepper, green onions, and fresh parsley, or substitute 1/3 dried herbs for fresh herbs or add to taste.
Flavor Tip:
Fresh herbs are key for the best-tasting soup. You can use dried herbs as long as they haven’t been in your cupboard for longer than 3-4 years. Test for freshness by smelling them to see if they are still fragrant and add to taste since you typically need fewer dried herbs. Also, be sure to add salt to taste.
Vegetable Soup Variations
Consider this soup your ticket to using all those veggie odds and ends hanging out in your fridge or freezer. This recipe is so versatile, and you can change up the ingredients. Here are some of our favorite vegetable soup variations:
- Veggies: Broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, spinach, kale, zucchini, beets, asparagus, bok choy, broccoli rabe, cabbage, and leeks are all great substitutes or additions.
- Broth: Feel free to swap out vegetable broth for Turkey Stock, Chicken Stock, or beef broth. This will make the soup taste that much heartier.
- Herbs & Spices: Add a couple of dashes of thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and/or red pepper flakes. You can also elevate the dish by adding fresh dill or basil. The sky’s the limit!
- Beans: Looking to add a little more fiber and protein? Add chickpeas or white beans. If you’d prefer some extra protein, try our Vegetable Beef Soup.
How to Make Vegetable Soup
What I love about this soup is that it comes together in one large pot and it’s super easy to make. With minimal mess and maximum flavor, you can’t get much better than that. Follow the simple steps below to be well on your way to a comforting bowl of veggie soup.
- Aromatics – Preheat your soup pot with olive oil. Saute onions and carrots until golden.
- Add Vegetables and Broth – Add celery, canned tomatoes, broth, potatoes, green beans, and bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for 25 minutes.
- Finishing Touches – Add corn, sweet peas, green onion, and parsley. Simmer for an additional 5-8 minutes then serve.
Pro Tip:
For a spicy vegetable soup, add some red pepper flakes or a couple of dashes of your favorite hot sauce to spice things up. You can also add some fresh chopped jalapeños to the soup.
Can I Make Vegetable Soup in a Slow Cooker?
If you’re the set it and forget it type, sautee the veggies in a pan, then add the ingredients into the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-5 hours. In the last 20 minutes of cooking, add the corn, sweet peas, green onion, and parsley.
Is Vegetable Soup Healthy?
This soup gives you a generous serving of vegetables without much fat, so you’ll feel good about getting seconds. See the nutrition label below for calories per serving.
What to Serve with Vegetable Soup
This vegetarian soup is such a filling and satisfying meal. Even so, we like to serve bowls of soup alongside some soft Dinner Rolls, Crusty French Bread or Garlic Bread for dipping. If you’re feeling adventurous, try scooping the inside out of a small boule of Sourdough Bread and serving the soup inside like a bowl.
Make-Ahead
This easy vegetable soup keeps well in the refrigerator and freezer. Allow your pot to completely cool to room temperature before storage.
- To Refrigerate: store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: once cool, divide into portions in freezer-safe containers, so it’s easy to take out the portion you want to eat.
- To Reheat: thaw in the fridge overnight or reheat in a saucepan or pot until warmed through.
This is the best vegetable soup recipe with a flavorful broth and a hefty serving of good-for-you vegetables. It’s warm, satisfying, and takes under an hour to cook up, so try this soup tonight!
More Easy Soup Recipes
If you love soups like our family does, try these fan-favorite soup recipes after our easy vegetable soup:
- Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
- Sweet Potato Soup
- Taco Soup Recipe
- Corn Chowder
- Easy Tomato Soup
- Minestrone Soup
- Cabbage Beef Soup
- Zuppa Toscana Soup
Easy Vegetable Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 large carrots , chopped
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 28 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 60 oz vegetable broth, low-sodium
- 3 medium potatoes, diced
- 1 cup green beans, chopped
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 tsp salt, or to taste*
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup frozen sweet corn
- 1 cup frozen sweet peas
- 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add chopped onions and carrots and saute for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden.
- Add celery, canned tomatoes (with juice), broth, potatoes, green beans, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring it to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes.
- Once the vegetables are tender, add corn, sweet peas, green onion, and parsley. Season with salt to taste and simmer for another 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Hi! I’m Natasha Kravchuk, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, food photographer, and writer. Here you’ll find delicious, reliable recipes made with simple ingredients, plus easy step-by-step photos and videos to help you cook confidently at home. 
Perfect on this rainy day! Turned out beautifully, yum o!
Delicious!! I just made my second batch in 3 days (although my first batch was only 1/2). I used beef broth, added garbanzo beans for protein, zucchini and mushrooms just before serving using no potatoes. I also added Herbamare seasoning salt, Italian seasoning and oregano. Served it with rosemary olive oil toast!! Mom and I both love it!
This recipe allows for so many variations it’s endless. I am freezing some for mom so she can just defrost it for a meal.
I wake up during the night craving it! Absolutely a must make!!
This recipe did not work for me. The potatoes and green beans did not cook, and I did not care for the flavor, which was mainly from the tomatoes.
Hi Amy, thank you for taking the time to try the recipe and share your thoughts. I’m sorry it didn’t turn out as expected, I recommend for you to try cutting the vegetables into smaller pieces and simmering a bit longer to help them cook through. As for the flavor, the tomatoes do give the soup its base, but you can reduce them and add more broth or herbs to better suit your taste.
Great soup, although I do fiddle with mine. I throw in a ham bone, some ham and use parsnips instead of potatoes.
That sounds like it would add great flavor! Thanks for sharing.
I made this yesterday but changed it a bit. I do not put corn or potatoes in soup as I am a diabetic. I put beef tips, celery, onions,carrots,tomatoes,peas,green beans,zuccini, yellow squash and lima beans. This is my go-to-soup especially when I am working….so good!!
I made it following the recipe and included a dash of onion and garlic powder; it was delicious! Thank you very much. I have also saved more of your recipes to make soon.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try.
We love this recipe for vegetable soup! It is so easy to make with ingredients we typically have in the house. We have made a few adjustments…add 1 – 2 tsp of minced garlic to the last minute of sautéing the onion and carrots. We use 8 cups of vegetable broth made with Better Than Bouillon. We also add a can (with juices) of Trader Joe’s Greek Chickpeas with parsley and cumin. Game changer! We also add 1 tsp or so of Italian seasoning and sometimes a bit of red pepper flakes. So Good! As Fall is starting to get colder (come on snow!), this is the perfect soup to cozy up with!
Hi, Natasha,
Thank you for all your recipes. I’ve cooked many of them. (Your chicken and dumplings recipe was to die for!).
Do you have a recipe for minestrone soup? I couldn’t find one on your site. I’m really hoping you post one at some point, because all the recipes of yours that I’ve cooked have been amazing. Thank you!
Thank you, I’m so glad you are enjoying my recipes! I don’t have that recipe on my website yet but feel free to check all my Soup Recipes.
I have garden tomatoes I’d love to use. How many tomatoes should I use to replace the canned tomatoes Natasha?
Hi Shamim! It would be best to weigh your tomatoes since they are all different sizes. We used 28 ounces canned.
Excellent soup! I’ve been making it regularly for a long time now. I’ve put a twist on it by using fire roasted tomatoes, leaving out the corn and peas and adding frozen chopped kale. Often I replace the potatoes with a rinsed can of white beans. It’s so delicious! Pair it with homemade sour dough bread and it’s a hearty meal. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying it, Deborah!
I used tomatoes from garden, herbs from garden , this soup is so good. If anyone has any tomatoes left even even cherry tomatoes worked in this soup. Except for frozen corn and peas everything was from home. Simple to make
My favorite way to make it is with garden fresh veggies, I’m so glad you did too!
Great soup which I make quite often. Always changing the vegetables as to what I have in my pantry and vegetable drawer. I also usually squeeze in fresh garlic after the initial boil and 25 minute simmer. Easy to make and always loved by everyone! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!!!
You’re so welcome, Cindy! I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Soup is very good but potatoes were still uncooked after 5 hours of cooking on low setting. Will either cook for 7 hours on low setting or cook for 4 hours on high setting.
Ridiculously easy to prep. Just as tasty you hope it will be.
So happy you loved it!
Loved this soup! I did add 2 mini cans of V-8 juice to flavor the broth. That’s my own preference. Also some zucchini.
This recipe is wonderful. Delicious soup. Thank you!