This easy vegetable soup is packed with flavor and uses simple, everyday vegetables to their full potential. But there’s plenty of room for customization — use any fresh or frozen vegetables you have on hand. It’s the perfect blank canvas to work with for soup season!
A simple vegetable soup like this is my absolute favorite. It’s nourishing, comforting, fresh, and light, yet filling enough to be a full vegetarian meal. But truth be told, I was never a fan of vegetable soup until I started making it myself at home, with this recipe. Because other versions I had tried were always been a bit bland and boring.
So what makes my version unique (and better)? The vegetables are sautéed with Italian seasoning and loads of garlic, then simmered in a savory broth with fresh lemon juice and parsley. And that punch of fresh lemon really brightens and enhances the flavor!
But similar to my cabbage soup, lentil soup, or tomato soup, you can customize this recipe to your liking. If you have a handful of kale or spinach you need to use up, toss it in. If there’s still a frozen bag of green beans sitting in your freezer, use those instead. It’s the perfect way to use up any leftover vegetables that you might otherwise toss away or not know what to do with!
Vegetable Soup Ingredients
- Fresh Vegetables: We’re going all in on fresh vegetables here! I’m using carrots, celery, onions, green beans, and potatoes, along with canned diced tomatoes. But if you want to swap them for others, go for it! Zucchini, radish, sweet potato, and even leafy greens are a few delicious ideas.
- Frozen Vegetables: Frozen vegetables are optional, but are extremely convenient, especially if you already have some in your freezer! I’m using frozen peas and corn, but use any other frozen vegetables you’d like.
- Vegetable Broth: The soup base is made from vegetable broth. And given the simplicity of ingredients, consider the vegetable broth a star ingredient in it’s own right. So opt for a high-quality one. I’ve linked my favorite brand in the recipe card below.
- Herbs and Seasonings: A mix of Italian seasoning, bay leaves, fresh parsley, fresh lemon juice, garlic, salt, and black pepper gives this soup the best flavor imaginable.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below
How To Make Vegetable Soup
Saute the veggies. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onions, and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, and saute another 30 seconds.
Add more veggies. Add the potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, bay leaves, and broth. Stir together and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are just fork tender.
Add the frozen veggies. Add the frozen peas and corn, stir, and cook about 5 to 7 minutes longer.
Serve. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and parsley for the final touches! You can ladle the vegetable soup into serving bowls or store it away for later (storage instructions written below).
Common Questions
You always want to saute any mirepoix vegetables (carrots, celery, and onion) first. Then, add in the remaining fresh vegetables with the broth. And if you’re using frozen vegetables, you’ll add those later in the process, as they take less time to cook.
Absolutely! You can add shredded chicken or sliced beef chunks to make this a meatier vegetable soup. But make sure to cook the meat first and add it towards the end along with the frozen vegetables. For a plant-based protein, you can also add lentils or chickpeas (which will be cooked earlier in the broth).
Storage Tips
- To store for the week: Let your soup come to room temperature before storing away in the fridge in an airtight container. It will keep for 4 to 5 days, which means it’s a great meal to enjoy throughout the week when you need a soupy pick-me-up!
- To freeze for later: Once the soup has cooled, pour it into a freezer-safe container or silicone freezing tray for pre-made servings. It will stay good for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- For reheating: To reheat a single serving, pour it into a bowl and microwave it for 1 to 2 minutes until warmed through. For a bigger batch, pour the soup back into a pot and warm it up on the stovetop.
More Easy Soup Recipes
When stuck in a dinner rut, you can always count on a big pot of soup or chili. These are some of my favorites for something easy yet flavorful. But honestly, all these soup recipes fit that bill!
- White Chicken Chili: This is hands down one of my favorite chili recipes!
- Black Bean Soup: You’ll be surprised how good this soup is. Perfect for those Mexican food cravings.
- Turkey Chili: A healthy chili that’s both meaty and flavorful — gotta love that.
- Potato Leek Soup: This creamy delight only requires a few ingredients!
I hope you enjoy this vegetable soup all season long! If you make it, drop a comment below on how it turned out. Your review will help other readers in the community.
Description
Video
Equipment
- Dutch Oven This soup makes a large quantity, so you'll need a large pot!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3 celery ribs, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 ½ cups chopped fresh green beans
- 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 to 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, depending on how brothy you'd like it
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Saute the veggies. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, and saute another 30 seconds.
- Add more veggies. Add the potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, bay leaves, and broth. Stir together and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are just fork tender.
- Add the frozen veggies. Add the corn and peas, stir, and cook about 5 to 7 minutes longer.
- Serve. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Ladle the vegetable soup into bowls.
Lisa’s Tips
- When I filmed the video above I accidentally added 1 teaspoon of black pepper instead of ½ teaspoon. And I have to say, I really enjoyed the extra peppery flavor. So feel free to add a bit more, either in the soup or sprinkled on top at the end!
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Can l lose weight on this vegetable diet
Hi there – That is something you’ll need to consult your doctor with. You can also look at the nutritional information to see if it works within your diet.
This Soup looks great! Can I add cabbage to this recipe and if so, At what point would I add it?
Thanks!
This soup is so easy delicious and I love adding fresh herbs from my garden. I feel so good after eating this soup! Don’t forget the lemon at the end!
I’m sure the fresh herbs from your garden are the cherry on top, Jill!