Vegetable Soup Recipe (30 Minutes!) - Wholesome Yum (2024)

Vegetable Soup Recipe (30 Minutes!) - Wholesome Yum (1)

Free: Healthy 5-Ingredient Meals Ebook

Get It Now

Table Of Contents hide

  • Why You’ll Love This Easy Vegetable Soup Recipe
  • What Goes In Vegetable Soup?
  • How To Make Vegetable Soup
  • Tips For The Best Vegetable Soup
  • Alternate Cooking Method: Crock Pot
  • Storage Instructions
  • More Homemade Vegetable Soup Recipes
  • Recommended Tools
  • Vegetable Soup Recipe (30 Minutes!)

Skip the bland canned stuff… this homemade vegetable soup recipe is packed with savory flavor from fresh produce! I’ll show you how to make vegetable soup with your favorite in-season ingredients to warm you up from the inside out (all in just over half an hour).

Although I love to make hearty, meaty soups like cabbage hamburger soup, a vegetable beef soup, and Mexican chicken soup, this is the best vegetable soup recipe to lean on when you need something light that balances flavor and simplicity. Plus, it’s so easy to customize!

Why You’ll Love This Easy Vegetable Soup Recipe

  • Flavorful veggies with savory tomato broth
  • Common grocery store ingredients
  • Takes just 30 minutes
  • Stovetop and Crock Pot options
  • Naturally gluten-free, low carb, keto, paleo, and has a vegan option
  • Easy to customize and make ahead
Vegetable Soup Recipe (30 Minutes!) - Wholesome Yum (2)

What Goes In Vegetable Soup?

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for homemade vegetable soup, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Vegetable soup recipes are a blank canvas, so you can add almost anything. Here are the basic components that you can customize based on your preferences and what’s in your fridge:

  • Broth – I use reduced-sodium store-bought or homemade chicken broth, but you can use vegetable broth to make this avegan, vegetarian vegetable soup recipe. If that’s not important, you can also make your own homemade bone broth.
  • Vegetables – My vegetable soup recipe includes onions, bell peppers, minced garlic (fresh or jarred), cauliflower, green beans, and diced tomatoes. You can also use other veggies: Try kale (or throw in some leftover sauteed kale), spinach, zucchini, cabbage, broccoli, corn (or try corn chowder) or sliced celery ribs… fresh or frozen! If you’re including greens, add them toward the end of cooking the soup.
  • Starches – I didn’t include any to keep this soup light, but to make it more hearty, you can add potatoes, corn kernels, butternut squash, carrots, beans (like chickpeas or white beans), or green peas. Cut larger veggies into bite-sized pieces.
  • Seasonings – Aside from the obvious salt and pepper, I add Italian seasoning, because it tastes great and saves time getting out multiple seasoning containers. Throw in some dried bay leaves for flavor as well.
Vegetable Soup Recipe (30 Minutes!) - Wholesome Yum (3)

Vegetable Soup Recipe (30 Minutes!) - Wholesome Yum (4)

VARIATIONS: Try other additions for flavor.

Try these add-ins in any combination you like:

  • Herbs: Basil, rosemary, thyme, parsley, sage, oregano, lavender, marjoram, tarragon (all fresh or dried). If you use fresh herbs in place of dried, triple the amount, as their flavor is less concentrated.
  • Ground spices: Paprika (regular or smoked!) or turmeric would work well.
  • Aromatics: Try lemon zest, ginger root, or star anise.
  • Pepper: Swap the black pepper with white pepper, cayenne pepper, or even red pepper flakes.

Pick one flavor profile to stick to, either with a tried-and-true seasoning mix or by choosing a couple herbs and spices to focus on.

How To Make Vegetable Soup

This section shows how to make this 30-minute vegetable soup recipe, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

  1. Saute aromatics. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Saute onions and bell peppers until softened. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
  2. Add vegetables. Add cauliflower, green beans, diced tomatoes, broth, seasonings, and bay leaves, if using. Stir to combine.
Vegetable Soup Recipe (30 Minutes!) - Wholesome Yum (5)
Vegetable Soup Recipe (30 Minutes!) - Wholesome Yum (6)
  1. Simmer. Bring the vegetable soup to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until veggies are tender. Remove bay leaves before serving. I like to serve with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese or fresh parsley.
Vegetable Soup Recipe (30 Minutes!) - Wholesome Yum (7)

Vegetable Soup Recipe (30 Minutes!) - Wholesome Yum (8)

Tips For The Best Vegetable Soup

This homemade vegetable soup recipe is easy and versatile, but here is how to adjust it if needed:

  • Soup too sweet? Mix in a splash of vinegar, salt, or tabasco.
  • Too bland?Add more salt or extra dash of herbs and spices.
  • Vegetable soup too spicy? A little heavy cream (or coconut cream) tames spicy foods. Or dilute with extra broth or some vinegar.
  • Soup too salty? Extra tomatoes or some lemon juice can help.
  • Vegetable soup too acidic? Dilute with cream or coconut cream.
  • PH Balance is sometimes all a soup needs. Lemon juice or vinegar add more acidity, while heavy cream or coconut cream will make it more alkaline.

Alternate Cooking Method: Crock Pot

If you prefer to make vegetable soup in a slow cooker, simply saute the onions, peppers, and garlic in Step 1 above on the stovetop first. Then, place them into the Crock Pot with the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook for 2 hours on High or 4 hours on Low. For the pressure cooker, try my Instant Pot vegetable soup.

Vegetable Soup Recipe (30 Minutes!) - Wholesome Yum (9)

Storage Instructions

  • Store: Keep veggie soup covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • Meal prep: Cut vegetables and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  • Reheat: Warm on the stovetop, or in the microwave, until warm.

Can You Freeze Vegetable Soup?

Yes, you can freeze vegetable soup. Cool to room temperature, then pour into airtight zip top bags. Lay flat in the freezer until solid, and after that you can move them upright to save space if needed. Thaw in the fridge overnight (in a container or pot to be safe, in case it leaks!).

More Homemade Vegetable Soup Recipes

Need more hearty, healthy soup recipes? Try these homemade chill chasers or find more healthy soup recipes here:

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Cabbage Soup

Squash Soup

Detox Soup Recipe

  • Dutch Oven – A stove top version that’s oven friendly.
  • Ladle– This one has a generous size and the handle is super comfortable to hold.
  • Slow Cooker – If you want to make your low carb vegetable soup recipe in a Crock Pot instead of the stove.

RECIPE SAVED! The recipe was sent to your email. I also sent you your free login info. You can use that to access your saved recipes at My Favorites.

Recipe Card

Vegetable Soup Recipe (30 Minutes!) - Wholesome Yum (15)

4.92 from 85 votes☝️ Click stars to rate or click here to leave a review!

Vegetable Soup Recipe (30 Minutes!)

The best vegetable soup recipe – cozy, flavorful, fast, easy, and healthy! Learn how to make homemade vegetable soup in just 30 minutes.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Total: 30 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com

Servings: 12 (adjust to scale recipe)

Un-save RecipeSave Recipe Remove Ads

Recipe Video

Like this video? Subscribe to my YouTube cooking channel for healthy recipes!

ReviewPrint

US CustomaryMetric

Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them.

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

  1. Heat olive oil in a pot or dutch oven over medium heat.

  2. Add the onions and bell peppers. Saute for 7 to 10 minutes, until onions are translucent and browned.

  3. Add the minced garlic. Saute for about 1 minute, until fragrant.

  4. Add the cauliflower, green beans, diced tomatoes, broth, and Italian seasoning. Adjust sea salt and black pepper to taste. Add the bay leaves, if using.

  5. Bring the soup to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium low, and cook for about 10 to 20 minutes, until veggies are soft.

Did You Like It?

Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.

Rate recipe

Save Recipe

Related Easy Recipes

  • Low Carb Keto Tomato Soup

  • Easy Taco Soup Recipe

  • Keto Stuffed Pepper Soup

  • Chef Salad

Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 cup

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories74

Fat3g

Protein3.3g

Total Carbs10.6g

Net Carbs7.4g

Fiber3.2g

Sugar5.5g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course:Soup

Cuisine:American

Keywords:best vegetable soup recipe, detox vegetable soup, homemade vegetable soup, how to make vegetable soup, vegetable soup recipe

Calories: 74 kcal

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂

Homemade Vegetable Soup

Pin It For Later!

Vegetable Soup Recipe (30 Minutes!) - Wholesome Yum (23)
Vegetable Soup Recipe (30 Minutes!) - Wholesome Yum (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to my vegetable soup to give it more flavor? ›

How to Make the Best Vegetable Soup
  1. 1) Start with the veggies. ...
  2. 2) Add fresh minced garlic, curry powder, and dried thyme. ...
  3. 3) Add canned diced tomatoes with their juices. ...
  4. 4) Almost done—add some vegetable broth, water, and more flavorings. ...
  5. 5) Add chopped fresh greens and finally, some fresh lemon juice.

What is the secret to soup? ›

7 Tips for Successful Soup Making
  • Use a Sturdy Pot. It is worth investing in a heavy pot with a thick bottom to use for making soup. ...
  • Sauté the Aromatics. ...
  • Start with Good Broth. ...
  • Cut Vegetables to the Right Size. ...
  • Stagger the Addition of Vegetables. ...
  • Keep Liquid at a Simmer. ...
  • Season Just Before Serving.
Oct 9, 2022

What gives vegetable soup that depth of flavor? ›

Tips for Flavorful Vegetable Soup

Flavor the base: We add Italian seasoning and tomato paste to the aromatics and warm them up to bring the seasonings back to life. You could use fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary, or even add a Parmesan rind for more flavor.

How does Martha Stewart make vegetable soup? ›

Directions
  1. Saute aromatics: In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high. ...
  2. Deepen the base: Stir in oregano or thyme and/or tomato paste or Parmesan rind. ...
  3. Choose your liquid: ...
  4. Add starchy vegetables: ...
  5. Add vegetables: ...
  6. Add rice and greens: ...
  7. Ladle soup into bowls.
Jun 27, 2023

What makes homemade soup taste better? ›

7 Easy Ways to Make Any Soup Better
  1. Brown or Sear the Meat. ...
  2. Roast the the Veggies. ...
  3. Mix up the Texture. ...
  4. Use Homemade Stock Whenever Possible. ...
  5. Put Your Cheese Rinds to Work. ...
  6. Perk up a Bland Soup With Simple Pantry Staples. ...
  7. Add Fresh Herbs or Dairy When Serving.

What not to do when making soup? ›

The 7 Biggest Mistakes You Make Cooking Soup
  1. Boiling instead of simmering. You want a small bubble or two to rise to the surface of the liquid every few seconds. ...
  2. Not using enough salt. ...
  3. Ignoring water. ...
  4. Overcooking the vegetables. ...
  5. Adding tomatoes at the beginning. ...
  6. Neglecting to garnish. ...
  7. Not trying a pressure cooker.
Nov 19, 2014

What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

How do you make soup taste richer? ›

Go Bold. A punch of flavor at the end of cooking can make your soup a standout. Mix herbs like parsley, thyme, and oregano, or spices such as cumin, coriander, and cardamom, into some olive oil, and let it infuse for at least an hour or two. Pour it over soup just before serving.

How do I spice up bland vegetable soup? ›

How can I make bland vegetable soup taste better? Depending on your taste pallet, you can boost your soup in a variety of directions. Onion powder, garlic powder, garlic salt, Italian seasonings, Mexican seasonings (or any other cultures). Don't overcook your vegetables, either.

Why does my vegetable soup taste bland? ›

If your broth tastes thin and bland, you may want to cook and let it evaporate for longer. That helps concentrate its flavors and gives you a better-tasting soup broth. Be sure to remove the lid to let the steam escape.

How do you make vegetable soup not taste bland? ›

A little tomato sauce, garlic, salt, and bay leaves while cooking was Patty's recommendation. Barbara said, “I add a beef billion cube, oregano, basil and garlic.” That would definitely spice up the soup. The bullion usually adds a lot of sodium so you get a lot of salty flavor. “Six pepper, sparingly”, Laureen said.

Why do you put vinegar in vegetable soup? ›

It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings. The same is true with soups.

What is the best thickener for vegetable soup? ›

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

Do you simmer vegetable soup covered or uncovered? ›

Simmering and Boiling

In the event that your goal is to keep moisture in—like when your pot of soup, stew, or sauce is already at the right consistency, but you want to keep cooking the vegetables and melding the flavors—leave the lid on to keep any more liquid from evaporating.

How do you add flavor to a bland vegetable soup? ›

Onion powder, garlic powder, garlic salt, Italian seasonings, Mexican seasonings (or any other cultures). Don't overcook your vegetables, either. They lose their flavor and turn to mush if cooked too long. You can also add pasta and/or use a base of broth.

How do you fix tasteless vegetable soup? ›

Suggestions to improve the flavor:
  1. Celery salt or celery seed (preferably ground). ...
  2. White wine vinegar (for acidity and a richer flavor, and pairing with the cabbage and onions)
  3. Dry vermouth or white wine. ...
  4. A jigger of sherry or cooking sherry (the latter has salt, so add it before salting the soup).
Jun 21, 2011

What should be added to enrich the flavor of the soup? ›

Herbs and sources add flavor, aroma, and intensity to the soup broth. You can pick fresh or dried herbs like basil for tomato-based soups or fresh parsley for clear broths. You may also add more spices like turmeric, ground ginger, ground paprika, or nutmeg for a touch of spice and color to your soup broth.

What seasonings are good in vegetable soup? ›

For more flavor add in more dried herbs (or even triple the amount of dried thyme). Other good herbs to add include basil, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, or Italian seasoning. Another option to add more flavor is to use a homemade chicken stock or vegetable broth.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Lakeisha Bayer VM

Last Updated:

Views: 6454

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (69 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Lakeisha Bayer VM

Birthday: 1997-10-17

Address: Suite 835 34136 Adrian Mountains, Floydton, UT 81036

Phone: +3571527672278

Job: Manufacturing Agent

Hobby: Skimboarding, Photography, Roller skating, Knife making, Paintball, Embroidery, Gunsmithing

Introduction: My name is Lakeisha Bayer VM, I am a brainy, kind, enchanting, healthy, lovely, clean, witty person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.