Vegetable Soup
A classic mixed vegetable soup — comforting, healthy, and endlessly variable. Use whatever vegetables are in your fridge. The trick to a vegetable soup that doesn't taste like 'leftover water' is building a proper base first: sauté onions, brown the vegetables, deglaze, then simmer.
Prep Time
17 min
Cook Time
24 min
Servings
4
Calories
301 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Carrot1 medium
- Potato2 medium
- Onion1 medium
- Tomato2 medium
- Bay Leaves1
- Thyme1
- Garlic3 cloves
- Black Pepper½ tsp
- Olive Oil2 tbsp
All quantities scaled automatically from 4 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 4 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Carrot1 medium
- Potato2 medium
- Onion1 medium
- Tomato2 medium
- Bay Leaves1
- Thyme1
- Garlic3 cloves
- Black Pepper0.5 tsp
- Olive Oil2 tbsp
Instructions
- 1
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add 1 chopped onion and cook 5 minutes until softened. Add 3 chopped carrots and 3 chopped celery ribs. Cook 5 more minutes.
- 2
Add 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1 bay leaf, salt and pepper. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- 3
Add 2 chopped potatoes, 1 chopped zucchini, 1 cup of green beans (cut into 1-inch pieces). Stir to coat in the seasonings.
- 4
Pour in 1 can (28 oz) of crushed tomatoes and 6 cups of vegetable or chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 20 minutes.
- 5
Add 1 cup of frozen peas, 1 cup of frozen corn, and 1 can of drained, rinsed cannellini beans. Simmer 5 more minutes until everything is tender.
- 6
Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust salt. Stir in 2 cups of fresh baby spinach in the last 60 seconds (just wilts). Serve with crusty bread, a sprinkle of grated Parmesan, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Watch how to make Vegetable Soup
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Build the base properly. Sautéing onions, carrots, and celery (the mirepoix) creates the flavor foundation. Skipping this step gives you a thin, watery soup.
- 2.Add vegetables in order of cooking time. Hard vegetables first (potatoes, beans), soft ones last (spinach, peas). Throwing everything in at once gives you raw beans in a pool of mush.
- 3.Don't overcook. Vegetable soup is done when everything is just tender. Past that, vegetables turn mushy and colorless.
- 4.Finish with greens. Adding fresh spinach in the last minute gives you bright color and fresh flavor that pre-cooked greens lose.
🔬 Why It Works
Great vegetable soup depends on layered flavor building — each step adds depth. The mirepoix (onion-carrot-celery) creates the savory foundation. Garlic and herbs add aromatics. The tomato base contributes acidity and umami depth. Stock provides the body. Staged vegetable addition prevents the soft vegetables from disintegrating while hard ones finish cooking. Fresh greens at the end add color and freshness that distinguishes homemade soup from canned.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 4 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 4 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
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