Hearty Vegetable Soup (Printable)
Hearty vegetable soup with seasonal vegetables, herbs and broth — quick, nourishing, and vegan-friendly.
# What you'll need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
05 - 2 celery stalks, chopped
06 - 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
07 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
08 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
09 - 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
10 - 1 cup diced tomatoes, fresh or canned, peeled
11 - 1 cup baby spinach leaves
→ Liquids & Seasonings
12 - 6 cups vegetable broth
13 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
14 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
15 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
16 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
17 - 1 bay leaf
18 - 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped for garnish
# How to make it:
01 - Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, sautéing until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
02 - Add the sliced carrots, chopped celery, and diced potatoes to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Stir in the diced zucchini, green beans, corn kernels, and diced tomatoes. Pour in the vegetable broth and stir to combine.
04 - Add the salt, black pepper, dried thyme, dried basil, and bay leaf. Bring the soup to a full boil, then immediately reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
05 - Simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all vegetables are fork-tender.
06 - Add the baby spinach leaves and cook for 2 minutes until just wilted. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
07 - Taste the broth and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into warm bowls, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It forgives every mistake, so you can swap vegetables based on whatever is wilting in your crisper drawer and it still turns out beautifully.
- The broth develops a deep, satisfying richness without any cream or animal stock, making it work for nearly every dietary need at your table.
02 -
- Simmering uncovered is crucial because covering the pot traps steam and dilutes the broth, leaving you with a watery soup instead of a concentrated, flavorful one.
- Adding the spinach any earlier than the final two minutes will turn it an unappetizing olive color and strip away its fresh taste entirely.
03 -
- Toss a parmesan rind into the pot while simmering and remove it before serving for an incredible savory boost that costs nothing since you were going to throw the rind away anyway.
- A half cup of cooked white beans or small pasta stirred in at the end transforms this from a starter soup into a complete meal that keeps you full for hours.