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The Yummiest Vegetable Soup

Name: The Yummiest Vegetable Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 large onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 3 medium carrots, diced; 3 stalks celery, diced; 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced; 2 tsp Italian seasoning; 4 cups vegetable broth + 1 cup water; 2-15oz can diced tomatoes; 1 cup corn (I used thawed from frozen); 1-15oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (optional); 1 bay leaf; 1/4 cup parsley, chopped; 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, more to taste; 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, more to taste; Freshly ground black pepper

Published Jan 29, 2018 · Modified Jun 28, 2021 · 428 Comments

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A soul-soothing bowl of delicious homemade vegetable soup, perfect for lunch paired with crusty bread! Super easy and flavorful.

Let's hug over steamy vegetable soup and huge hunks of seedy sourdough!

I feel strongly that you're going to be all huggy after this. It's cozy and soul-soothin' and OHMYLANTA it's good for you, too.

Has anyone not gotten sick this year yet? Show yourselves! Howwwwww.

Whether you've caught the wintery phlegm bug or not, I'm willing to bet that you could use some soupy nourishment with warm bread for sopping up all the vitamins and minerals at the end. There's so many veggies in here! We don't discriminate. If you have green beans, mushrooms or corn, those would be lovely in here, too.

Or some elbow noodles! Minestrone, eh? I love the white potatoes in this recipe because they add a nice starchy thickness to the soup, but I think the sweetness of sweet potato would be a stellar addition as well.

How to Make The Best Vegetable Soup

I want to talk about salt for a second because someone asked me recently which salt I use when and why. I use fine sea salt in baking and when I'm salting things on my plate, like toast or eggs. I use kosher salt when I'm cooking because it's thicker and covers more ground.

You need a beefier salt here, like the larger crystals in kosher salt which help release moisture (like sweating onions).

Long story short, throw in a few good pinches while you're cooking, season it to taste, and don't be shy because this recipe makes a big pot. Salt makes such a huge difference in flavor but everyone has different preferences.

The acidity in the lemon at the end helps define the flavor and add brightness as well, so find a good balance. If you don't have lemon, you can use balsamic vinegar. Adding acid at the end of a soup is so clutch!

Italian seasoning, bay leaf, and a handful of fresh parsley are all you need for amazing flavor here.

Can I Make Vegetable Soup in the Slow Cooker?

Yes, this homemade vegetable soup would be great in the slow cooker, too. I imagine you could throw everything in there (you may not need the oil?) and let it simmer all day long. Or all night long, if you're a soup for breakfast kind of human. I cook pretty much all my soups in this dutch oven. I've had it for years and it's the bomb!

Can I Make Vegetable Soup in the Instant Pot?

Yes! I tested this recently in my Instant Pot and it worked like a charm. Simply place all ingredients in the Instant Pot and cook for 7 minutes. Let the pressure release manually for 10 minutes then release any remaining pressure.

Watch How to Make Homemade Vegetable Soup (Video!)

How to Top Vegetable Soup

I garnished my bowls with:

a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for extra richness, a squeeze of fresh lemon (I keep pronouncing it lee-MONE in my brain)
a sprinkle of fresh parsley
if you have parm on hand, you better go there
BREAD. Did I mention my adoration for carbs?

Please let me know how this yummiest vegetable soup recipe turns out for you by leaving a star rating and/or comment! I hope you’re as obsessed as I am.

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