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.
CRAVING MORE SOUP GOODNESS? DON’T MISS MY OTHER GO-TO SOUP RECIPES:
The Yummiest Vegetable Soup
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
Description
A soul-soothing bowl of delicious homemade vegetable soup, perfect for lunch paired with crusty bread! Super easy and flavorful.
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
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium-low heat. Once hot, add onion, garlic and a teaspoon of kosher salt and cook about 8 minutes. Add carrots, celery, potatoes and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring often. Add Italian seasoning and cook for one more minute.
- Add broth, water, tomatoes, corn, beans, bay leaf, and several grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered until the vegetables are tender, about 35 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in parsley and lemon juice. Remove bay leaf and season to taste with salt (don’t be shy, I added lots of salt!) and pepper. Serve hot with crusty bread.
Notes
Instant Pot directions: Place all ingredients except oil, lemon, and parsley in Instant Pot and cook for 7 minutes. Let the pressure release manually for 10 minutes then release any remaining pressure. Season to taste with salt then stir in lemon juice and parsley.
I love your writing! It’s beautiful! Makes me feel all warm and cozy. Love that it’s vegan. I have become vegan and don’t miss animals products at all.
Great recipe! Made with Polish potato gnocchi & added ⁵ tablespoon of butter🥰
This turned out amazing! Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
This turned out amazing! Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
loved it!! I didnt have the carrots or bay leaf, but it came out fine
! added a little pasta & only 1 potato!! YUMMY
★★★★★
loved it!! I didnt have the carrots or bay leaf, but it came out fine
! added a little pasta & only 1 potato!! YUMMY
★★★★★
This looks so healthy and delicious. I love that it’s jam packed with veggies… I’ll be making a batch this weekend!
http://www.thislifeisbelle.com
This looks so healthy and delicious. I love that it’s jam packed with veggies… I’ll be making a batch this weekend!
http://www.thislifeisbelle.com
i love that you admit to the “lee-mone” thing. I do that stuff all the time. Glad to know I’m not the only strange one out there talking to myself. Oh and the soup looks delish 🙂
i love that you admit to the “lee-mone” thing. I do that stuff all the time. Glad to know I’m not the only strange one out there talking to myself. Oh and the soup looks delish 🙂
I seriously have ev-er-y-thing to make this on hand!! I already have seasoned whole baked potatoes that I’ll use plus canned corn, chicken broth. Oh my brain is spinning. Printing now, and I’ll be making this later this week!! XO
I seriously have ev-er-y-thing to make this on hand!! I already have seasoned whole baked potatoes that I’ll use plus canned corn, chicken broth. Oh my brain is spinning. Printing now, and I’ll be making this later this week!! XO
Yum! This soup looks PERFECT! I haven’t been sick yet this year, knock on wood! This soup will continue to help me fight off any sniffles!
★★★★★
Yum! This soup looks PERFECT! I haven’t been sick yet this year, knock on wood! This soup will continue to help me fight off any sniffles!
★★★★★
My Mum makes a similar vegetable soup – it’s basically my comfort food! Would love to try your spin on it sometime this week! 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
My mom made a delicious vegetable beef soup, that I always loved. She simmered soup bones for hours, strained all the icky stuff off and made her soup. In the summer it was always with fresh garden veggies.
Now, I always make a vegetable soup with beef broth, no meat. I use cabbage, canned tomatoes, carrots, green beans, squash, corn, onion, no potatoes, I don’t care for them, spinach, that I add after soup has finished cooking. I’m most definitely a soup for breakfast person. I enjoy all soups all seasons of the year. I add herbs to mine also.
★★★★★
My mother also used soup beef bone said the morrow made the soup. Can’t find bones in grocery any longer.
Ask butchers sometimes they have them in back
I purchase my Beef Shanks from the grocery or the butcher shop. Ask for them. Never many out but they do still sell them. I live in Michigan.
My Mum makes a similar vegetable soup – it’s basically my comfort food! Would love to try your spin on it sometime this week! 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
My mom made a delicious vegetable beef soup, that I always loved. She simmered soup bones for hours, strained all the icky stuff off and made her soup. In the summer it was always with fresh garden veggies.
Now, I always make a vegetable soup with beef broth, no meat. I use cabbage, canned tomatoes, carrots, green beans, squash, corn, onion, no potatoes, I don’t care for them, spinach, that I add after soup has finished cooking. I’m most definitely a soup for breakfast person. I enjoy all soups all seasons of the year. I add herbs to mine also.
★★★★★
My mother also used soup beef bone said the morrow made the soup. Can’t find bones in grocery any longer.
Ask butchers sometimes they have them in back
Just made it, I love it! I added one can of beef broth instead of water , one can only of diced tomatoes, added zucchini and chick peas as well as kidney beans . Oh and green onion and green cabbage .Oh and sautéed mushrooms !No corn I hate corn in soup lol
It’s delicious. Thank you
Meijer has them
I found this recipe about a year ago and I have been making it monthly ever since (sometimes multiple times in a month). It is always soooooo good. Thanks for the great recipe!!!
Yay! You made my day, thanks Dawn 🙂
You won’t be disappointed Charmaigne. I made a pot a week ago, finished it, and am now going to make another batch. It was and is a great soup. Loaded w vegetables, minerals and vitamins. It was delicious tasting. I followed the recipe to the letter and it turned out perfect.
For Bread I used French Bread w lots of butter. It topped the soup off perfectly.
★★★★★
Thanks so much for the feedback, Gary! Love your topping ideas 🙂