Easy Vegetable Soup
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Easy Vegetable Soup is just the meal you need to kick off the fall season! Even without protein, vegetable broth soup is fantastically filling. You won’t believe that such a simple vegetable soup recipe can be so rich and robust, with hearty ingredients simmered to savory perfection. Just try it and see!
Easy Vegetable Soup
If there’s one thing you learn to make from scratch, it should be homemade soup! It’s comfort food at its best!!
As much as I love almost every meaty soup and stew out there, a vegetable soup recipe that’s easy just can’t be topped.
This may be a simple vegetable soup recipe, but that doesn’t mean it’s bland!
On the contrary: the garlic herb potatoes, tangy tomatoes, onions, and celery add all of the fresh, peppery, savory, and rich flavors you could ever want in a vegetable broth soup.
Need carbs to feel like you’ve had a complete meal? Try this easy vegetable soup with tortellini or this quick tomato bisque.
For a hearty soup in less than 30 minutes, my Instant Pot lentil soup is for you. Or try this 15 bean soup with ham!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Yellow Onion – You want a strong onion to give your soup tons of flavor, so avoid white or red onions. I recommend scallion or leeks as a substitute.
- Red Potatoes – These spuds are substantial — they won’t get mushy, even when they go back and forth between the pan and the pot.
Your best alternatives are russet or Yukon Gold potatoes. - Vegetable Stock – Try using some homemade stock in this easy vegetable soup recipe!
As for substitutes, you can use some bouillon cubes or mushroom broth. Chicken or beef broth works too! - Canned Diced Tomatoes – We absolutely need these tomatoes for some rich, acidic flavor. Otherwise, the flavor falls a bit flat.
Don’t drain them — we want all of that tasty tomato juice! Plus, it’s one more way to make this vegetable soup recipe easy. - Frozen Mixed Vegetables – This is usually some combination of peas, carrots, corn, and green beans. But honestly?
Use any mix of frozen veggies that you want! Sometimes I throw frozen broccoli and cauliflower in there too.
Common Mistakes When Making Vegetable Broth Soup
- Veggie pieces that are too big.
Not only do big chunks of vegetables make a mess, but you don’t get a good distribution of flavor in this easy vegetable soup.
So chop them all into similar, bite-sized bits that are similar in size.
- Forgetting to sauté the potatoes.
That time in the pan with the basil, garlic, and olive oil is time well spent — and super necessary!
Otherwise, the potatoes won’t add much flavor at all, and they’ll have a far less appetizing texture.
Storing and Reheating Leftover Soup
Veggies tend to get soggy when they swim in the broth for too long, so try to eat leftovers within 4 days.
To reheat, warm soup on the stovetop over medium heat just until all of the vegetables are warmed through.
Microwaving tends to cook everything more rather than reheat.
This easy vegetable soup recipe is also freezer-friendly! It will keep for up to 6 months as long as it’s stored in an airtight container.
Freezer bags, glass jars, or even a freezable plastic container will work.
Easy Vegetable Soup Recipe FAQ
If you find the flavor in this easy vegetable soup a little lacking, then feel free to add some complexity with a couple of spices!
Rosemary, dill, garlic, and/or thyme will guarantee great results. And if you want to add a bit of a kick to this simple vegetable soup recipe, add cayenne or paprika!
The secret to a great soup is to develop the broth. This easy vegetable soup is already quick, so don’t rush any of the steps!
Especially the step to simmer — it absolutely needs that time on the stove for all the flavors to meld, merge, and make something magical.
You can always add more seasonings afterward, but you can’t take them away! So follow my measurements and add salt and pepper to taste after.
Stew is all about thickness, so all you need to do is thicken the broth a bit! There are a couple of ways to do this, and it makes this vegetable soup recipe easy as can be.
You can simmer everything a bit longer, but that likely won’t get the kind of texture you’re looking for. So, stir in a bit of cornstarch in small amounts until it’s thick enough.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Easy and Delicious Soup Recipes
Easy Vegetable Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 large red potatoes, chopped into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 15 1/2 ounces canned diced tomatoes, undrained
- 12 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
- chopped parsley, optional (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, heat up the olive oil to medium high heat. Add the celery and onions and sauté for one minute until slightly softened.
- Add the potatoes to the sauté. Season with garlic salt and dried basil and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Pour in the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, and mixed vegetables and stir everything together.
- Bring the soup to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover.
- Let simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Serve topped with minced parsley, optional.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published September 2022, updated and republished August 2023
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I love this recipe. It is simple, quick, and I have all of the ingredients right in the house. I have made this several times and it always turns out so good. If I want to change the flavor, I will add some Italian seasoning. Make a pan of Cornbread and you have a wonderful comfort meal. Thank you for your recipes
Thank you for your wonderful review, Sandy! So happy to hear that you have a go-to comfort food for the winter ahead. 🙂
TSRI Team member,
Becca
I have a question please. For this soup if you did not use vegetable broth and had a choice of chicken or beef broth which one would you use? I appreciate your help. I love your recipes and continue to try new ones!
Hi Sue,
Personally, I prefer chicken stock or broth, but if you want a meaty flavor, beef is the way to go. Hope you enjoy the soup!
TSRI Team member,
Becca
Soups are nice, comforting and filling! This is one of my favorite vegetable soup recipes. It’s easy to make, and tastes delicious.