This Vegetable Soup is loaded with fresh or frozen vegetables and is so easy and delicious. You can make it on the stove, slow cooker or just follow this Instant Pot vegetable soup recipe.
Along with minestrone soup and cabbage soup, this homemade veggie soup is perfect for a quick lunch or a filling dinner.
Vegetable Soup Recipe
This vegetable soup is loaded with healthy goodness. Just like with vegetarian borscht, you won’t miss the meat, I promise! Think tender potatoes, carrots and zucchini combined in a rich vegetable broth seasoned with the perfect blend of spices and herbs.
Serve with a slice of bread or a baguette and you have the perfect filling meal. You are guaranteed to get all of your daily vegetable servings, a lot of essential vitamins, nutrients and fiber in this soup!
I grew up in Ukraine eating healthy soups like beef and barley soup and chicken noodle soup every-single-day. Now living in Canada, I still cook soup at least 3 times a week. My family often eats soup for dinner because it is healthy, filling, fast, easy and cheap. Doesn’t that sound perfect for those busy weeknights?!
Ingredients for Homemade Vegetable Soup
The ingredients for this homemade vegetable soup are so versatile! Want to make it with the overabundance of produce from your garden or with mixed frozen vegetables? Fridge or freezer clean up? Go for it!
- Veggies: Zucchini, corn, bell peppers, green beans, potato, carrots, celery and onion. Frozen vegetables work fabulously in this soup. You can also add thinly shredded cabbage 15 minutes before other ingredients as it takes a bit longer to cook.
- Herbs and Seasonings: Vegetables alone can be pretty bland, so the proper seasoning is key for the best tasting vegetable soup. Try smoked paprika, dried oregano or parsley, bay leaves and salt. I like to use grated garlic and fresh dill at the end to finish off the soup.
- Liquids: I use a low sodium vegetable broth and a can of diced tomatoes. Diced tomatoes alone make delicious 5 minute tomato soup.
How to Make Homemade Vegetable Soup
There is a full recipe card below.
I make this easy vegetable soup all year around. During the hot summer months, I like to simmer it on the stove for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. This method results in crunchy vegetables and a lighter soup. Be warned – it also results in a warm kitchen. That’s why I love making Instant Pot recipes year round.
- Saute onion: In large pot or dutch oven, add oil, then saute onion. Add smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper and bay leaves to pot and cook for 1 minute.
- Add veggies and liquid: Add potato, carrot, celery, pepper, stock and tomatoes. Stir, cover and simmer for 25 minutes.
- Add zucchini and corn: Simmer for 5 more minutes.
- Garnish soup: Add grated garlic and dill. Serve hot with parmesan cheese and yogurt.
Tips and Variations
Cooking with an Instant Pot or slow cooker should not be overlooked during the summer. Just place your slow cooker or release steam on pressure cooker outside and your kitchen stays cool.
- Slow cooker vegetable soup: Add all ingredients + 6 oz can tomato paste to a large crock pot. Cook for 8 hours on Low or 4-5 hours on High. I think you will love this slow cooker lentil soup.
- Instant Pot vegetable soup: Add all ingredients + 6 oz can tomato paste to Instant Pot. Cook on High pressure for 20 minutes. Release pressure using Quick Release. You can also follow the instructions for my Instant Pot vegetable soup!
- How to thicken vegetable soup: If you want even thicker soup, insert an immersion blender right into the pot and pulse a few times until desired consistency. I always use this trick with chicken wild rice soup to incorporate starches from cooked rice as a thickener.
How to Serve Vegetable Soup
- Cheese: Sprinkle Parmesan cheese in a bowl with warm soup.
- Yogurt: Add a dollop of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream.
- Bread: Toast whole grain bread or buy fresh rye bread or a baguette. OMG YUM!!!
Tip: My tip for you, besides falling in love with the concept of “soup for dinner”, is to buy wide deep plates, for hearty soups. Using deep plates makes it easier to load up on soup and soup will cool off faster (which is huge for kids).
How to Store, Freeze and Reheat
Store: Refrigerate for 2 days in an airtight container. It is so great for quick lunches and easy dinner leftovers! I find any longer than that results in the vegetables becoming too mushy. If this recipe is too much for your family follow the next step.
Freeze: I recommend freezing the soup right after cooking. Transfer to an airtight glass container and freeze as soon as the soup has cooled down. You can also freeze leftovers, but any further past day 2 will result in mushy vegetables.
Reheat: Vegetable soup can be easily reheated on the stove on low heat. You can also reheat frozen soup by simmering it on low(it just takes longer).
More Vegetarian Soup Recipes
- Pasta e fagioli soup
- Split pea soup
- Broccoli cheese soup
- Red lentil soup
- If you have a crock pot, check out these slow cooker soup recipes.
Best Ever Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 4 large potatoes medium chopped
- 3 large carrots medium chopped
- 3 medium celery stalks medium chopped
- 3 cups bell peppers medium chopped
- 2 medium zucchini medium chopped
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 cups corn fresh or frozen
- 6 cups vegetable stock low sodium
- 28 oz can diced tomatoes low sodium
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 medium garlic clove grated
- 1/3 cup dill or parsley finely chopped
- Parmesan cheese and yogurt for garnish
Instructions
Stovetop Vegetable Soup
- Preheat large dutch oven or large pot on medium heat, swirl a bit of oil to coat and add onion. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper and bay leaves; cook for 1 more minute, stirring frequently.
- Add potato, carrot, celery, pepper, stock and diced tomatoes; stir and cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes or until potato is fork tender.
- Add zucchini and corn, cover and simmer for 5 more minutes.
- Turn off heat, add grated garlic and dill. Serve hot garnished with Parmesan cheese and yogurt.
Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup
- Add a 6 oz can of tomato paste and skip zucchini.
- In a large slow cooker, combine all ingredients, cover and cook on Low for 10 hours or on High for 5 hours.
- Add garlic and dill (parsley); serve hot with a dollop of plain yogurt.
Instant Pot Vegetable Soup
- Add a 6 oz can of tomato paste.
- In Instant Pot, add all ingredients in the order listed above except zucchini, dill, cheese and yogurt. Pressure cooker shouldn’t be more than 2/3 full.
- Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cooking on High for 20 minutes. Display will say ON, Instant Pot will take about 30 minutes to come to pressure, you will see a bit of steam coming out from a valve, then float valve will rise and countdown from 20 minutes will begin.
- After display beeps and says OFF, do Quick Release by turning pressure valve to Venting position, which takes 3-4 minutes. I recommend doing so outside to avoid the mess and smell.
- Open, add zucchini, close the lid and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and dill (parsley); serve hot with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and/or a dollop of plain yogurt.
Video
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate for 2 days in an airtight container. It is so great for quick lunches and easy dinner leftovers! I find any longer than that results in the vegetables becoming too mushy. If this recipe is too much for your family follow the next step.
- Freeze: I recommend freezing soup right after cooking. Transfer to an airtight glass container and freeze as soon as soup has cooled down. You can also freeze leftovers, but any further past day 2 will result in mushy vegetables.
- Reheat: Vegetable soup can be easily reheated on the stove on low heat. You can also reheat frozen soup by simmering it on low (it just takes longer).
- Frozen and other vegetables work: Use your favorites. You can also add thinly shredded cabbage 15 minutes before other ingredients as it takes a bit longer to cook.
- Adjust sodium: I used low sodium broth and diced tomatoes. If yours is not, add less salt to taste.
- Must do secret ingredient: Smoked paprika is the secret ingredient that makes this soup super flavorful. I definitely wouldn't trade it for regular paprika.
- If you want thicker soup: Insert an immersion blender right into the pot. Pulse a few times until it is as thick as you like!
- Serving plates: My tip for you is to buy wide deep plates for hearty soups. Using deep plates makes it easier to load up on soup and soup will cool off faster (which is huge for kids).
Nutrition
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My name is Olena Osipov. I'm a mom to 2 boys, a wife to Alex and we reside on magical Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. This is our healthy family recipes blog. Originally from Ukraine, I grew up on real food. As an adult, I struggled with diets for years because none worked long-term. Now for over 10 years, I cook easy healthy meals for my family. I can help you with “What’s for dinner?” too.