August 22, 2020

by Olena

Vegetable Soup (Video)

August 22, 2020

by Olena
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★★★★★

4.9 from 26 reviews

This Homemade Vegetable Soup is loaded with fresh or frozen vegetables and is so easy and delicious. You can make it on the stove, in the Instant Pot or a slow cooker.

It’s perfect for a quick lunch or a filling dinner.

vegetable soup

Vegetable Soup Recipe

This vegetable soup is loaded with healthy goodness. 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!

vegetable soup recipe garnished with yogurt and dill

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?!

I grew up in Ukraine eating healthy soups every-single-day. Now living in Canada, I still cook soup at least 3 times a week.

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.

fresh and frozen vegetables in bowls and canned tomatoes

homemade vegetable soup ingredients

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.

  • Saute onion: In large pot or dutch oven, add oil, then saute onion.
  • Add seasonings: 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.

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 an even thicker soup, insert an immersion blender right into the pot. Pulse a few times until it is as thick as you like!

easy vegetable soup in a pot

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 the 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 Healthy Soup Recipes

vegetable soup closeup with melted cheese

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Best Ever Vegetable Soup

vegetable soup recipe
Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.9 from 26 reviews

This Homemade Vegetable Soup is loaded with fresh or frozen vegetables and is so easy and delicious. You can make it on the stove, in the Instant Pot or a slow cooker.

  • Author: Olena of ifoodreal.com
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Soup and Stew
  • Method: Stovetop, Slow Cooker, Instant Pot
  • Cuisine: American Ukrainian
Scale

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Add zucchini and corn, cover and simmer for 5 more minutes.
  4. 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.

  1. In a large slow cooker, combine all ingredients, cover and cook on Low for 10 hours or on High for 5 hours.
  2. 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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Open, add zucchini, close the lid and let sit for 5 minutes.
  5. Add garlic and dill (parsley); serve hot with a dollop of plain yogurt.

Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freeze: Freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

I used low sodium broth and diced tomatoes. If yours is not, add less salt to taste.

Smoked paprika is the secret ingredient that makes this soup super flavorful. I definitely wouldn’t trade it for regular paprika.

If you want an even thicker soup, insert an immersion blender right into the pot. Pulse a few times until it is as thick as you like!

★ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating in the comments.

Recipes and images are a copyright of ifoodreal.com

 

olena osipov in the studio

Hello and welcome to iFOODreal.

My name is Olena Osipov. I'm a mom to 2 boys and a wife to Alex. And this is our healthy family recipes blog. I grew up in Ukraine on real food. As an adult, I tried many diets without results. Now for over 10 years, I cook quick and easy healthy meals for my family. I can help you with “What’s for dinner?” too.

What You Will Find Here

Healthy family recipes with simple ingredients. Many are inspired by my Ukrainian heritage. I share mostly dinner recipes because it just never ends... I’m obsessed with healthy freezer meals. And more than in love with my Instant Pot.

A Little More About Me

Originally from Ukraine, I now reside on magic Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada with my family. I started this blog in 2012 when I ended up at home with 2 small kids unemployed and a wee bit chubby.

Read more about Olena

61 comments on “Vegetable Soup (Video)”

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  3. This recipe is delicious! I finally found a tasty and simple vegetable soup that’s loaded with flavor! Thanks for sharing.

    ★★★★

    Reply

  8. I make this soup once a week. We love the flavors and all of the veggies. Great way to get your dail requirement of veggies.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  9. Yummy! Although it definitely has a longer cook time than 25 minutes (the vegetables take 35 minutes, not even including how long it takes to boil) and you would have to be the worlds fastest chopper to prep this in 10 minutes! So prepare an hour ahead if you’re not using an instant pot

    ★★★★

    Reply

  10. This was fantastic! Made it for myself, my husband and 1 yr old and pretty sure it’s my daughters favorite meal! And my husband loved it as well!! Definitely adding this into the weekly rotation! Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  12. Just made this. Fantastic recipe and clear easy description of all the different veggies and additions to this recipe. Loved adding the zucchini at the end.

    Reply

  14. Hey! I was going to add cabbage and use an instant pot. When would I add the cabbage? I’m so looking forward to making this! Thank you so much 🙂

    Reply

  15. Just finished making this recipe and it was amazing! Definitely is a keeper and will go back to it!! The only thing I added was bouillon granules at the end just to boost the broth flavor at the end. Thank you for sharing such an awesome recipe!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  17. I just wanted to say that this is the third recipe of yours that I have used, and all have been simply DELICIOUS! So flavorful. Thank you so much. (And I never bother to sign up to comment, until NOW!)! We’re extra grateful, as we’re getting better and better at having meatless meals, but always looking for more recipes to help us do so.

    Reply

  18. My family loves soup and this is our new fav! Every time I make this soup I add something different but with the basis you have provided, it turns out delicious every time! I think it’s the paprika 🙂 Thank you!!

    Reply

    2. My dad and sister were sick so I wanted to make them something healthy and delicious. But my little sister is really picky so I told her I would make somethibg incredibly delicious.
      When she took one bite, she turned around and just walked away in silenceXD. That means she likes it! Thank you for the recipe! My dad loved it too! And he’s a picky eater.

      Reply

  22. While I haven’t made it yet I can tell just from reading it that it will be a winner.

    Thanks for sharing it.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  23. Love all your recipes and especially can relate to vegetable soup being served like your Ukraine childhood weekly…my mother fixed soup weekly just like her mother but she came out of a family of 10 children and there wasn’t a leftover that was wasted…my grandmother on my mother’s side fixed her signature leftover Friday’s Soup every week….it was her opportunity to clear the refrigerator of any leftovers from the week then she’d add homemade broth and home grown canned tomatoes if it was during the Winter months, however always adding fresh vegetables from the garden in the Summer…it didn’t make any difference the temperature she served her soup on Fridays…no food was wasted…and we also fixed and feed our pets human soup and food no store bought kibbles at our house…and our pets were all healthy…..Saturdays and Sundays were big meals menus and there always were pot roast or chicken dishes that with vegetables all the bones were salvaged and they were pressured cooked for broth which was used for her Fridays soups…there was never a Fridays soup that was the same…the flavors were fantastic…my grandfather would joke and say there floats Monday’s lima beans, Tuesday’s black eyed peas…and we’d all laugh when he’d ask what happened to Thursday’s potatoes to which usually had been eaten as fried pototo pancakes for breakfast…he’s say (what does a man have to do to get potatoes in Friday’s soup?) To which grandmother would say (Walter you have to not eat all the leftovers or grow more pototoes!) Those were wonderful childhood days and memories…of course I continue her Fridays Soup as a family tradition…

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    1. Oh good old childhood days and memories. Memories of grandparents stay forever. I appreciate 2019 in many ways but miss good old simple life…when people spent more time together and not devices, and when life was simple without overthinking who is who and what to say is ok. sigh.
      Yes, pets in Ukraine ate human real food and lived 20-30 years. Vets were for emergencies. That is hwy I refuse to have a pet here, they all get sick from this dry food and die early. Even chicken were fed scraps lol. My grandma was making stew for them lol. Memories are everythign and the only thing that’s left eventually. Have a great week!

      Reply

  28. Yummy I’m not dying but I love fresh vegetable soup and a lot of other soups as well I love vegetables

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  29. This is a very nicely balanced recipe and I’m glad I read the introduction and it encouraged me to use what I had on hand and tasted good to me. I did not have carrots or celery and only two potatoes I did have cauliflower though and fresh tomatoes from the garden I was a little leery about the smoked paprika cause it can be so very overpowering but the one teaspoon was perfect for the pot. Thank you for the recipe I’ll be sure to make it again

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  30. Made this for lunch and leftovers to take to work during the week. While it was cooking up I wasn’t sure how it was going to turn out but it was delicious!! I will be adding this to my winter rotation for sure! Thanks for the great recipe ?

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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