Vegetable Soup - The Plant Based School (2024)

Table of Contents

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Variations
• Serving suggestions
• More soup recipes
• More vegetable recipes
• Vegetable Soup Recipe

Take this veggie soup recipe as a guideline, and feel free to substitute your favorite vegetables for ours.

What’s essential when making a tasty vegetable soup is starting with a flavor base of onion, celery, and carrots gently fried in olive oil.

You can then spice the soup with cumin and rosemary – as we do – or with other spices such as thyme, turmeric, and even curry powder.

Finally, add your favorite chopped veggies, canned tomatoes, and vegetable broth, and simmer until the veggies are fork-tender.

You’ll love this vegetable soup recipe because it’s so easy to make, infinitely tasty, comforting, and perfect for meal prep as it keeps in the fridge for several days.

Dietary notes: this recipe is vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, lactose-free, and dairy-free.

Olive oil

Use extra virgin olive oil to fry onion, celery, and carrots gently. Extra virgin olive oil is rich in polyphenols that make it stable at high temperatures, making it healthier than other oils.

Substitute canola, sunflower, olive, or avocado oil for extra virgin olive oil.

Celery, carrot, and onion

Celery, carrot, and onion are the base vegetables for most preparations of this kind. That’s because when you gently fry them in extra virgin olive oil, they become a tasty flavor base for your soup, adding depth of flavor.

You can use white, yellow, or red onion. Optionally, add a couple of minced garlic cloves or finely chopped leek if you want.

Fresh herbs

We like to use fresh rosemary and bay leaves combined with a teaspoon of ground cumin.

Substitute dry rosemary and bay leaves for fresh ones.

Other fresh herbs and spices that work well are Italian seasoning, dried or fresh thyme, oregano, sage, red pepper flakes, and turmeric powder.

White beans

White beans such as cannellini beans, navy beans, and great northern beans are excellent in this soup because of their mildly nutty flavor and creamy texture.

We often use canned beans, but you can also use dry beans that you previously soaked in cold water with a teaspoon of baking soda for 12 to 24 hours and then boiled until tender (1 to 2 hours, depending on the type of bean).

Substitute peas, corn, chickpeas, cranberry beans, pinto beans, black beans, and broad beans for white beans.

Potato

A peeled and diced Yukon Gold or Russet Potatoes adds creaminess to the soup and makes it more fulfilling.

Substitute diced sweet potato, pumpkin, butternut squash, or kabocha squash for potatoes.

Green beans

Green beans add a crunchy bite to this veggie soup. You can use fresh or frozen green beans. We recommend cutting them in half.

Substitute diced zucchini, bell pepper, asparagus, or quartered mushrooms for green beans.

Cauliflower

We recommend adding fresh cauliflower florets. However, frozen florets work well too.

Substitute broccoli, chopped green cabbage, or savoy cabbage for cauliflower.

Spinach

Spinach, or other leafy greens, are optional in this vegetable soup.

Substitute kale, Swiss chard, or Chinese cabbage for spinach.

Canned tomatoes

You can use canned diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes.

Substitute chopped fresh ripe tomatoes for canned ones.

Vegetable broth

We like to keep the soup vegetarian, so we avoid using chicken broth and opt for vegetable broth instead. Reduced sodium vegetable stock works too.

Substitute any other type of broth for vegetable stock. You can even use plain water and add a little more salt.

Salt and pepper

We season this homemade vegetable soup with sea salt and black pepper.

Add-Ins

To make this vegetable soup even more delicious and fulfilling, you can add a short pasta – we recommend ditalini – or stuffed pasta – we recommend tortellini or vegan tortellini.

Add extra virgin olive oil and coarsely chopped onion, celery, and carrot to a large pot or dutch oven.

Fry on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, then add grated or minced garlic, cumin, bay leaves, and rosemary and fry for one more minute until you smell their fragrant aroma.

Add vegetable broth, canned tomatoes, cauliflower florets, diced potatoes, green beans, drained and rinsed white beans, salt, and black pepper.

Stir, cover with a lid, and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Then crack the top open and simmer on medium-low heat for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.

Tip: if you want to add spinach or other leafy greens, do so 5 minutes before the soup is ready so that they have time to wild, but without overcooking. If you want a thicker soup, let it simmer for longer.

Remove bay leaves and rosemary, then taste and adjust for salt before serving it in a bowl with a drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.

Tip: if you have the time, let the soup sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before eating it; the flavors will meld, and the soup will taste even more delicious.

Vegetable soup with pasta

Veggie soup with pasta is a classic in Italy, and it’s a great way to enjoy a warm and comforting meal with all nutrients in one bowl.

The pasta, the beans, the veggies, and the broth will nourish you through the winter months, making you feel great.

Pick your favorite short pasta; ditalini are the most traditional and add them to the pot with the soup with an additional cup of water 10 minutes before the soup is ready.

Simmer until the pasta is al dente, and enjoy.

Tortellini soup

Adding tortellini to this vegetable soup is an excellent way to turn this dish into an even more delicious and fulfilling meal.

Choose your favorite tortellini or vegan tortellini and add them to the soup when it is almost ready, with an additional cup of water. Cook them as per package instructions – typically 5 minutes – and enjoy.

Vegetable noodle soup

This vegetable noodle soup is an Asian-inspired soup recipe you can make with seasonal vegetables, tofu cubes, and your favorite noodles. It’s easy to make, and it tastes terrific.

Check out our vegetable noodle soup recipe here.

• Crusty bread: cut a few slices of artisan bread, toast it, brush it with garlic rubbing a garlic clove on it. Drizzle it with extra virgin olive oil and serve it next to the vegetable soup. This is how people eat soup in Tuscany (Italy), and it’s one of the best ways of eating soup we’ve ever tried.
• Grated parmesan: add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese or vegan parmesan to add even more flavor and umami.
• Lemon juice and parsley: add a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley to make the veggie soup extra fresh and tangy.
• Pasta or stuffed pasta: turn this easy vegetable soup into a fulfilling vegetable noodle soup by adding your favorite noodles (we love ditalini pasta) or your favorite tortellini or vegan tortellini. Cook the pasta in the soup as per package instructions; it is as easy as that!
• Homemade croutons: do you know you can make delicious homemade coven-baked croutons or air frier croutons in a few minutes? They are delicious with this soup.

Other bread recipes that go well with vegetable soup are:

• Rosemary focaccia bread: crispy and soft, a perfect soup companion to sop up the tasty leftover juices.
• 10-minute crostinimade in the oven with guaranteed crunch!
• Italianbruschettawith eggplant or tomato.
• Italian flatbread (piadina): a no-yeast bread that works well with curries, stews, and soups.

Make ahead: this is an excellent recipe to make ahead as it keeps well in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. The soup will taste better on the second and third days.

Refrigerator: let the veggie soup cool down at room temperature, then transfer it into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freezer: let the soup cool down completely, transfer it into a freezer-friendly container, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw: defrost the veggie soup in the refrigerator over several hours or in the microwave.

Reheat: reheat in the microwave for 3 to 4 minutes or in a pot on the stovetop with an additional dash of water. Reheat the portions you will eat only; try not to reheat them multiple times.

More soup recipes

Get more soup inspiration with these wholesome and tasty soup ideas:

• Tuscan soup with white beans and leafy greens, a comforting soup from Central Italy.
• Lentil soup with kale and rustic chopped vegetables.
• Easy kale soup: vegetable-rich, family-friendly, and ready in just 20 minutes.
• 20-minute tofu soup with seasonal veggies, Asian flavors, and tofu cubes.
• Red lentil soup: creamy and tomato-rich soup ready in just 25 minutes.
• Chickpea soup with fresh Italian herbs and a tomato soup base.
• Potato leek soup: no cream and butter but plenty of familiar flavors.

Get your dose of greens with these tasty and bright vegetable recipes:

• Rainbow roasted vegetables: a colorful vegetable side dish ready in 30 minutes.
• Whole roasted cauliflower: a delicious centerpiece with glossy dressings and toppings.
• One-pot chickpea stew with sweet potato, cumin, and tomato sauce.
• Green bean salad with cherry tomatoes and a creamy mustard dressing.
• Microwave sweet potato with vegetable fillings, a super easy and healthy lunch idea

For more curries, stews, and soups, check out our soups category page.