Here’s a classic, hearty vegetable soup recipe—healthy, flavorful, and very flexible 🍲🥕🥬
🥕 Vegetable Soup (4–6 servings)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 medium potato, diced (optional)
- 1 zucchini or yellow squash, diced
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1–2 bay leaves
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 cup green beans, peas, corn, or cabbage
- Fresh parsley or basil for garnish
Instructions
- Sauté aromatics:
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Cook onion, garlic, carrots, and celery for 5–6 min until softened.
- Add vegetables & broth:
- Add potato, zucchini, diced tomatoes (with juice), broth, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20–25 min.
- Add quick-cooking veggies:
- Add green beans, peas, or corn in the last 5–10 min of cooking.
- Season & serve:
- Remove bay leaves, taste, and adjust salt and pepper.
- Garnish with fresh parsley or basil and serve hot.
🔄 Variations
- Bean & veggie soup: Add 1 can drained beans (white, kidney, or chickpeas) for protein.
- Italian style: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes and top with grated Parmesan.
- Creamy vegetable soup: Blend half the soup for a creamy texture, or stir in ½ cup cream at the end.
- Hearty minestrone: Add small pasta or rice near the end and include beans and kale.
💡 Tips
- Chop vegetables uniformly for even cooking.
- For deeper flavor, sauté vegetables a bit longer until slightly caramelized.
- This soup stores well—flavors improve after a day and freezes beautifully.
I can also give a super quick 30-minute vegetable soup recipe that’s almost ready in half an hour, perfect for busy nights. Do you want that version?
