Vegetable soup 🥕🥦—warm, comforting, and endlessly adaptable. Here’s a hearty, flavorful, easy-to-make recipe that works as a base you can tweak however you like.
🥣 Classic Vegetable Soup
Servings: 6
Time: ~40 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 bell pepper, diced (optional)
- 2 medium potatoes, diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 cup frozen peas or corn at the end
- Optional: chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
1️⃣ Sauté aromatics
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion, garlic, carrots, and celery until softened (~5 min).
2️⃣ Add the vegetables
Add potatoes, bell pepper, zucchini, green beans, and tomatoes. Stir to combine.
3️⃣ Add broth & herbs
Pour in broth, add thyme, basil, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
4️⃣ Simmer
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20–25 min until vegetables are tender.
5️⃣ Finish & serve
Add frozen peas/corn in the last 5 min. Remove bay leaf. Adjust seasoning. Garnish with parsley. Serve hot.
🔥 Tips & Variations
- Add grains: ½ cup rice, barley, or pasta for a heartier soup
- Make it creamy: Blend 1–2 cups of the soup and stir back in
- Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce
- Bean boost: Add 1 can drained beans (kidney, cannellini, or chickpeas)
If you want, I can give you a slow-cooker version, instant pot version, or a chunky “garden-fresh” style with minimal prep.
Do you want me to do that?
