This hearty vegetable soup recipe is one of my favorite soups to make throughout the Fall and Winter. I like to pack this soup full of veggies like zucchini, carrot, celery, green beans, potatoes, and lots more! The whole process is very hands-off, and it’s a great make-ahead recipe I can store in the freezer for when the temperature suddenly drops.
This hearty vegetable soup recipe is so classic and so delicious! It’s filled with so many amazing veggies, plus it’s so comforting. Soups are the perfect pantry meal because you can just grab what you have and go. And I especially love this soup for meal prep because it holds up for a long time in the freezer. I love to make a big batch to freeze every winter so I have some ready to go at all times!
What’s in This Hearty Vegetable Soup Recipe?
- Vegetables: For this soup recipe I’m using carrots, celery, parsnips, green beans, zucchini, potatoes, cabbage, and onions.
- Garlic: Creates a savory base of flavor for the veggies.
- Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth creates a flavorful base for the soup.
- Tomatoes: I use both canned tomatoes and tomato paste to infuse the base with tomato flavor.
- Herbs: I like fresh parsley and rosemary leaves.
- Seasonings: A little crushed red pepper, bouquet garni seasoning (Penzey’s makes a great one!), and some seasoned salt round out the flavor of this soup.
Tips for Success
- When chopping vegetables, I like to think about how big I want them to be on the spoon. The soup is much easier to eat if everything is bite-sized.
- Once the soup has come to a boil, reduce to a simmer. If the soup continues to boil, the vegetables will turn mushy.
- I love the combination of vegetables in this soup (lots of winter veggies good for the colder months), but the great thing about soup is that it’s a good way to clean out your fridge. So if you are missing one of the listed vegetables, but maybe have something else, give it a try!
- This is a great vegetarian recipe, but you can add meat if you prefer! Feel free to add ground beef, sausage, shredded chicken, or whatever you prefer. Just brown meat and add it into the pot with everything else.
- To make this soup in a crockpot instead, sauté the onions, carrots, and garlic, then add to the slow cooker with the remaining ingredients. Cook until tender, about 3 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low. Add in the peas during the last 30 minutes, if using.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover hearty vegetable soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in a pot set over medium-low heat.
Serving Suggestions
I love this hearty vegetable soup as a healthy lunch or dinner! It’s great with a grilled cheese sandwich, some cheddar bay biscuits, or my favorite apple cheddar waffle sandwich. Yum!
The Ultimate Guide
How to Freeze Soup
Learn all of our tips and tricks for freezing soup so it tastes as fresh as the day you made it!
Freeze that Soup
Hearty Vegetable Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (¼ stick)
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 2 parsnips peeled and chopped
- 4 carrots peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices
- 2 ribs celery sliced into ¼-inch slices
- 1½ pounds fresh green beans trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ head cabbage diced
- 2 zucchini quartered and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1½ pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes washed and quartered
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 28 ounces peeled Roma tomatoes San Marzano recommended (1 can)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 28 ounces water (fill empty tomato can)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons bouquet garni seasoning such as Penzey's
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt such as Lawry's
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Parmesan cheese rind optional
- 5 ounces frozen peas optional
- freshly grated Parmesan or Gruyere cheese optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the butter. When the butter has melted, add the onion, parsnips, carrots, celery and green beans. Cook, covered, 7-8 minutes, stirring after 3½ minutes. Uncover and add the garlic. Cook an additional 30 seconds. The vegetables should be softened, but still have a slight bite.2 tablespoons canola oil, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 yellow onion, 2 parsnips, 4 carrots, 2 ribs celery, 1½ pounds fresh green beans, 2 cloves garlic
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add all remaining ingredients except the garnish ingredients (grated Parmesan and Gruyere cheeses).¼ head cabbage, 2 zucchini, 1½ pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes, 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 28 ounces peeled Roma tomatoes, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 28 ounces water, ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, 2 teaspoons bouquet garni seasoning, 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves, ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons seasoned salt, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 Parmesan cheese rind, 5 ounces frozen peas
- Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until vegetables have softened and the mixture has thickened and reduced to your liking. Remove the remaining Parmesan rind and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Garnish with grated Parmesan or Gruyere and serve with crusty baguette and salad.freshly grated Parmesan or Gruyere cheese
Becky’s Tips
- I know this recipe has a ton of ingredients, but it is oh, so good!!
- Double the recipe. Soups are easy to make in large batches, and are one of the most freezer-friendly dishes around. So, double up on ingredients, grab a larger pot and make two meals instead of one.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Make Vegetable Soup Step by Step
Sauté the Veggies: Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of canola oil. When the oil is hot, add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. When the butter has melted, add 1 chopped yellow onion, 2 peeled and chopped parsnips, 4 peeled and sliced carrots, 2 ribs of sliced celery, and 1½ pounds of trimmed and cut green beans. Cook, covered, 7-8 minutes, stirring after 3½ minutes. Uncover and add 2 cloves of minced garlic. Cook an additional 30 seconds. The vegetables should be softened, but still have a slight bite.
Fil the Pot: In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add ¼ head of diced cabbage, 2 quartered and sliced zucchini, 1½ pounds of washed and quartered baby Yukon gold potatoes, 8 cups of low-sodium chicken broth, 28 ounces (1 large can) of peeled Roma tomatoes, 3 tablespoons of tomato paste, 28 ounces of water (use the tomato can to measure), ¼ cup of chopped fresh parsley, 2 teaspoons of Bouquet Garni, 1 teaspoon of minced fresh rosemary leaves, ⅛ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons of seasoned salt, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, 1 Parmesan cheese rind (optional), and 5 ounces of frozen peas (optional).
Simmer the Soup: Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the vegetables have softened and the mixture has thickened and reduced to your liking. Remove the remaining Parmesan rind and season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with grated Parmesan or Gruyere and serve with crusty baguette and salad.
I’m making this hearty soup this weekend along with some crusty bread, i cant wait!
I am going to try this, it sounds so good just wrote all I need, going to store tonight.
I can’t access the nutritional information. Interested in calories and carbs per serving and what is the size of a serving?
Hi, nutritional information has just been updated!
I have a soup maker could this be made in that
We’ve never used a soup maker, but we don’t see why not!
Sorry, this is a question. What is Bouquet garni?
Bouquet garni is a combination of parsley, thyme, and bay leaf.
The soup was a hit with my family and heated up nicely today for lunch. I only wish the nutrition dropped down worked so I could figure out the calorie count for my food diary.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Katie!
I love love love soups, but I have found that when I froze soups that contained carrots or potatoes, when defrosted they were soft and mushy.