Garden Vegetable Soup Recipe (2024)

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This garden vegetable soup is what delicious cozy dreams are made of. It’s adaptable to be made with different seasonal veggies, pasta or grains. An easy and hearty wintery Minestrone from scratch just like grandma used to make. Meatless, healthy, comforting and naturally vegan.

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Garden Vegetable Soup

This delicious homemade soup gets its rich flavor base from toasted fennel seeds, rosemary and thyme cooked together in one pot in a hearty tomato broth. The flavor combination is simply the best, however the idea here is to use up your garden vegetable bounty so feel free to riff on the base recipe with what is available and in season.

Ingredient Notes + Tips

  • Aromatics – Start with a sweet and savory flavor base from onion, carrot and bell pepper. Cook them down until they start to get some color and intensify their flavor. Build on with woodsy herbs like rosemary, thyme and bay for a burst of flavor in every spoonful.
  • Fennel Seeds – Toasted fennel seeds together with garlic and capers give the soup its deep savory profile and make it taste like a rich “sausage” soup that is clean and totally vegan. It’s so good!
  • Tomatoes – Choose sweet Italian diced tomatoes with all the juices for the most delicious broth.
  • Fennel Bulb Substitute – If you can’t find or simply don’t fancy fennel you can swap it for two cups of shredded cabbage or four celery ribs. The flavor will be slightly different but you will make up for the volume and heartiness of the soup. Fresh fennel has a mild flavor and is absolutely divine in a soup.
  • Pasta – Cook it directly in the soup to absorb tons of flavor and naturally thicken the broth with its starches. Use your favorite short shape pasta here: whole grain, gluten free, vegan tortellini or even mini ravioli would be delicious. Alternatively you can use barley, quinoa, small diced potatoes and even dumplings (I used Italian couscous).
  • Vegetables variation– To make the soup even heartier and more of a stew you can add in a can of cannellini / kidney beans or green peas. Depending on the season you can make use of shredded zucchini, turnips, fresh or frozen green beans like I did in this Summer Vegetable Soup. Work with the seasons.
  • Greens – Some freshly chopped parsley brightens up the soup nicely but basil would be really lovely and any dark leafy greens will boost the micronutrient profile. Kale, baby spinach, collard greens even bok choy, go wild!

Make Ahead + Storage

This is a great make ahead recipe. As the soup sits in the fridge all the flavors get to mingle and marry overnight and simply taste better as time passes. Refrigerate in airtight glass containers up to 6 days and only reheat what you are going to eat. If desired the soup can also be frozen in individual portions in freezer proof containers. Must thaw out in the fridge before reheating.

Serving Suggestions

  • Garlic Bread
  • Vegan Crusty Bread or Focaccia
  • Potato Flatbread
  • Drizzled with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
  • Dinner Rolls + Vegan Biscuits
  • OverMashed Potatoes
  • Rice Pilaf
  • Fluffy Focaccia.

Plant Based Soups

  • Vegan Zuppa Toscana
  • Vegan White Bean Soup
  • Creamy Root Vegetable Soup
  • Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
  • Vegan Noodle Soup
  • Chickpea Stew
  • Carrot Ginger Coconut Soup
  • Cabbage Stew
  • Black Bean Soup
  • Vegan Potato Soup.

how to make garden vegetable soup

Garden Vegetable Soup Recipe (7)

5 from 1 vote

Garden Vegetable Soup

This garden vegetable soup is what delicious cozy dreams are made of. It's adaptable to be made with different seasonal veggies, pasta or grains. An easy and hearty wintery Minestrone from scratch just like grandma used to make. Meatless, naturally vegan, healthy and comforting.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat a heavy bottom soup pot over medium heat. Sautee the onion with a pinch of salt in a light drizzle of olive oil or until softened. (Use water for Plantricious + WFPB diets).

    1 yellow onion

  • Add the carrot, fennel or cabbage and bell pepper. Stir well and cook a few minutes until the veggies begin to get some color.

    1 carrot, 1 red bell pepper, 1 fennel bulb

  • Push the veggie to the side and add drizzle a drop of oil in the center of the pot. Add the fennel seeds, garlic and capers and cook until fragrant (careful not to burn the garlic).

    4 garlic cloves, 1 Tbsp fennel seeds, 2 Tbsp capers

  • Add the canned tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, bay and water. Bring to a simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for a good 25 minutes to concentrate the flavors.

    2 sprigs rosemary, 2 bay leaves, 28 oz can diced Italian tomatoes, 8 cups water, 8 sprigs fresh thyme

  • Season the soup to taste with salt, pepper and chili flakes. Bring to a boil and add the pasta. Cook until al dente and remove from heat.

    S + P to taste, 1 cup short shape pasta

  • Add the parsley or any dark leafy greens of your choosing. Serve with garlic bread.

    1/2 cup Italian parsley

WFPB + Plantricious

  • For compliance make sure to omit all oil, sauté in water or veggie stock and use a whole grain pasta.

    Garden Vegetable Soup Recipe (8)

Notes

  • Aromatics - Start with a sweet and savory flavor base from onion, carrot and bell pepper. Cook them down until they start to get some color and intensify their flavor.
  • Fennel Seeds - Toasted fennel seeds together with garlic and capers give the soup its deep savory profile and make it taste like a rich "sausage" soup that is clean and totally vegan. It's so good!
  • Tomatoes - Choose sweet Italian diced tomatoes with all the juices for the most delicious broth.
  • Fennel Bulb Substitute - If you can't find or simply don't fancy fennel you can swap it for two cups of shredded cabbage or four celery ribs. The flavor will be slightly different but you will make up for the volume and heartiness of the soup. Fresh fennel has a mild flavor and is absolutely divine in a soup.
  • Pasta - Cook it directly in the soup to absorb tons of flavor and naturally thicken the broth. Use your favorite short shape pasta here: whole grain, gluten free, vegan tortellini or even mini ravioli would be delicious. Alternatively you can use barley, quinoa, small diced potatoes and even dumplings (I used Italian couscous.
  • Vegetables variation- To make the soup even heartier and more of a stew you can add in a can of cannellini / kidney beans or green peas. Depending on the season you can make use of shredded zucchini, turnips, fresh or frozen green beans like I did in this Summer Vegetable Soup. Work with the seasons.
  • Greens - Some freshly chopped parsley brightens up the soup nicely but basil would be nice any dark leafy greens will compliment this soup well. Kale, baby spinach, collard greens even bok choy, go wild!

Nutrition

Calories: 53kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 247mg | Potassium: 517mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2356IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 2mg

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: garden vegetable soup

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 53kcal

Author: Florentina

Garden Vegetable Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How can I get more Flavour in my vegetable soup? ›

Dried herbs and seasonings: homemade seasoned salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and dried bay leaves lend flavor to the soup.

How do you add depth of flavor to vegetable soup? ›

A squeeze of citrus, a dollop of yogurt or a drizzle of cream, a dusting of cheese or a good chile powder, a sprinkling of some herbs or croutons — all can take a perfectly fine soup into the realm of the delectable. Even a spiral of good olive oil to finish and some coarse sea salt can do wonders.

How to season bland vegetable soup? ›

How can I make bland vegetable soup taste better? Depending on your taste pallet, you can boost your soup in a variety of directions. Onion powder, garlic powder, garlic salt, Italian seasonings, Mexican seasonings (or any other cultures). Don't overcook your vegetables, either.

What seasonings are good in vegetable soup? ›

Black pepper, ginger, garlic, coriander are some spices/herbs that go well in vegetable soup.

Why does my vegetable soup have no flavor? ›

If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl.

How do you fix tasteless vegetable soup? ›

To completely change the taste of your veggie soup, add a little shredded cheese (or a lot of cheese) when serving -- different cheese, different taste!! My veg soup recipe calls for Italian Seasoning. It's not a hot spicy just a flavorful spicey.

What is the flavorful liquid that adds more flavor to a vegetable meal? ›

A stock is a very flavorful liquid that is made by gently cooking bones and other ingredients such as vegetables in a liquid.

How do you thicken garden vegetable soup? ›

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

What can I add to soup to give it more flavor? ›

Add herbs and spices.

You can also go with more heat and spices. "Ground paprika, turmeric, nutmeg, ground ginger, and other powdered spices add a touch of color and spiciness to broths," she says. As a general rule, use fresh herbs at or near the end of cooking and dried herbs and spices early on.

What can I add to soup for extra Flavour? ›

Herbs: Fresh chives, thyme, or cilantro stirred in just before serving. Spices: Your soup is probably salty enough, but what about simmering a bay leaf in there for a while (don't forget to remove it before serving)? Depending on the soup's flavor profile, you could shake in some cumin or red pepper flakes.

What is the key to flavorful soup? ›

All soups and stews must have three major components in order to be tasty: an undercurrent liquid, aromatics, and volumizing ingredients.

What enhances the flavor of most vegetables? ›

5 Ways to Add More Flavor to Any Vegetable Dish
  • Lemon Juice. Lemon is just the best flavor enhancer that there is. ...
  • Fresh Herbs. If you don't have a few pots on your windowsill with fresh herbs, you can buy bunches of them in the supermarket. ...
  • Turmeric and dried spices. ...
  • Sauces.
Oct 22, 2018

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