Homemade Fresh Vegetable Soup
The best easy, healthy, delicious recipe for Homemade Fresh Vegetable Soup made with a few basic pantry staples and whatever fresh veggies you have on hand. Be sure to check the comments for all the terrific reader suggestions and reviews!
This soup is a staple in our house. It is my favorite way to use up all the little scraps of veggies hanging around in my crisper drawers. I have a bad habit of binge-buying all the pretty produce and then find myself in a total panic when I feel like stuff might start to go bad because ACK! I really hate waste.
Also I have so many happy memories attached to eating vegetable soup as a kid. It was canned, of course. Because I think in the 80's cooking with fresh produce was not as stylish as cooking from a can. Or a box. Considering the 80's were also a time that split ends and spandex were high style though, I think I am glad that my food and fashion have both progressed.
This homemade soup recipe is super basic and you can go lots of different ways with it, depending on what you have handy in your fridge.
So if your neighbor unloads a big bucket of summer squash on you, no worries! This fresh vegetable soup will totally solve that problem for you (and so will these summer squash recipes!).
I used organic canned tomatoes in my soup, but if you are one of those way-cooler-than-me people that cans your own tomatoes, please use those in this recipe. Also can I have a jar? Canning scares me.
Okay so here's the deal: Like I said, I made this soup recipe REALLY basic. The vegetables I used were all fresh and sort of mimic those included in a regular can of soup. Potatoes, onion, corn, green beans, carrots, peas - so much good stuff! But this is just a recipe meant for you to build on. Be sure to check the comments for reader reviews and suggestions for things to add!
This is one of those meals I make when I haven't thawed anything, I don't feel like doing too much, and everyone is hungry so we need food fast. It's also one of those meals I make when I haven't been to the grocery store in a week and a half and I'm just trying to use up the staples and bits of stuff hanging around. Soup is really good for that. Not enough corn for everyone? Add it to soup. Only have a handful of peas? SOUP.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion. chopped
- ½ cup carrots, peeled and chopped
- ¼ cup celery, chopped
- 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes (if you have your own canned tomatoes, GREAT!)
- 2 cups potatoes, scrubbed and diced
- 3 cups stock (vegetable, chicken, or beef)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup fresh sweet corn (you can use frozen if that's what you have available)
- 1 cup fresh sweet peas (frozen is fine)
- ½ cup fresh green beans, cut, ends snipped (frozen is fine)
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and cook for about 2 minutes, until translucent. Then add the carrots and celery. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes.
- Pour in the canned tomatoes and add the potatoes. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Pour in the stock. Bring it to a simmer. Add the salt and pepper {see notes} and continue cooking for about 8 minutes.
- Add the corn, peas, and green beans. Continue cooking until all the vegetables are tender (check the potatoes).
- Serve hot!
- This is amazing re-heated and tastes good for days!
If you'd like to make your soup in the slow cooker, try this recipe:
If Minestrone is your thing (it is SO my thing!) you should definitely try this recipe:
Made this several months ago and am making it again tonight. Delicious and easy to make. Even better the next day. If you are not vegetarian you can throw in some shredded chicken.
Thank you Grenelda! That makes me so happy! I love hearing back from people that have tried my recipes!
I did add a can of tomato sauce, fresh garlic, fresh oregano 1st time (dried 2nd), fresh parsley 1st (dried 2nd) and added a dash or Worchestshire sauce for a rich flavor boost.
Sounds great! Thanks so much Tudy!
Can you please add nurtritional information about your recipes? I'm looking at the veg soup, looks great but would like more details, like nutritianal numbers.
Hi Tatiana! I wish I could, but I don't provide nutritional information on purpose and I'll tell you why -- the range of products used for each recipe can vary SO vastly I don't think I would feel comfortable offering even ballpark figures, but I'll tell you what I do for myself personally. I use a calorie-counting app that lets me enter what I'm cooking, brands and all! It's free and is specific to what I normally use and keep in my own kitchen. My Fitness Pal is a good one but there are lots of options so I feel like you can definitely find one that works for you. Let me know if you have any other questions!
This was SO good that I am making another double batch...2nd time in 2 weeks. Thank you for an easy, delicious, healthy soup!
Yay! That comment made me so happy! Glad you've enjoyed the soup Tudy!
This soup looks fabulous! I'm putting this on my "When I admit fall is here" list. Love all the veggies!
The last 2 days have felt like anything but fall. It is SO HOOOOOT.
Mmmmm, I love soup! I have to admit I haven't been making it as much, I've been enjoying taking advantage of the fresh soups you can buy here because I couldn't get them in Spain, but soon I'll be back to making them myself again - once the novelty has worn off!
It seems like just yesterday we were talking about wanting summery things and now it's soupy fall! I'm excited about your move & new location, though!
Oh yum!!! I'm a big soup fan that's for sure!!!!! This looks delicious!!!! The weather has been cool and crisp here too, so the best!!!!
Hurray for fall!
I'm going to need a recipe like this in a few months...so scared about the east coast winter heading our way!
Looks delicious Heather.
You are going to LOVE seasons. I can't imagine life without 'em. Fall is THE BEST.
I'm so ready for soup season!!! This reminds me of the soup my mom would make for me as a kid! Now I'll get to make it for my own kids!
I am totally craving soup weather. And halloween. But that's a whole other thing.
Hope you'll try the soup! Thanks Tanya!
OK I am SO jealous of your cool, crisp morning! Bring some of that over to Texas, girl! You can make it up to me with some of this soup. 😉
It's been cool here all weekend! I am loving it.
I love fall weather. I can cook and bake. It is definately getting cooler out. This recipe looks great. I myself have a lot of zucchini, so I baked it in bread and roasted with other veggies & added noodles & that was really good, Now I am waiting for my tomatoes. Any day now. ---Rachel
Fall weather is my FAVORITE!!! I'm majorly excited. This soup could use some zucchini!!
Even though it's not yet Fall here in GA I've been making this recipe for the past two weeks. It's easy, delicious and low budget! I just wanted to thank you for posting such a delicious dish its my go to soup.
Thank you so much Brittany! I really appreciate the feedback 🙂
does people not know what fresh veggies are anymore, they are not out of a can, wasn't canned last summer, fresh is right out of the garden
I love soups even in the summer, and this one looks great.
Thanks so much, George!! Hope you'll try it!