Vegetable Soup
Warm up with a comforting bowl of Vegetable Soup! Packed with hearty veggies, this nutritious dish is perfect for chilly days.
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Total Time 55 minutes mins
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Aromatics and Vegetables:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion 1 medium
- 2 cups peeled and chopped carrots about 5
- 1 1/4 cups chopped celery about 3
- 4 cloves garlic minced
Broth and Tomatoes:
- 4 14.5 oz cans low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes (undrained)
Potatoes and Seasonings:
- 3 cups peeled and 1/2-inch thick diced potatoes from about 3 medium
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Additional Vegetables:
- 1 1/2 cups chopped frozen or fresh green beans
- 1 1/4 cups frozen or fresh corn
- 1 cup frozen or fresh peas
Preparing the Base:
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Add onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 4 minutes, then add garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds.
Adding Ingredients and Simmering:
Add broth, tomatoes, potatoes, parsley, bay leaves, thyme, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Bring to a boil, then add green beans.
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are almost fully tender, about 20-30 minutes.
Incorporating Final Ingredients:
To enhance the flavor, consider incorporating additional dried herbs, such as thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, or Italian seasoning. You can even triple the amount of dried thyme for a more robust taste.
Another excellent option for intensifying the flavor is to use homemade chicken stock or vegetable broth.
For those using fresh corn, an alternative way to add flavor is by including a corn cob (from which the kernels have been removed) in step 3.
To further enrich the taste, simmer a parmesan rind with the soup, removing it along with the bay leaves at the end of cooking.
For an added touch of indulgence, serve each portion with grated parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, if desired.