Easy Homemade Vegetable Soup is a light, simple soup made with carrots, onion, garlic, cabbage, green beans, zucchini, tomato paste, basil, oregano, and broth. It is quick enough for a weeknight and flexible enough to work with vegetable, chicken, or beef broth depending on what you have on hand.
Why This Vegetable Soup Is Useful
This is the kind of soup that works when you want something warm without a long ingredient list or hours of simmering. The carrots, onion, and garlic cook first, while the cabbage and green beans simmer in broth until tender. Zucchini goes in at the end because it cooks much faster than the other vegetables.
Use vegetable broth if you want a vegetarian version. Chicken or beef broth will give the soup a different savory flavor, so choose whichever best fits the rest of your meal.
Ingredient Notes
- Cabbage: It softens considerably as it simmers and gives the soup more body.
- Green beans: Add them with the cabbage so they have enough time to become tender.
- Zucchini: Add it only during the final few minutes so it keeps some texture.
- Tomato paste: A small amount adds color and tomato depth without turning this into a heavy tomato soup.
- Broth: Vegetable broth keeps the recipe vegetarian; chicken or beef broth can be used for a richer flavor.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup sliced carrots
- 1/2 cup diced onions
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups fat-free broth, beef, chicken, or vegetable
- 1 1/2 cups diced green cabbage
- 1/2 cup green beans
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup diced zucchini
How to Make Easy Homemade Vegetable Soup
- Lightly coat a large saucepan with nonstick cooking spray and place it over low to medium-low heat.
- Add the carrots, onions, and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the broth, cabbage, green beans, tomato paste, basil, oregano, and salt. Stir well and bring the soup to a boil.
- Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the green beans and cabbage are tender.
- Stir in the zucchini and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, just until tender.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving warm.
Easy Variations
You can use this recipe as a base for other vegetables that need using up. Diced celery, corn, peas, or chopped spinach can all work, but add quick-cooking vegetables near the end so they do not become mushy.
If you want a more filling soup, serve it with crusty bread or add cooked beans. Keep in mind that adding pasta or rice will absorb more of the broth as the soup sits.
Storage and Reheating
Store cooled vegetable soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Reheat it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot.
More Vegetable-Filled Recipes
Try Vegetable Cabbage Soup with Tomato Juice, Vegetable Beef Soup, or Whole Roasted Cauliflower. You can also browse more easy soup recipes.
