Vegetable Soup Hearty & Fresh (Printable)
Hearty, vegetable-packed broth with potatoes, zucchini, green beans and spinach, seasoned with thyme and basil.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, chopped
06 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
07 - 1 zucchini, diced
08 - 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
09 - 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
10 - 1 cup peeled and diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
11 - 1 cup baby spinach leaves
→ Liquids & Seasonings
12 - 6 cups vegetable broth
13 - 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
14 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
15 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
16 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
17 - 1 bay leaf
18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic; sauté until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
02 - Add the sliced carrots, chopped celery, and diced potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Stir in the diced zucchini, green beans, corn kernels, and diced tomatoes. Pour in the vegetable broth and stir to combine.
04 - Add salt, black pepper, dried thyme, dried basil, and the bay leaf. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
05 - Simmer uncovered for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all vegetables are fork-tender.
06 - Add the baby spinach leaves and cook for an additional 2 minutes until wilted. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
07 - Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as needed. Ladle into bowls, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, and serve hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It adapts to whatever vegetables you have lingering in your crisper drawer, so nothing goes to waste.
- The broth develops a surprisingly rich depth from simple dried herbs and a long, unhurried simmer.
- It freezes beautifully, which means future you will be incredibly grateful when a cold evening arrives.
02 -
- If you add the spinach too early it will turn an unappetizing olive color, so always wait until the final two minutes.
- Tossing a parmesan rind into the broth while it simmers adds an incredible savory depth that no one can quite identify but everyone loves.
03 -
- Dice all your vegetables to roughly the same size so they cook at the same rate and every spoonful feels balanced.
- Let the soup rest off the heat for ten minutes before serving because that brief pause allows the broth to thicken slightly and the flavors to settle together.