As a child I didn’t appreciate Mom’s homemade vegetable soup, but now as an adult I am all about a hearty bowl of vegetable soup and the bigger the bowl the better!This soup recipe is an amped up version of my mother’s healthy vegetable soup with a host of nourishing ingredients like garlic, onions, whole tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, potatoes and chickpeas.Fresh herbs, lime juice, and a good dash of warm spices (turmeric, coriander, and paprika) give this soup a Mediterranean twist. Just add your favorite crusty bread or even pita! Lately, we’ve had it on rotation for soup night along with Cioppino, Greek lentil soup, Minestrone, and Avgolemono soup. Once you learn how to make vegetable soup at home, it will be on your rotation too!
Ingredients for Vegetable Soup
Aside from broth (vegetable, chicken, or bone broth), this easy vegetable soup has two main components: hearty chunky vegetables and flavor makers in the form of fresh herbs, spices and a squeeze of lime. This soup recipe is similar to Italian minestrone soup, minus the pasta. Here’s what you need:
Vegetables
MushroomsZucchiniOnionsGarlicCarrotsCeleryWhole tomatoes: I like to use canned tomatoes because they are easy, add depth and body to the soup.
Legumes
Chickpeas: Canned chickpeas work great here because they are easy and add plant-based protein to our vegetable soup
Flavor Makers
Fresh parsley: I use both the finely chopped parsley stems and the leaves. The stems have more flavor, and I add them earlier in the cooking process. The leaves add color and freshness so I add them later. Spices and dry herbs: a combination of warm spices and dry herbs give this soup depth. I used dry thyme, coriander, turmeric, and sweet paprika.Lime: citrus goes a long way in adding brightness and rounding out the flavor in this soup. I used lime zest and lime juice here, but you can also use lemon, if that’s what you have.
How to Make Homemade Vegetable Soup
Learning how to make homemade vegetable soup is pretty easy. It’s really about cutting vegetables so they cook evenly and adding layers of flavor.
Sauté mushrooms: Toss the mushrooms in a bit of extra virgin olive oil in a large cooking pot. This will help the mushrooms release their moisture and concentrate their natural sugars. Remove the mushrooms and set aside till later. You don’t want them to overcook in the soup.Sauté remaining vegetables and aromatics: In the same pot, sauté finely chopped parsley stems. (We’re building on flavor here!) Add onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and remaining vegetables. Stir in the spices and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 7 minutes, stirring regularly until the veggies soften some. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, and broth: I used canned whole tomatoes and canned chickpeas. Canned tomatoes are already peeled and will add flavor and color to the soup, while the chickpeas add protein. If you don’t have chickpeas, use white or kidney beans in their place. Top it off with vegetable or chicken broth.
Boil and simmer: Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cover part-way. Let the soup happily simmer for about 15 more minutes.Return the mushrooms to the pot and finish: To finish the soup, stir in sautéed mushrooms and fresh parsley leaves, lime zest and lime juice.
Serve: Serve with your favorite crusty bread or piece of pillow focaccia! If you feel like it, add a few toasted pine nuts or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
Ways to Make Vegetable Soup Your Own
Homemade vegetable soup is a great way to use up what veggies you have on hand.Remember that virtually all vegetables will work in an everyday vegetable soup recipe like this one. Vegetable Swaps: Sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, cabbage, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, celery, and even frozen peas, corn and green beans.Legume Swaps: Replace the canned chickpeas with white beans such as navy or cannellini beans or kidney beans. If you typically make chickpeas from dried and have some hanging around you can use those too. You can still use the flavors and spices used in this recipe to give your soup a bold Mediterranean twist.
How to Freeze and Store Soup
Whether you’re keeping this soup in the fridge for a couple of days or freezing it for a rainy day the first step is to cool it to room temperature. Once it’s cool, transfer it to a container you can seal with a lid.To Store: Leftover homemade vegetable soup will last a good 3 to 4 days in the fridge. To Freeze: The liquid in the soup will expand when frozen to leave an inch headspace between the lid and the soup before placing it in the freezer. I prefer to use airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags.
More Vegetable Soup Recipes
Browse all Mediterranean recipes. Visit Our Shop.
Easy Mediterranean Chickpea Soup Recipe
Tuscan Farro Soup with White Beans and Vegetables
Pesto Lemon Orzo Soup Recipe
Tomato Basil Soup
*This post has recently been updated with new information for readers’ benefit.
