Hearty Vegetable Soup (Printable)
Hearty vegetable soup with potatoes, zucchini, green beans and spinach—ready in 55 minutes.
# 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 fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
# Directions:
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 to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
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 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all vegetables are fork-tender.
06 - Stir in 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 if needed. Ladle into bowls, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, and serve hot.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It forgives almost any substitution, so you can use whatever is wilting in your crisper drawer without guilt.
- The broth develops a richness that tastes like it simmered all day, but you barely need an hour.
02 -
- Cutting all vegetables to a similar size ensures nothing turns to mush while waiting for larger pieces to cook through.
- Adding the spinach any earlier than the final two minutes will turn it an unappetizing olive color and destroy its delicate texture.
03 -
- Tossing a parmesan rind into the broth while simmering adds a savory umami depth that transforms the soup, just remove it before serving.
- A half cup of cooked white beans or small pasta stirred in at the end turns this from a side dish into a genuinely filling meal.