This is the soup to make when you think you have nothing in the house for dinner. The truth is you probably have enough odds and ends in the vegetable drawers to make a wonderful bowl of simple vegetable soup. Think of the recipe below, featuring cabbage, carrots, onions, and cannellini beans, as a template with some suggestions. Follow the general cooking guidelines, subbing in other vegetables as you like.

Remember to start cooking the harder veggies first and add the more delicate ones towards the end of the cooking time so that everything has just the right amount of time in the pot. Having said that, you’re not going to mess this up — reheated leftovers the next day are fabulous.

I like to serve vegetable soup with some simple homemade quick bread, like biscuits, beer bread, popovers, or Irish soda bread.

This Simple Vegetable Soup is the single most brilliant way to use up what you have in your fridge.

I like to brighten up this soup with a little heat at the end. Whatever you have on hand will do the trick, whether it’s chopped Calabrian chili peppers, a spicy gardieniera mixture or relish, or just some hot sauce.

Vegetable Soup Ingredients

Make any substitutions you like, leave out anything you don’t like or have on hand, and have fun with this recipe!

• Olive oil – Used to sauté the vegetables for a good base of flavor.
• Onion – The base of almost any vegetable soup! Try shallots or leeks instead.
• Carrots – A great pop of orange in this colorful soup.
• Garlic – Mince the garlic finely.
• Cabbage – You can buy prepackaged shredded cabbage, but doing it yourself is easy and even cheaper. Just cut a head of cabbage in half, remove the core, and slice thinly to shred.
• Bell pepper – I like using one yellow and one red bell pepper for variety in color.
• Fennel – Remove the core before chopping. When it’s cooked, the anise flavor of fennel becomes softer and gentler.
• Cannellini beans – Make sure to drain the liquid and rinse them for a cleaner taste.
• Fresh thyme or oregano leaves – Or use a combo of the two herbs.
• Broth – Use vegetable broth for a vegan or vegetarian soup or chicken broth if you’re not concerned about keeping the soup meatless.
• Spicy pepper relish – This is optional, but I love the tangy, spicy flavor it adds.
• Parmesan cheese – Gets sprinkled on top of the soup for a salty, savory finish. Leave out for a vegan soup.
• Orange zest – Gives the dish a final citrus note; also optional.

Variations

This vegetable soup recipe is super flexible, so feel free to play around with the vegetables. For heartier vegetables like potatoes or celeriac, simmer for a few extra minutes. For tender green vegetables, like sliced asparagus or leafy greens, throw them in towards the end so they blanch and soften but don’t overcook.

How to Make Simple Vegetable Soup

1. Sauté: Heat the olive oil in a pot and add in the chopped onions, carrots, and garlic. Cook until wilted, then add the cabbage, bell peppers, and fennel. Season and continue cooking until tender.
2. Simmer: Pour in the cannellini beans and the broth, then bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with spicy pepper relish and cheese, if using. Enjoy!

Leftovers and Storage

This soup will last for 5 days in the fridge. Reheat in a pot over medium heat until hot, or heat in the microwave. The soup can also be frozen in containers for up to 4 months.

What to Serve With Homestyle Vegetable Soup

Ranch Garlic Bread

Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries

More Vegetable Soup Recipes

• Spring Vegetable Soup
• Perfect Summer Gazpacho
• Vegetable Udon Noodle Soup
• Loaded Baked Potato Soup
• Minestrone