Nothing is better than a pot of cozy soup and this is a favorite.

Hearty and healthy, this vegetable soup recipe has a rainbow of vegetables, including carrots, cabbage and zucchini, cooked in a flavorful broth.

Naturally low in fat and calories, it’s the perfect lunch, snack, or starter!

bowls of Vegetable Soup Recipe

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A Feel Good Vegetable Soup Recipe

  • Quick & Delicious: This veggie soup recipe is fast to prepare and it’s both delicious and healthy!
  • Low Cal & Low Carb: Since it’s so veggie packed, it’s filling and low in calories (only 52 calories per 1 cup). It’s 0 points if you follow Weight Watchers, it’s low carb and keto friendly too!
  • Versatile: Add the veggies listed below or your own favorite vegetables.

Ingredients in Vegetable Soup

This is the ultimate soup for any kind of add-in. It will still turn out perfect!

Broth or Stock – We use either beef broth or chicken broth but you can use any homemade stock or broth or vegetable broth if you prefer.

Veggies – A variety of vegetables make this soup fun and flavorful. The cabbage adds bulk and fills your belly. If you’re not a fan of cabbage, you can most certainly substitute kale or spinach. Keep in mind that kale will add more bulk and spinach will shrink down quite a bit.

  • Low Carb Veggies: Cabbage, beans, cauliflower, bell peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, celery
  • Starchy Veggies: Carrots, potatoes or sweet potatoes (may need longer to cook), corn, green peas.

Add your favorite seasonings. Minced garlic, bay leaves, fresh thyme, and basil add a subtle flavor to the soup that complements the vegetables. Optional additions include red pepper flakes or a squeeze of lemon juice.

cabbage , beans , cauliflower , broth , carrots , tomatoes , onion , zucchini , peppers and seasonings to make Vegetable Soup Recipe with ;one;s

More Soup-er Add-Ins

Homemade vegetable soup is so versatile!

  • Protein: Add fresh or leftover proteins like chicken, ground beef, or sausage.
  • Legumes: Keep it vegetarian and add white beans, chickpeas, or your favorite cooked/canned beans.
  • Grains: Hearty grains like barley or pasta like rotini, shells, or fun bowties will also make this a new dish every time!
Vegetable Soup in a pot

How to Make Vegetable Soup

Homemade vegetable soup is perfect for make-ahead lunches or batch cooking. I learned to make this healthy soup recipe years ago and it’s always a staple in our kitchen.

  1. Cook garlic & onion according to the recipe below.
  2. Cook the firmer vegetables until tender. Add the broth and seasonings.
  3. The softer vegetables and & simmer. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Serving Suggestion: Serve soup with a sprinkle of fresh parmesan cheese or a small dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.

veggies in a pot for Vegetable Soup
veggies in a pot before being cooked for Vegetable Soup

Storing Veggie Soup

If you’re trying to cut calories it’s perfect to have in your fridge ready to enjoy when you need a healthy snack or a quick meal!

This soup reheats well so mix up a big batch and enjoy it throughout the week!

Keep vegetable soup in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze chilled soup in zippered bags or a freezer-safe container for up to 4 months. Reheat or thaw directly on the stovetop.

Vegetable Soup in a pot with a ladle

More Veggie Packed Soups

Did you make this Vegetable Soup? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below! 

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text
plated Vegetable Soup Recipe
4.95 from 415 votes
Author Holly Nilsson

Vegetable Soup Recipe

Author Holly Nilsson
Servings 12 servings
This Vegetable Soup recipe is one of our favorites. Loaded with veggies and naturally low in fat and calories, it’s the perfect lunch, snack, or starter!
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Servings 12 servings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
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Equipment

Ingredients  

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil or butter
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 cups chopped green cabbage approximately ¼ head of cabbage
  • 1 cup diced carrot
  • 1 cup green beans cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 bell peppers red, yellow, or green, chopped
  • 2 cups cauliflower florets or broccoli florets
  • 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juices, 1 can
  • 6 cups reduced sodium beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • black pepper to taste
  • 2 cups sliced zucchini

Instructions 

  • In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the cabbage, carrots, & green beans and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
  • Stir in bell peppers, cauliflower, undrained tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, bay leaves, and seasonings. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce to a simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Add in zucchini, simmer an additional 5 minutes or until softened.
  • Remove bay leaves before serving.

Video

Notes

Add any type of vegetables you’d like. Quick-cooking veggies like spinach and zucchini should be added at the end of cooking.
To make a hearty meal, add in cooked protein before serving such as shredded chicken or ground beef. Whole-grain pasta or rice can be added to each serving as well.
Optional flavor additions include: replace the dried herbs with Italian seasoning, a few dashes of hot sauce, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, or fresh herbs. 
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze the cooled soup in individual portions for up to 4 months. Reheat or thaw directly on the stovetop.
Slow Cooker:  Cook onions in a skillet with a bit of oil. Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours or until veggies are tender. Remove bay leaves before serving.
Instant Pot: Cook onions using the saute function. Add all ingredients to the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes, naturally release for 5 minutes. Remove bay leaves before serving.
4.95 from 415 votes

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 52 | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 268mg | Potassium: 646mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2650IU | Vitamin C: 55mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Diet Vegetarian

© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.

plated Vegetable Soup Recipe with a title
pot full of Vegetable Soup Recipe with a title
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Vegetable Soup Recipe in the pot and plated with writing

This is NOT medical advice. This recipe is provided for informational purposes and enjoyment only.  Eating this soup doesn’t guarantee weight loss.  Before starting any weight loss program, be sure to consult your doctor.

NOTE: Nutritional information is auto-generated and is based on the quantities, amounts, and brands of products I used in this recipe.  Actual amounts may vary based on your preparation and the products used.  For informational purposes only, this is not medical information or advice.

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
See more posts by Holly

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4.95 from 415 votes (299 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. I LOVE this soup! I will cube up a sirloin and add it to the soup just for extra protein.( I cook my sirloin alone first) I dont care for bay leave so I will leave it out, but I will add extra garlic and add Cayenne pepper just 1/4 teaspoon. But if you like it hotter then add more. Its a hearty soup!

    Reply

  2. I switched out the beef broth for chicken broth, decided to do 4 c. of zucchini instead of half broccoli, and used purple cabbage and I’m obsessed!!! Soooo good!5 stars

    Reply

  3. Just made this tonight & it’s delicious!!! I used spinach instead of cabbage. Although I’d love to meet the person who could chop up all those veggies in 10 minutes!! 5 stars

    Reply

  5. What exactly is the calorie count per serving on this weight loss vegetable soup assuming 1 serving is 1 cup?

    Reply

    1. The approximate nutritional information is below the recipe and is for 1 cup of soup. Enjoy the recipe Bill!

      NUTRITION INFORMATION Calories: 41, Sodium: 265mg, Potassium: 498mg, Carbohydrates: 7g, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Protein: 3g, Vitamin A: 46.4%, Vitamin C: 59.7%, Calcium: 3.7%, Iron: 4.5%
      (Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)

      Reply

  8. Really great recipe! Very fulling!! I made it last week and had for lunch and dinner about 3 times during the week and ended up losing 2 lbs!5 stars

    Reply

  10. I LOVE THIS SOUP! I make it roughly as written, but add any lower carb veggies I have lying around, like more green beans, etc. Sometimes I throw in turkey meat balls, a can of beans, or shredded chicken for more protein, or tomatoes with chiles, for extra kick, or some frozen mixed veggies for variety.

    It is so good that even my kids love it. It is so good that I like to eat it for breakfast!

    “It is so-o-o good, so good for thee, try it, try it, you will see!” (with apologies to Dr. Seuss)

    And no problem to eat 2 servings, as it’s so low in calories, and very healthy and filling.5 stars

    Reply

  11. Hi I’m wondering why it says it has 14 servings and 1 being approx.1 cup per serving but there are only 6 cups of liquid and the liquid from the canned tomatoes, is this just a really hearty veg soup without much broth? Am I missing something?

    Reply

    1. Hi! The serving size includes the vegetables and other ingredients in the soup, not just the liquid. Hope this helps!

      Reply

  12. A great bowl of vegetable soup! I love cabbage so that definitely went in the pot but only used one red pepper and not two. Added lemon pepper along with freshly ground black pepper and petite diced tomatoes. Had a bowl of this for lunch for a couple days and it did fill me up so I wasnt snacking after breakfast and before supper. Not sure if I lost any weight but it sure was good. Made and reviewed for the What’s On The Menu recipe tag game.5 stars

    Reply

  13. I tried this soup recomended from my friend and is Awsome .I can eat it before any meal and im losing a lot of weight5 stars

    Reply

  18. Could this be a slow cooker soup? I have made it and lived the flavor, some of the veggies were still a little crisp for how I usually like my soups. I was wondering if throwing everything in the crock pot for 3-4hrs on low might make for more tender veggies?

    Reply

    1. I haven’t tried this in the slow cooker however I’m sure it would work just fine. I would suggest adding the zucchini and broccoli about 30 minutes before serving so they don’t get mushy. Other readers have made it in the crock pot with success!

      Reply