Healthy Vegetable Soup (30 Minutes!) - Wholesome Yum (2024)

This healthy vegetable soup recipe is cozy, flavorful, fast, and easy! Make it in 30 minutes with veggies, broth, diced tomatoes, and spices.

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Skip the bland canned stuff… this healthy vegetable soup recipe is packed with savory flavor from fresh produce, broth, and herbs! Although I love to make hearty, meaty soups like cabbage hamburger soup, a vegetable beef soup, and Mexican chicken soup, this is the best vegetable soup recipe to lean on when you want something light that balances flavor and simplicity. I’ll show you how to make it with your favorite in-season ingredients to warm you up from the inside out (all in just over half an hour). Plus, it’s so easy to customize!

Why You’ll Love My Healthy Vegetable Soup Recipe

• Light, but big on flavor – Veggies with savory, herby tomato broth? It’s the best of both worlds.
• Simple ingredients – You’ll find everything you need at any grocery store, and possibly even in your refrigerator. Best of all, it’s easy to customize with whatever you have on hand. I often make this recipe for vegetable soup when I want to clean out my fridge!
• Fast to make – I love that I can whip it up in just 30 minutes on busy weeknights.
• Fits many healthy lifestyles – It uses fresh ingredients (lots of veggies, of course!), plus it’s naturally gluten-free and low carb.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for homemade vegetable soup, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

Vegetable soup recipes are a blank canvas, so you can add almost anything. Here are the basic components that you can customize based on your preferences and what you have on hand:

• Broth – I use reduced-sodium store-bought or homemade chicken broth, but you can use vegetable broth to make this healthy vegetable soup recipe both vegetarian and vegan. If that’s not important, you can also make your own homemade bone broth.
• Vegetables – The version I make most often includes onions, bell peppers, minced garlic (fresh or jarred), cauliflower, green beans, and canned diced tomatoes. But I’ve also made it with other veggies, like kale or spinach (or throw in some leftover sauteed kale or sauteed spinach), zucchini, cabbage, broccoli, or sliced celery ribs… fresh or frozen! If you’re including greens, add them toward the end of cooking the soup.
• Starches – I didn’t include any to keep this soup light, but to make it more hearty, you can add potatoes, corn kernels, butternut squash, carrots, beans (like chickpeas or white beans), corn, or green peas. Cut larger veggies into bite-sized pieces.
• Seasonings – Aside from the obvious salt and pepper, I add Italian seasoning, because it tastes great and saves time getting out multiple seasoning containers. If you don’t have any, you can use any combination of dried herbs you like, such as basil, rosemary, thyme, parsley, oregano, marjoram, or tarragon. If you prefer to use fresh herbs, triple the amount, as their flavor is less concentrated. I like to throw in some dried bay leaves for flavor as well.

How To Make Vegetable Soup

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. Saute the aromatics. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Saute the onions and bell peppers until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
2. Add the vegetables. Add the cauliflower, green beans, diced tomatoes, broth, seasonings, and bay leaves, if using. Stir to combine.

3. Simmer. Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the veggies are tender.
4. Serve. Remove the bay leaves, ladle into bowls, and enjoy! Sometimes I like to serve this healthy vegetable soup with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese or fresh parsley.

Storage Tips

• Store: Keep the soup covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Meal prep: I like to cut the vegetables ahead of time, because it cooking this healthy vegetable soup recipe is a breeze! Store them in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can also make the entire soup ahead. It’s so comforting and convenient to reheat for lunch!
• Reheat: Warm on the stovetop, or in the microwave, until warm.
• Freeze: Cool to room temperature, then pour into airtight zip top bags. Lay flat in the freezer until solid, and after that you can move them upright to save space if needed. Thaw in the fridge overnight (in a container or pot to be safe, in case it leaks!).

More Homemade Vegetable Soup Recipes

Need more healthy veggie soup recipes? Try my other homemade chill chasers, or find my other healthy soups here:

This Dutch oven is my go-to! It’s sturdy, heats evenly, and looks pretty going straight to the table.