Food & Cooking Recipes Soups, Stews & Stocks Soup Recipes Customizable Vegetable Soup 5.0 (1) Add your rating & review Every cook needs an easy, delicious vegetable soup that they can make with any vegetables they have on hand. By Sarah Carey Sarah Carey Sarah is the food content director for Martha Stewart Brand and a freelance food editor, recipe developer, and food stylist working in NYC. Previously she was the food director for Martha Stewart Living magazine, and the editor-in-chief of Everyday Food. You can see her thousands of fun and informative cooking videos on the Everyday Food YouTube channel. Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 27, 2023 Rate PRINT Share Prep Time: 35 mins Total Time: 50 mins Yield: 10 cups If there's food more suited for cold weather than a steaming pot of vegetable soup, we have yet to find it. But too many of the versions out there are bland and uninspiring, with limp, insipid vegetables. That's why we came up with this handy choose-your-own-adventure formula. No matter what type of vegetables you use, it yields a big batch of soup that's full of flavor and texture. It's the kind of nourishing meal that the whole family will be happy to eat all season long, especially if served alongside a couple of crostini. Follow our recipe and general guidelines below, and remember, don't stress—soup is as forgiving as it is versatile. Use vegetable broth or water to make this recipe vegetarian, and omit the Parmesan to make it vegan. Marcus Nilsson 27 Quick Soup Recipes That Are Ready in 45 Minutes or Less Ingredients 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 cup chopped onion or other allium (leeks, shallots, scallions) 1 tablespoon minced garlic (from 3 cloves) ¾ cup diced carrot ½ cup diced celery Kosher salt 1 teaspoon dried oregano or thyme (or 2 to 3 sprigs fresh), optional 1 tablespoon tomato paste, optional 1 Parmesan rind (optional), plus finely grated Parmesan for serving 2 cups peeled and diced hard, starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, parsnips, turnips, or squashes 8 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, or water 1 to 2 cups quick-cooking vegetables cut into bite-size pieces, such as green beans, broccoli, zucchini, peas, and/or corn 1 cup cooked rice, pasta, or canned chickpeas or other beans or legumes 1 to 2 cups chopped leafy greens, such as spinach, arugula, kale, or Swiss chard Fresh herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley or basil, for serving Simple Crostini, for serving Directions Saute aromatics: In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. Season with salt and cook, stirring, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Deepen the base: Stir in oregano or thyme and/or tomato paste or Parmesan rind. Marcus Nilsson Choose your liquid: Pour in 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water. Marcus Nilsson Add starchy vegetables: Stir in hard, starchy vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. Marcus Nilsson Add vegetables: Stir in quick-cooking vegetables. Return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 5 minutes more. If using frozen vegetables, such as peas or corn, skip this step and add them in the next step. Marcus Nilsson Add rice and greens: Stir in rice, pasta, or canned chickpeas or other beans or legumes, and greens. Heat through. Adjust seasoning with salt as desired. Marcus Nilsson Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with Parmesan and herbs. Serve with crostini. Marcus Nilsson To Freeze the Soup Let cool, then ladle into resealable plastic bags. Freeze flat on a cookie tray, then stack horizontally. More Vegetable Soup Recipes Vegetable-Bean Soup Everyday Vegetable Soup Hearty Winter Vegetable Soup Spring Vegetable Soup 30 Vegetable Casserole Recipes That Are Guaranteed Crowd-Pleasers Originally appeared: Martha Stewart Living, September 2018 Rate It PRINT