Hearty Garden Vegetable Soup

This hearty garden vegetable soup is packed with colorful vegetables and simple whole-food ingredients. Thick, chunky, and full of flavor, it’s an easy way to enjoy a wide variety of vegetables in one satisfying bowl.

This is one of those soups I come back to again and again. I make it throughout the year using a mix of vegetables from my Tower Garden, raised bed, local CSA, or the grocery store, depending on what I have available.

My husband has become an especially big fan and has told me more than once that he could happily eat this soup every week. I have to agree with him! I love that it’s flexible enough to change with the seasons or with whatever vegetables I have on hand.

I usually make the soup without beans and add them to individual bowls when I want to make it a heartier meal.

Watch How Easy It Is to Make

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Packed with vegetables. Every bowl includes a colorful mix of vegetables along with leafy greens.

• Thick and hearty. Six cups of broth gives this soup the thick, chunky consistency we love, but you can easily add more broth if you prefer.

• Easy to adapt. Change the vegetables based on the season or simply use what you already have.

• Great for meal prep. It makes about six generous servings and reheats well throughout the week.

• Freezer friendly. Make a pot now and freeze some for another day.

Hearty Garden Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 carrots, sliced

• 2 celery stalks, sliced

• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced

• 1–2 zucchini, chopped

• 2 cups cauliflower florets

• 1 cup fresh or frozen green beans, cut into bite-sized pieces

• 1 can (14–15 ounces) no-salt-added or low-sodium diced tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• ½ teaspoon ground coriander

• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt, optional, or to taste

• 2–3 cups chopped leafy greens, such as kale, tatsoi, spinach, or Swiss chard

Optional Additions

• 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, white beans, or chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• Fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. In a large soup pot, sauté the onion, carrots, and celery with a splash of vegetable broth or water over medium heat until they begin to soften, about 5–7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds.

2. Stir in the tomato paste, thyme, coriander, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt (if using). Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring frequently.

3. Add the sweet potato, zucchini, cauliflower, green beans, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil.

4. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Check the carrots and sweet potato with a fork to make sure they’re cooked through.

5. If you’d like beans throughout the soup, stir in 1 drained and rinsed can of pinto beans, white beans, or chickpeas during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

   

6. Stir in the leafy greens. Cook for 1–2 minutes for more tender greens such as spinach or tatsoi, or 3–5 minutes for kale or Swiss chard, until tender.

7. Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, if desired.

8. Ladle into bowls. If you didn’t add beans to the pot, you can add them to individual bowls as desired.

Servings: About 6 generous servings

Karen’s Notes

Prefer a brothier soup? We like this soup thick and packedwith vegetables, but you can add up to 1 additional cup of vegetable broth if you prefer more broth.

Use the greens you have. I like to alternate between kale and tatsoi in this soup, depending on what I have growing in my Tower Garden. Spinach and Swiss chard are also good options.

Add extra flavor at the table. I like to add a little Benson’s Table Tasty to my finished bowl just before serving.

Variations

• Substitute butternut squash for the sweet potato.

• Replace the zucchini or green beans with fresh or frozen corn.

• Add mushrooms for another layer of flavor and texture.

Storage

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.

The soup also freezes well. Let it cool before transferring it to freezer-safe containers, leaving room for expansion. Freeze individual portions for an easy lunch or dinner later.

Serve With

Citrus Avocado Winter Bowl

This hearty vegetable soup pairs especially well with my Citrus Avocado Winter Bowl. The fresh greens, citrus, avocado, and beans in the bowl are a nice contrast to the warm, chunky soup and turn the two recipes into a satisfying meal.

Try the Citrus Avocado Winter Bowl →

You could also serve the soup with whole-grain bread or crackers, avocado toast, or crackers with hummus.

Final Thoughts

This is the kind of recipe that shows why I love keeping a simple vegetable soup in regular rotation. It doesn’t require a specific harvest or a perfect combination of vegetables. I can use what I have, change it with the seasons, and end up with a hearty pot of soup that gives us several meals.

And when my husband tells me he could eat it every week, I know it’s one worth making again. 😊

If you make it, I’d love to hear what vegetables you use in yours!

Want More Nutrient-Dense Meal Ideas?

My free Tower-to-Table Recipe Guide includes my Daily Salad Formula, along with simple whole-food plant-based recipes to help you turn fresh greens and vegetables into delicious, nutrient-dense meals.

Get the Free Recipe Guide →

Here’s to simple, nourishing food — one recipe at a time. 🌱

Karen
Vertical Hydroponic Garden