There’s something magical about a pot of vegetable soup simmering on the stove. It’s warm, comforting, and nourishing without being heavy. It’s the perfect way to make the most of whatever vegetables you have on hand. This recipe is my go-to when I need something satisfying but don’t want to fuss with meat, spend a fortune on ingredients, or spend all night in the kitchen. In fact, you can go from washing your vegetables to ladling steaming bowls of soup in about 45 minutes — which is about the same time it would take to order delivery and wait for it to arrive, only this is far healthier and far more budget-friendly.
This soup is ideal for cold, rainy days, but honestly, I’ve made it in the middle of summer, too. The beauty of it is its flexibility: you can swap in fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables, make it heartier with beans, or keep it light with extra greens. Pair it with a slice of homemade artisan bread (or even a crusty baguette from the bakery), and you have yourself a cozy meal that feels like a warm hug.
This recipe is loosely based on the vegetable soup from The Pioneer Woman. If you’re familiar with her recipes, you know she’s the queen of hearty, family-style comfort food. I’ve made a few adjustments to suit my own tastes — and my pantry — but I’ll admit, she’s inspired my love for simple, wholesome cooking.
Some vegetable soup recipes include beef or chicken, but I prefer to keep this one vegetarian. Meat changes the whole character of the dish, pushing it into stew territory. Don’t get me wrong — a good beef stew is wonderful — but vegetable soup is its own thing. It’s fresh-tasting, full of texture, and just… clean. Plus, let’s be honest, meat is expensive and can be a hassle if you forgot to thaw it. This is the perfect “no defrosting required” dinner.
Ingredients
The ingredient list may look long at first glance, but a lot of these are pantry staples you might already have:
Mirepoix (Fancy word for Aromatics)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium-to-large carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- ½–1 medium-to-large yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder, divided
Soup Base
- 6 cups vegetable broth (or 48 oz)
- 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1½ cups frozen green beans
- 2 zucchinis
- 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 5 oz baby spinach (half of a standard 10 oz bag)
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Chop Your Vegetables
Start by prepping your mirepoix. That’s the fancy French term for the holy trinity of soup-making: carrots, celery, and onions. Dice them into small, even pieces so they cook at the same rate and give you that perfect base flavor. While you’re at it, chop your zucchini into bite-sized pieces, and drain and rinse the cannellini beans.
Step 2: Make the Mirepoix
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften and the onions become translucent. Add ¾ teaspoon garlic powder and stir until fragrant — about 30 seconds.
Step 3: Build the Soup
Pour in the vegetable broth and crushed tomatoes, followed by the green beans, zucchini, cannellini beans, and Italian seasoning. Give everything a good stir to combine. Bring the pot to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium or medium-low, just enough to keep a gentle simmer going. Cook for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender when pierced with a fork and the green beans are heated through.
Step 4: Season and Finish
Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, the rest of the garlic powder, and black pepper to taste. Finally, toss in the baby spinach and stir until it wilts down into the soup.
Tips for the Best Vegetable Soup
- Customize it: This is a perfect “clean out the fridge” soup. Swap the green beans for peas, add diced potatoes for extra heartiness, or stir in some corn for sweetness.
- Broth matters: Since the broth is the backbone of this soup, choose a good-quality vegetable broth or make your own if you have veggie scraps handy. That said, you could also use chicken broth if you wanted to make this dish a little more hearty (or if you don’t have veggie broth on hand!).
- Make it a meal: Serve with bread, crackers, or even a grilled cheese sandwich for a heartier dinner. Or, if you want, you can cook pasta in the soup to add some body to it! Just add a few short noodles (like macaroni, shells, farfalle, ditalini, etc.) you have on hand and cook them in your soup until al dente. This will make the soup a bit chunkier, so be careful not to add too many! I would say ½ cup is probably enough for this recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast and Easy: You can have it on the table in under an hour.
- Healthy: Packed with vegetables, beans, and leafy greens, it’s as nutrient-dense as it is flavorful.
- Budget-Friendly: Uses inexpensive pantry and freezer staples.
- Great for Leftovers: The flavor deepens overnight, making it even better the next day.
Final Thoughts
There’s something incredibly satisfying about knowing you can pull together a healthy, comforting meal without needing a special grocery trip. This soup is proof that simple ingredients, when treated right, can be every bit as delicious as a more complicated recipe.
So the next time you find yourself staring at a zucchini on the verge of going soft, half a bag of frozen green beans, or a lone can of beans in the pantry, remember this recipe. You’ll have a wholesome pot of soup on the stove in no time — and maybe, just maybe, you’ll start to look forward to “clean out the fridge” night.
Lazy Vegetable Soup
Equipment
- 1 Large pot
Ingredients
Mirepoix
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 carrots madium to large
- 2 celery stalks
- ½-1 yellow onion medium to large
- 1 teaspoon salt * divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder * divided
Soup
- 6 cups vegetable broth *48 oz, or if you have a 32 oz carton you can just add 2 cups of water and it won't alter the flavor much
- 1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups frozen green beans
- 2 zucchinis
- 1 15 oz can cannellini beans
- 2 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 5 oz baby spinach * half of a standard 10 oz bag
- ¾ tsp black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Prep Work
- Chop your carrots, onions, and celery.
Make the Mirepoix
- Add oil to a large pot and add the carrots, celery, onion, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Heat on medium-high heat and cook until slightly softened, or about 10 minutes. While that cooks, chop your zucchini and drain and rinse your cannellini beans.
- Add ¾ teaspoon garlic powder and stir until aromatic.
Cook the Soup
- Add the stock, tomatoes, green beans, zucchini, cannellini beans, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer and then lower the temperature to medium or medium-low (whatever holds the simmer on your stove). Cook for 12-15 mins, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender when stuck with a fork and the green beans are heated through.
- Season the soup with the other ½ teaspoon of salt, ¾ garlic powder, and ¾ tsp of black pepper.
- Add the spinach and stir it into the soup so that it wilts.
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