Food & Cooking Recipes Soups, Stews & Stocks Soup Recipes Everyday Vegetable Soup 4.0 (1,102) 41 Reviews No matter the season, a big batch of this tomato vegetable soup is a great dinner to have on hand. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 25, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Prep Time: 15 mins Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Servings: 8 Jump to recipe Like most good vegetable soup recipes, this one is simple and versatile. It starts with mirepoix, which is a mixture of chopped aromatic vegetables lightly sautéed in oil or butter just until softened. This brings out the natural sweetness and flavor of the vegetables and provides a good flavor base for this big batch of tomato vegetable soup. Tomato paste and Italian seasoning are cooked into the vegetables until fragrant, which adds depth of flavor to the soup. Finally, eight whole cups of frozen vegetables are stirred into the soup. Not only is this convenient, but it means you can change up the flavor depending on what you’re craving. We like to use vegetables like carrots, corn, green beans, lima beans, peas, potatoes, and zucchini. 30 Vegetable Casserole Recipes That Are Guaranteed Crowd-Pleasers Jacob Fox 4 Tips for Flavorful Vegetable Soup Sauté the aromatics: A base of vegetables, we use onions and celery, is where you'll start to build flavor for this vegetable soup recipe, so make sure you cook the veggies well. The goal is to cook them until they soften, not caramelize. Flavor the base: We add Italian seasoning and tomato paste to the aromatics and warm them up to bring the seasonings back to life. You could use fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary if you prefer, or even add a Parmesan rind for more umami flavor. Diversify your vegetables: For the biggest impact on flavor and nutrition, use at least three different kinds of vegetables in this soup. We recommend something starchy like potatoes, something crisp like carrots or green beans, and something green like peas or broccoli. Use good broth: Make your own stock or use your favorite store-bought broth. Easy Ways to Upgrade Vegetable Soup We love this light, flavor-packed vegetable soup as is but if you want to switch it up, there are a number of tasty ways to upgrade it: Add protein: Leftover shredded chicken, sliced smoked sausage, and canned beans are all great ways to add protein to vegetable soup.Play with textures: Cooked grains like quinoa and farro, or small pasta like orzo or broken spaghetti add fun new textures to this soup.Finish fresh: Add a squeeze of lemon juice or a generous sprinkle of fresh chives or parsley to wake up those cooked vegetables.Serve bread: Soup just isn't quite as satisfying without warm bread. It soaks up all the flavorful broth and acts as a spoon for all the vegetables. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cups chopped onions or thinly sliced leeks (whites only) 1 cup thinly sliced celery 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning Coarse salt and ground pepper 3 cans (14 ½ ounces each) reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice 1 tablespoon tomato paste 8 cups mixed fresh or frozen vegetables, such as carrots, corn, green beans, lima beans, peas, potatoes, and zucchini (cut larger vegetables into smaller pieces) Directions Jacob Fox Heat oil and add onions, celery, and seasoning: Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions or leeks, celery, and Italian seasoning; season with salt and pepper. Jacob Fox Sauté: Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Jacob Fox Add tomatoes and liquid and simmer: Add broth, tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste, and 3 cups water to pot; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, 20 minutes. Jacob Fox Jacob Fox Stir in vegetables and finish soup: Add vegetables to pot, and return to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Jacob Fox Season and serve: Season with salt and pepper, as desired. Serve or let cool completely before storing. Jacob Fox Storing Vegetable Soup If you've made this vegetable soup ahead or you have leftovers, let the soup cool completely at room temperature before storing it. Ladle it into airtight containers and keep it in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months. (If you're freezing the soup, don't fill the containers too much as you need to allow headroom because the soup will expand as it freezes.) Defrost the soup in the refrigerator overnight before rewarming. Freeze soup in small containers so you can thaw only what you need. Reheating Bring the soup to a gentle simmer in a saucepan over medium heat until it has warmed through, 10-15 minutes. Frequently Asked Questions What are the best vegetables to put in soup? The best vegetables to put in soup are the vegetables you have! Any vegetables, fresh or frozen, will work perfectly in this vegetable soup recipe. We love some crisp options like carrots and corn, verdant green ones like broccoli, peas, and green beans, and starchy vegetables like sweet or white potatoes cut into chunks. How do you add richness to vegetable soup? The best way to add richness to this vegetable soup is by adding a medley of earthy mushrooms to the onions and celery. Another way to add richness is to stir in some miso paste. It will also add a subtle umami flavor to the soup and can be added with the tomato paste. Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned? Yes, you can use fresh tomatoes instead of canned in this vegetable soup recpe. When tomatoes are in season, they make for a delicious in soup. Note that we wouldn't recommend using fresh tomatoes outside of the summer when they are at their best. Also, canned tomatoes have more liquid than fresh, so add another 1/2 to 1 cup of broth to the soup if you're using fresh tomatoes. More Vegetable Soup Recipes to Try Hearty Winter-Vegetable Soup Freezable French Onion Soup Late-Summer Vegetable Soup Tomato-Bread Soup Lentil Vegetable Soup Vegetable Bean Soup Customizable Vegetable Soup Originally appeared: Everyday Food, October 2003 Rate It PRINT Updated by Riley Wofford Riley Wofford Riley Wofford is a recipe developer, food stylist, and writer with over 15 years of experience and holds a Professional Culinary Arts diploma from the International Culinary Center. In addition to MarthaStewart.com, Riley's work can be found in TODAY.com, Delish, Food52, and Marley Spoon.