This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
This garden vegetable soup is what delicious cozy dreams are made of. It’s adaptable to be made with different seasonal veggies, pasta or grains. An easy and hearty wintery Minestrone from scratch just like grandma used to make. Meatless, healthy, comforting and naturally vegan.
Jump to Recipe
Garden Vegetable Soup
This delicious homemade soup gets its rich flavor base from toasted fennel seeds, rosemary and thyme cooked together in one pot in a hearty tomato broth. The flavor combination is simply the best, however the idea here is to use up your garden vegetable bounty so feel free to riff on the base recipe with what is available and in season.
Ingredient Notes + Tips
- Aromatics – Start with a sweet and savory flavor base from onion, carrot and bell pepper. Cook them down until they start to get some color and intensify their flavor. Build on with woodsy herbs like rosemary, thyme and bay for a burst of flavor in every spoonful.
- Fennel Seeds – Toasted fennel seeds together with garlic and capers give the soup its deep savory profile and make it taste like a rich “sausage” soup that is clean and totally vegan. It’s so good!
- Tomatoes – Choose sweet Italian diced tomatoes with all the juices for the most delicious broth.
- Fennel Bulb Substitute – If you can’t find or simply don’t fancy fennel you can swap it for two cups of shredded cabbage or four celery ribs. The flavor will be slightly different but you will make up for the volume and heartiness of the soup. Fresh fennel has a mild flavor and is absolutely divine in a soup.
- Pasta – Cook it directly in the soup to absorb tons of flavor and naturally thicken the broth with its starches. Use your favorite short shape pasta here: whole grain, gluten free, vegan tortellini or even mini ravioli would be delicious. Alternatively you can use barley, quinoa, small diced potatoes and even dumplings (I used Italian couscous).
- Vegetables variation– To make the soup even heartier and more of a stew you can add in a can of cannellini / kidney beans or green peas. Depending on the season you can make use of shredded zucchini, turnips, fresh or frozen green beans like I did in this Summer Vegetable Soup. Work with the seasons.
- Greens – Some freshly chopped parsley brightens up the soup nicely but basil would be really lovely and any dark leafy greens will boost the micronutrient profile. Kale, baby spinach, collard greens even bok choy, go wild!
Make Ahead + Storage
This is a great make ahead recipe. As the soup sits in the fridge all the flavors get to mingle and marry overnight and simply taste better as time passes. Refrigerate in airtight glass containers up to 6 days and only reheat what you are going to eat. If desired the soup can also be frozen in individual portions in freezer proof containers. Must thaw out in the fridge before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
- Garlic Bread
- Vegan Crusty Bread or Focaccia
- Potato Flatbread
- Drizzled with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
- Dinner Rolls + Vegan Biscuits
- OverMashed Potatoes
- Rice Pilaf
- Fluffy Focaccia.
Plant Based Soups
- Vegan Zuppa Toscana
- Vegan White Bean Soup
- Creamy Root Vegetable Soup
- Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
- Vegan Noodle Soup
- Chickpea Stew
- Carrot Ginger Coconut Soup
- Cabbage Stew
- Black Bean Soup
- Vegan Potato Soup.
how to make garden vegetable soup
5 from 1 vote
Garden Vegetable Soup
This garden vegetable soup is what delicious cozy dreams are made of. It's adaptable to be made with different seasonal veggies, pasta or grains. An easy and hearty wintery Minestrone from scratch just like grandma used to make. Meatless, naturally vegan, healthy and comforting.
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 carrot (grated or finely chopped)
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 2 Tbsp capers roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 Tbsp fennel seeds
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 28 oz can diced Italian tomatoes
- 1 fennel bulb , thinly sliced (or sub with 2 cups of cabbage or 3 celery ribs)
- 1 cup short shape pasta
- 8 cups water
- 1/2 cup Italian parsley (or 1-2 cups dark leafy greens)
- S + P to taste
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
Preheat a heavy bottom soup pot over medium heat. Sautee the onion with a pinch of salt in a light drizzle of olive oil or until softened. (Use water for Plantricious + WFPB diets).
1 yellow onion
Add the carrot, fennel or cabbage and bell pepper. Stir well and cook a few minutes until the veggies begin to get some color.
1 carrot, 1 red bell pepper, 1 fennel bulb
Push the veggie to the side and add drizzle a drop of oil in the center of the pot. Add the fennel seeds, garlic and capers and cook until fragrant (careful not to burn the garlic).
4 garlic cloves, 1 Tbsp fennel seeds, 2 Tbsp capers
Add the canned tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, bay and water. Bring to a simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for a good 25 minutes to concentrate the flavors.
2 sprigs rosemary, 2 bay leaves, 28 oz can diced Italian tomatoes, 8 cups water, 8 sprigs fresh thyme
Season the soup to taste with salt, pepper and chili flakes. Bring to a boil and add the pasta. Cook until al dente and remove from heat.
S + P to taste, 1 cup short shape pasta
Add the parsley or any dark leafy greens of your choosing. Serve with garlic bread.
1/2 cup Italian parsley
WFPB + Plantricious
For compliance make sure to omit all oil, sauté in water or veggie stock and use a whole grain pasta.
Notes
- Aromatics - Start with a sweet and savory flavor base from onion, carrot and bell pepper. Cook them down until they start to get some color and intensify their flavor.
- Fennel Seeds - Toasted fennel seeds together with garlic and capers give the soup its deep savory profile and make it taste like a rich "sausage" soup that is clean and totally vegan. It's so good!
- Tomatoes - Choose sweet Italian diced tomatoes with all the juices for the most delicious broth.
- Fennel Bulb Substitute - If you can't find or simply don't fancy fennel you can swap it for two cups of shredded cabbage or four celery ribs. The flavor will be slightly different but you will make up for the volume and heartiness of the soup. Fresh fennel has a mild flavor and is absolutely divine in a soup.
- Pasta - Cook it directly in the soup to absorb tons of flavor and naturally thicken the broth. Use your favorite short shape pasta here: whole grain, gluten free, vegan tortellini or even mini ravioli would be delicious. Alternatively you can use barley, quinoa, small diced potatoes and even dumplings (I used Italian couscous.
- Vegetables variation- To make the soup even heartier and more of a stew you can add in a can of cannellini / kidney beans or green peas. Depending on the season you can make use of shredded zucchini, turnips, fresh or frozen green beans like I did in this Summer Vegetable Soup. Work with the seasons.
- Greens - Some freshly chopped parsley brightens up the soup nicely but basil would be nice any dark leafy greens will compliment this soup well. Kale, baby spinach, collard greens even bok choy, go wild!
Nutrition
Calories: 53kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 247mg | Potassium: 517mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2356IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: garden vegetable soup
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 53kcal
Author: Florentina
