Easy Vegetable Soup with Fresh Vegetables, Lemon, and Herbs

Name: Easy Vegetable Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 medium onion, diced; 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced; 3 celery ribs, sliced; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 3 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced; 1 ½ cups fresh green beans, chopped; 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes; 2 bay leaves; 6 to 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, depending on how brothy you’d like it; 1 cup frozen corn; 1 cup frozen peas; 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

By:

Camille Hayes

Published:

November 11, 2026

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This vegetable soup is light, fresh, and filling, a one pot vegetarian meal in about 50 minutes. It uses everyday vegetables you probably already have, fresh or frozen, and it finishes with lemon and parsley for a bright, fresh bowl.

Vegetable Soup Ingredients

Everything here is simple and easy to find at any grocery store. The fresh vegetables give the soup its body, the frozen vegetables add convenience, and a good vegetable broth does a lot of the heavy lifting because the ingredient list is short.

Pick a broth you actually like the taste of, since it becomes the base of the whole pot.

This makes 8 servings, and the list is short:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
3 celery ribs, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh green beans
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 to 8 cups low sodium vegetable broth, depending on how brothy you like it
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen peas
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Use a large pot or a Dutch oven, because this makes a big batch.

Frozen vegetables are optional but handy, and this recipe uses frozen peas and corn because they hold up well and save chopping time. Nothing here is spicy or fussy, so it works well for kids and picky eaters too.

Swaps are welcome, so use what you have. Red potatoes or russets can stand in for Yukon gold potatoes, and russets should be cut a little larger since they fall apart more easily.

Frozen green beans can replace fresh ones and go in with the other frozen vegetables, and zucchini or bell peppers fit right in. Bottled lemon juice works in a pinch, or a splash of white wine vinegar gives that bright, acidic finish.

About 1 tablespoon of dried parsley can replace the fresh parsley. Zucchini, radish, sweet potato, and leafy greens are all fair game too.

Low sodium broth gives you control over saltiness, so start with 6 cups and add more to reach the consistency you like. If you use canned vegetables, drain and rinse them first.

Per serving, that works out to about 176 calories, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat, 7 grams of fiber, 8 grams of sugar, and 480 milligrams of sodium.

Jump To

1. Vegetable Soup Ingredients
2. How To Make Vegetable Soup
3. Tips
4. Storage Tips
5. FAQs
6. Easy Vegetable Soup

How To Make Vegetable Soup

The order matters more than any fancy technique. Hard vegetables go in first, and soft or frozen ones go in last.

Saute the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, and saute another 30 seconds.
Add more vegetables. Add the potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, bay leaves, and broth. Stir together and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are just fork tender.
Add the frozen vegetables. Add the corn and peas, stir, and cook about 5 to 7 minutes longer.
Serve. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Ladle the soup into bowls.

Vegetable Soup, How To Make Vegetable Soup

Do not toss everything in at once. Carrots and potatoes need real time to soften, which is why they go in with the broth and tomatoes, while peas and corn only need a few minutes.

Frozen corn and peas go in during the last 5 to 7 minutes so they stay sweet and firm instead of turning mushy. The lemon juice and parsley go in off the heat, right before serving, so their bright, fresh taste stays intact.

Keep the pot at a gentle simmer once it comes to a boil. A hard boil can break the potatoes apart before the rest of the vegetables are tender.

If you want to add spinach or kale, stir it in at the very end of cooking, just until it wilts.

From start to finish, expect about 15 minutes of prep and 35 minutes of cooking, so roughly 50 minutes total. If the soup looks too thick at the end, splash in a little extra broth, and if it looks too thin, simmer it uncovered for a few extra minutes.

Once you are comfortable with this method, this carrot potato soup is a nice next step.

Tips

Want a more peppery bowl? Use 1 teaspoon of black pepper instead of 1/2 teaspoon. You can add extra pepper to the pot or sprinkle a little on top of each bowl at the end.

Taste as you go, especially after the broth goes in, since broths vary a lot in saltiness. A pinch of salt or an extra shake of Italian seasoning can wake up the whole pot.

Take the few extra minutes to saute the onion, carrot, and celery until softened and slightly golden before the liquid goes in. That step builds the flavor foundation for everything else.

If the pot tastes flat, a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon often fixes it. A squeeze of lemon at the table also wakes up a bowl that has been sitting in the fridge.

Serve it with crusty bread or a grilled cheese sandwich to round out the meal. For a creamier bowl, this healthy creamy vegetable soup hits the spot.

Storage Tips

Let the soup come to room temperature first. Then store it in the fridge in an airtight container, where it keeps for 4 to 5 days.

To freeze, cool the soup, then pack it into a freezer safe container or a silicone freezing tray for pre made servings. It stays good for up to 3 months.

Cool the soup quickly before packing it.
Leave at least 1 inch of headspace in rigid containers so the soup can expand as it freezes.
Label and date each container.
Use frozen soup within 2 to 3 months for the best quality, stored at 0 degrees F.

Yukon gold potatoes hold their shape better in the freezer than floury russets do, though potatoes may still soften a little after thawing.

Thaw frozen soup overnight in the fridge when you can, and use thawed soup within 3 to 4 days.

Reheat a single serving in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, until warmed through. For a bigger batch, pour the soup back into a pot and warm it on the stovetop, stirring now and then. Reheat leftovers to 165 degrees F so the soup is steaming hot all the way through.

After reheating, taste and adjust with salt, pepper, lemon juice, or fresh herbs. If the soup has thickened in storage, thin it with a splash of broth or water.

This is an easy pot to make ahead on the weekend, so a busy week still has a homemade bowl waiting in the fridge.

FAQs

How do you make easy vegetable soup from scratch?

Saute 1 diced onion, 4 sliced carrots, and 3 sliced celery ribs in 2 tablespoons olive oil for 4 to 5 minutes until softened, then add 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper for 30 seconds. Add 3 diced Yukon Gold potatoes, 1 1/2 cups chopped green beans, 2 cans diced tomatoes, 2 bay leaves, and 6 to 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes until the potatoes are just fork tender. Stir in 1 cup frozen corn and 1 cup frozen peas and cook 5 to 7 minutes longer, then turn off the heat and stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley. The recipe makes 8 servings in 50 minutes total.

What vegetables go in vegetable soup?

This soup uses onion, carrots, celery, Yukon Gold potatoes, fresh green beans, canned diced tomatoes, frozen corn, and frozen peas for a balanced mix of sweet, savory, and tender vegetables. The fresh vegetables provide the main body, while the frozen vegetables add convenience and the tomatoes add body and mild tang. You can also use zucchini, sweet potato, radish, kale, or spinach to use up vegetables on hand. Keep the onion, carrot, celery, potato, tomato, and broth base so the soup keeps its intended flavor and texture.

How do you keep vegetables from getting mushy in vegetable soup?

Add vegetables in order of cooking time and keep the soup at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil. Saute the onion, carrots, and celery first, then simmer the potatoes and green beans with the tomatoes and broth for 20 minutes until the potatoes are just fork tender. Add frozen corn and peas only for the last 5 to 7 minutes so they stay bright and firm, and add leafy greens such as spinach or kale at the very end. Cut dense vegetables to a similar size so carrots and potatoes finish at the same time.

Can you freeze vegetable soup and how long does it last?

Yes, let the soup cool, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze the cooled soup in a freezer-safe container or a silicone freezing tray for pre-made servings for up to 3 months. Reheat a single serving in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes until warmed through, or warm a larger batch in a pot on the stovetop until steaming hot throughout. Thin it with a little broth or water if it has thickened during storage.