Robyn Stone
This Easy Homemade Vegetable Soup is loaded with vegetables makes a comforting, delicious, healthy and hearty soup recipe!
Homemade Vegetable Soup
This vegetable soup recipe has been one of my family’s favorites for as long as I can remember! Filled with vegetables, it is naturally low in fat and calories making it a hearty, yet healthy soup recipe. I love that you can customize the vegetables to your personal preferences and even make it as a beef vegetable soup if you prefer.
Vegetable soup is so easy to make at home and tastes so much better than a canned soup ever could in my opinion! My Grandmother and Mother both made this soup as I was growing up and it is one that is on regular rotation at my house too. Since it is so versatile, I love to make it as a simple vegetarian version and then at other times I’ll make it with beef or turkey for additional protein.
What Vegetables to Include in Vegetable Soup
For the vegetables, the options are limitless! I generally use many of the same vegetables in this soup that my Grandmother and Mother did, but I also love to just use whatever vegetables I have on hand. My favorite vegetables to include are:
- onion
- corn
- carrots
- celery
- okra
- tomatoes
- green beans
- lima beans
- potatoes
Can You Use Frozen Vegetables in Vegetable Soup?
During the winter, I love to use frozen vegetables that I keep stocked in our freezer such as green beans, corn, okra, or even a bag of mixed vegetables. Throughout the warmer months, I love to use fresh vegetables from our garden or the produce stand. Additional vegetables that are delicious in this vegetable soup are English peas, spinach, kale, mushrooms, or cauliflower.
How to Make Vegetable Soup
For this recipe, I’ve included the slow cooker instructions in the recipe card. However, you can also quickly and easily make this soup recipe on the stovetop. I’ve included those instructions below for you as well.
Stovetop Instructions
You can also easily make this soup on the stovetop and without a slow cooker!
- Brown the beef or turkey (if using) in a dutch oven or heavy bottomed soup pot set over medium heat. Drain away any drippings from the browned beef and discard the drippings.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients for the soup and return the pot to the stovetop.
- Reduce the heat to low heat and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
How to Make Ahead and Freeze Vegetable Soup
Can You Make this Ahead?
To make this soup ahead, cook the soup as directed and allow the soup to cool completely. Then, place into the refrigerator in an airtight container and store for up to 5 days.
How to Freeze this Soup
Allow the soup to cool. Place into freezer-safe container and store for up to 3 months.
To reheat, allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat the soup over medium-low heat on the stovetop until heated throughout, about 15 minutes.
What to Serve with this Soup
While this soup makes a hearty meal on its own, you can also serve with the following
Here’s my Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup recipe. I think you are going to love it!
Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef optional
- ½ medium onion diced
- 2 cups fresh or frozen mixed vegetables or 2 (15-ounce) cans mixed vegetables drained
- 2 cups fresh or frozen Lima beans or 1 (15-ounce) can Lima beans drained
- 2 cups fresh or frozen corn off the cob or 1 (15-ounce( can niblet corn drained
- 2 cups carrots sliced or 1 (15-ounce) can carrots drained
- 4 pounds peeled and diced whole tomatoes or 4 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomatoes and okra
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Cook ground beef, if using, and onions until browned. Drain away the drippings from the browned beef and discard the drippings. Add the beef and onions to the slow cooker along with all other ingredients.
- Cook in the slow cooker for 4 hours on low.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed
Video
Notes
For a vegetarian version of this soup, simply omit the ground beef. Make-Ahead:
Allow vegetable soup to cool. Place into the refrigerator in an airtight container and store for up to 5 days. Freezer Friendly:
Allow vegetable soup to cool. Place into freezer-safe container and store for up to 3 months. To reheat, allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat over medium-low heat on the stovetop until heated throughout, about 15 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2012.
this is the best recipe I have been wanted to fix so good first time fixing it .thanks love it
I’m so glad you love it, Linda! xo
Any suggestions for doing this in the instant pot?
I would like to know as well. ? I love my IP!
Thank you!!
Robyn, Have you ever added a can or two of corned beef to this recipe instead of ground beef. Gives the soup a taste of it’ own.
Robyn,
What size slow cooker do you use?
Omitted the okra but added potatoes & shredded cabbage. Very, very good!
You should edit this to state if using ground beef, drain then add onions. New cooks will just dump fat and all into crockpot. Also I am adding frozen pea and celery to this soup. Can’t to serve it with crusty bread.
I also add potatoes, green beans instead of the okra and beans. Also add stewed tomatoes,
I was just going to ask about adding a potato when I realized I don’t like okra either haha. Thanks!!
This would be a great soup recipe to try on a bone – chilling cold day!
Is this on high or low?
The recipe calls for tomatoes, what kind do I buy? Diced, whole, …..HELP
I substituted ground turkey for ground beef. Also felt it needed salt and black pepper. Really excellent soup!
So glad you liked it, Chris. You can definitely add more salt to taste. Thanks so much!
I’m going to fix this, using real potatoes, hoping it will be good, and cornbread too!!
Delicious with cornbread, Rene! xo
Can I cook this on low for 8 hours?
Hi Kari –
I think cooking that long, vegetables will fall apart if cooked that long. If you have a slow cooker that converts to warm after setting it for four hours on low, that should work. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks!
Thanks Theresa – I’ve fixed the recipe as it should be. I hope you enjoy the soup – it’s delicious! Thanks so much!
When it says 1 (15-ounce) can tomatoes and okra is that a an additional can of and a can of okra?
Hi Jackie,
It is just one can of the combined vegetables. You could also do a mix of the same frozen. I hope that helps!
Hi Karyn,
It is delicious with or without meat. My family enjoys it both ways. Thanks!
Do you not thaw the frozen veges first?
You don’t have to thaw first, Debbie. Hope you enjoy it! Thanks!
Robyn,
Can this soup be frozen?
Thanks!
Loved your recipe. I am not allowed to eat meat any more ( Doctors orders lol ) so I substituted navy beans. Absolutely delicious. Thanks for a great recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Tammy! We love it in my house too! Thanks!
Could I do this with just diced tomatoes rather than the okra?
Hi Angie,
Yes, you can omit the okra if you prefer! I hope you enjoy it!
Making for first time. Has been cooking for 2 1/2 hours. Still only warm – due to all frozen vegetables… Would it hurt to turn to high for rest of cooking time? I could transfer to large soup pot if necessary.
Hi Kathleen,
The cooking time for the slow cooker is 4 hours on low. If you need to cook it more quickly, then I would suggest using the high setting, but watching very carefully so that it doesn’t burn or cause the vegetables to become too mushy.
Although only warm my husband (taste testing of course) thinks it’s delicious. When I finally get to serve it I hope to give it 5 *. Right now I’ll say 3*
I noticed you use water vs. some type of broth. Do you ever use broth?
Could this be made on stove top and simmer for a few hours? Would really like to try this recipe. Thank you.
Absolutely, Linda. I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you for your quick response. Will make a grocery list so husband can pick up the items for soup. Again, thank you.
can you use a broth instead of water?
In all of my soups I use broth instead of water. To me it gives it more flavor. Hope this helps. If it’s still to weak for my tast then I’ll add bouillon.
I always add a bay leaf to my veggie soup, enhances it.
No potatoes? How is vegetable soup vegetable soup without potatoes?!
I also add a dash of allspice, a fresh sage leaf if I have them on hand, and always bay leaf (either 2 small ones or 1 large one).
made this but added raw diced potatoes. it was very good but the potatoes were hard as a rock. any idea why?
I have not added raw potatoes to this recipe. It will probably take longer to cook potatoes than the 4 hours on low in the slow cooker as directed for the recipe as it’s written. I hope that helps, Robin. Thanks!
Robyn, would I be able to substitute neckbones for the ground beef and do I have to cook before adding to the crockpot.
Hi Arlene,
I’ve not used that in this recipe so I can’t answer from experience.
The proper heat setting to put the slo-cooker n would be nice. I put mine on medium high, and we will see.
Bill,
The recipe calls for a Low heat setting. I’m sorry you didn’t see the heat setting, but it’s given along with the amount of time in step 1 of the recipe instructions. It’s also provided in my blog post.
I hope you enjoy it. Thanks!
Potatoes will not cook correctly with tomatoes. I dont know why but my momm always told me to cook your potatoes alone first.
We love this vegetable soup recipe so much! It’s to the point where I have to make it at least once a month because I start to crave it. Delicious!!
Thanks, Kathryn! So glad you like this soup!
I make this soup often and it’s a hit. Thank you for an amazing recipe!
Thanks, Kristina. This soup is always a favorite around my house, too. xo
Can you use fresh okra and tomatoes instead? If so how much and when should I add the okra.
I would use 1 cup fresh, peeled, diced tomatoes and 1 cup sliced okra instead of the canned tomatoes and okra. Just add the tomatoes and okra with the other vegetables and cook according to the recipe. Hope you enjoy the soup, Syd!
In my area, this is called hamburger soup or leave out the meat and use cabbage then it’s cabbage soup. I use diced tomatoes. Potatoes, green beans, carrots and corn. Very best soup ever.
Isn’t if funny how almost the same recipe is called so many names in different parts of the country? It is still so good no matter what you call it! Thanks so much, Judy.
Can 3 Meats Ground Beef Neckbones And Diced Chicken Be Used In Vegatable Soup ? If Not What Meat Combo Can Be Added To Soup?
I’ve never tried any combination of meats in my vegetable soup, Cynthia.
Instead of hamburger you can use stew meat as well, i love chunks of meat in my soup.
I added a teaspoon of Worcester Sauce. Turned out great!
ADD POTATOES AND IT WAS GOOD
Thank you, Lin Mac.
Delicious.. super easy to make.. I added a few other veggies and I used half ground turkey, half ground beef
Thanks, Theresa. Sounds good with the meat!
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Love this soup! I have made it by the recipe quite a few times, but recently began subbing in a can of rotel for one of the diced tomatoes. I like the extra kick. Otherwise, make yourself some Cornbread to go with it and enjoy!