Food & Cooking Recipes Soups, Stews & Stocks Soup Recipes Everyday Vegetable Soup 3.4 (1,802) 42 Reviews No matter the season, a big batch of 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 August 10, 2023 Rate PRINT Share Prep Time: 15 mins Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Servings: 8 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 veggies 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, 8 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 Tips for Flavorful Vegetable Soup Sauté the aromatics: A base of vegetables is where you'll start to build flavor, so make sure you cook them well. In this case, we're using onions and celery. 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, or even add a Parmesan rind for more flavor. Diversify your vegetables: For the biggest impact on flavor and nutrition, use at least three different kinds of vegetables. 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 buy your favorite store-bought broth. Upgrade Vegetable Soup 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 smart: 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. 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 Storage Instructions Jacob Fox To store, let the soup cool completely at room temperature, then ladle it into airtight containers. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months. To reheat, simmer the soup in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, 10-15 minutes. Freeze soup in small containers so you can thaw only what you need. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator overnight before rewarming. How to Safely Store and Reheat Homemade Soup Frequently Asked Questions What are the best vegetables to put in soup? Any vegetables, fresh or frozen, will work perfectly in this vegetable soup. We love some crisp options like carrots and corn, green ones like broccoli, peas, and green beans, and starchy chunks from either white or sweet potatoes. How do you add richness to vegetable soup? This vegetable soup is pretty light, but if you want to add heft and richness to the soup, consider adding a medley of earthy mushrooms to the onions and celery. Miso paste will also add a subtle umami flavor to soup and can be added in with the tomato paste. Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned? Yes. When tomatoes are fresh and in season, they are delicious in soup. Canned tomatoes have more liquid than fresh, so add another 1/2 to 1 cup of broth to the soup. More Vegetable Soup Recipes to Try Hearty Winter-Vegetable Soup Freezable French Onion Soup Late-Summer Vegetable Soup Tomato-Bread Soup Lentil Vegetable Soup Moroccan Vegetable Soup Originally appeared: Everyday Food, October 2003 Rate It PRINT Updated by Riley Wofford Riley Wofford Riley is an associate food editor for Martha Stewart Living.