Italian Herb Vegetable Soup (Printable Version)

Vibrant Mediterranean soup with vegetables and Italian herbs, ready in 55 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
09 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes with juices
10 - 4 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
12 - 2 cups baby spinach leaves

→ Herbs & Seasonings

13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
15 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
16 - ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
17 - 1 bay leaf
18 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Optional Additions

19 - 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
20 - ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley for garnish
21 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving (omit for vegan)

# How To Make:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic, sautéing for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and softened.
02 - Stir in sliced carrots, celery, diced zucchini, red bell pepper, and green beans. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Add diced tomatoes with juices, vegetable broth, and diced potato. Stir in oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, salt, and pepper until well combined.
04 - Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
05 - If using cannellini beans, add them to the pot and simmer for an additional 5 minutes to heat through.
06 - Remove and discard bay leaf. Stir in spinach leaves and cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted.
07 - Taste soup and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese if desired, and serve hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like the slow simmered soups from a Roman trattoria without the expensive plane ticket.
  • You can throw in whatever is lurking in the back of your vegetable drawer and it still turns out amazing.
02 -
  • I once rushed the sauteing phase and realized later that the onions needed those extra minutes to get sweet.
  • Make sure to crush the dried rosemary between your palms to release its trapped oils before adding it to the pot.
03 -
  • Do not overcook the zucchini or it will lose its shape and become mushy in the broth.
  • If you want a thicker soup mash a few of the cannellini beans against the side of the pot.
Return