Author: Whether you grow your own produce or not, this Easy Homemade Vegetable Soup is packed with all the best hearty vegetables like potatoes, corn, carrots, and more. You can also add shredded chicken or beef chunks for an even heartier soup!
Throughout the year we grow and can many different types of vegetables. The first year we did so, I watched the many mason jars of potatoes, carrots, green beans, corn, and tomatoes fill our shelves and I decided I wanted to create a recipe that would allow us to easily create a hearty dinner by just opening the jars and pouring.
That’s exactly what this recipe has turned into! For the last 8 years, we have loved making this soup once a week during the fall and winter, since it makes a large pot and lasts for several meals.
But even if you aren’t growing your own vegetables, this soup is a delicious and classic vegetable soup! Serve with a side of homemade bread and a lot of butter.
The Best Easy Vegetable Soup
When people ask me why I can so many vegetables, this recipe right here is why! It’s the perfect dump-and-go recipe for busy nights and makes enough to feed a crowd! And while this recipe is crafted to be fully vegetarian, you can also add chicken or beef to the pot for a hearty stew instead!
Ingredients
I created this recipe to use our homegrown and canned vegetables, but you can easily use fresh or canned vegetables from the store instead. Take a look at the ingredients below and use the versions of each that you have on hand.
- Tomato Juice – We use a quart of roasted tomato sauce and add water to reach the proper consistency. You can also use a small can of tomato paste and add water to reach the right consistency instead.
- Potatoes – One quart of canned potatoes, or 3 pounds of fresh, diced potatoes goes into this recipe.
- Carrots – Again, one quart of canned carrots is used. But if you don’t have canned carrots, you can use 2 pounds of fresh carrots instead.
- Green Beans – You guessed it, a quart of green beans, or 2 pounds of fresh green beans are called for.
- Corn – One or two pints of canned corn can be used in this recipe. I like two pints (one quart), but then I really loved our home-canned corn!
- Cabbage – Half a head of cabbage is the perfect ratio for this soup. You can use fresh or frozen cabbage. While this is optional and the soup is amazing without it, I think it adds a lovely flavor and heartiness to the soup.
- Salt, Pepper, Garlic – I’ll include my measurements for each in the printable recipe below, but you can adjust this to your liking as well.
- Meat (optional) – If you’d like to make this more of a stew, you can add shredded chicken or beef chunks to this recipe as well. I like to cook my meat before adding it to the stew, but you can add it raw if you don’t mind scraping off the top if a skim develops.
- Broth (optional) – Though the vegetables actually make a vegetable broth as they cook, you can use pre-made beef, chicken, or vegetable broth in place of the water if desired.
Instructions
The directions for this soup couldn’t be easier! Whether you are using canned or fresh vegetables, this soup is ready to enjoy in about 45 minutes with only a few minutes of hands-on effort needed.
- Prep – Wash, peel, and chop all vegetables if fresh produce is used.
- Thin – Pour the tomato sauce or paste into the pot. If using a paste, add 2 cups of water and whisk until smooth.
- Add – Pour or place all remaining ingredients into a large pot. If you’re using canned vegetables, pour the liquid from the jars into the pot as well, so that all the vegetable nutrients are retained.
- Adjust – Once all the vegetables are in the pot, add enough water or broth to cover the vegetables.
- Cook – Over medium heat, cook the soup until the root vegetables are soft. Add more liquid as needed to maintain a soup consistency as the vegetables cook down. Remove from the heat and serve.
Note: If the vegetables are home-canned with added salt, reduce the salt to half and season to taste.
Even More Easy Meals
Easy Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 8 oz tomato paste
- 2 cups water or broth (more as needed)
- 3 lbs potatoes (or 1 quart canned potatoes)
- 2 lbs carrots (or 1 quart canned carrots)
- 2 lbs green beans (or 1 quart canned green beans)
- 16 oz canned corn (or 1 quart canned corn, if desired)
- 1/2 head green cabbage
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp powdered garlic
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Wash, peel, and chop all vegetables if fresh produce is used.
- Pour the tomato sauce or paste into the pot. If using a paste, add 2 cups of water and whisk until smooth.
- Pour or place all remaining ingredients into a large pot. If you’re using canned vegetables, pour the liquid from the jars into the pot as well, so that all the vegetable nutrients are retained.
- Once all the vegetables are in the pot, add enough water or broth to cover the vegetables.
- Over medium heat, cook the soup until the root vegetables are soft. Add more liquid as needed to maintain a soup consistency as the vegetables cook down. Remove from the heat and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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