Italian Herb Vegetable Soup (Printable)

Vibrant Mediterranean vegetable soup with aromatic Italian herbs, perfect for a light yet satisfying meal.

# 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 ounces) 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 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
17 - 1 bay leaf
18 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Optional Additions

19 - 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
20 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley for garnish
21 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving (omit for vegan)

# Directions:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect, turning weeknight dinners from stressful to actually enjoyable.
  • The herb combination tastes like you've been simmering it for hours when it's only been 35 minutes.
  • One pot means less cleanup, which honestly matters more than anyone admits.
  • It works beautifully as is, or becomes your canvas to add pasta, beans, or whatever you have lingering in the pantry.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial sauté of onion and garlic—that caramelization creates the base flavor that makes this taste like it simmered all afternoon.
  • Add the spinach at the very end because it wilts in seconds and will turn into mush if it sits in simmering broth for too long.
  • Taste the soup before serving and adjust seasoning, because packaged broth varies so much that one person's perfect salt level is another person's bland soup.
03 -
  • Save the scraps of your vegetable prep—onion ends, carrot peels, celery leaves—and freeze them for making your own broth, which transforms this soup from good to transcendent.
  • If your soup tastes flat at the end, it's usually not a flavor problem but a salt problem; add a teaspoon at a time and taste between additions, and watch how it suddenly comes alive.
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