Festive Veggie Soup (Printable Version)

Comforting soup with colorful vegetables and festive flavors, perfect for a cozy meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
08 - 1 small zucchini, chopped
09 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
10 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
11 - 2 cups baby spinach leaves
12 - 1 cup frozen peas

→ Broth & Seasonings

13 - 7 cups vegetable broth (gluten-free if needed)
14 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1 bay leaf
17 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
18 - Salt and pepper to taste
19 - Juice of 1/2 lemon

→ Garnish

20 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# How To Make:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic; sauté for 3 minutes until softened.
02 - Add sliced carrots, diced celery, red and yellow bell peppers, and chopped zucchini to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - Stir in green beans and halved cherry tomatoes. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth and add dried thyme, oregano, bay leaf, and smoked paprika. Bring the mixture to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
06 - Stir in baby spinach and frozen peas. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until spinach wilts and peas are heated through.
07 - Remove the bay leaf. Stir in lemon juice and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect, making it perfect for those busy holiday weeks when you still want to eat something nourishing
  • Every vegetable stays vibrant and distinct rather than turning to mush, which means you actually taste the garden in every spoonful
  • It's naturally forgiving—you can swap vegetables based on what you have, making it feel like your own creation every time
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of softening the onions and garlic first—this foundation determines whether your soup tastes homemade or flat and one-dimensional
  • The lemon juice at the end isn't optional; it's the difference between a soup that tastes like vegetables and a soup that tastes like you spent all day cooking it with care and intention
03 -
  • If you want to add protein, cooked white beans or lentils stirred in at the very end become part of the soup without changing its essential character
  • A tiny pinch of red chili flakes added during the simmer brings warmth without heat—it's about complexity, not spice

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