Farmers Market Vegetable Soup

Farmers Market Vegetable Soup – a simple healthy vegetable soup recipe that is easy to make and loaded up healing nutrients- a great way to use up all those farmer’s market veggies! Great for Sunday meal prep! Make it on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot.  Video included. 

After a week of travel, and all the eating out and indulging that comes with it, my body was practically screaming to give it a break. I rounded up all the farmer’s market veggies in the fridge and made a simple healthy vegetable soup, and this is what we ate for a couple of days. I can’t tell you how much we needed this. Gentle nourishment, full of nutrients. Just what the doctor ordered.

Why this vegetable soup recipe works

What I love about this recipe is how adaptable it is. Use what veggies you have on hand. Then feel free to embellish if you like -adding cabbage, tomatoes, beans, potatoes, or even whole grains. You could easily thicken with beans or quinoa.  Keep it tomato-free, or nightshade-free, you decide. 🙂

To finish the soup, drizzle with olive oil, or homemade pesto or gremolata, or sprinkle with a hard cheese like parmesan or pecorino and serve with croutons or crusty bread.  Do what feels right for your body.

Farmers Market Vegetable Soup Video

How to make the best vegetable soup:

1. The most important thing to good-tasting vegetable soup is creating a flavorful broth. Once you have this flavorful base or foundation, then you are good to go!
2. Use aromatics: onion, leeks, garlic, etc. to build layers of flavor.
3. Use a flavorful veggie broth, chicken stock, beef broth or bone broth, whatever tickles your fancy. Here I went with store-bought veggie broth, and kept it vegan.

Veggies to use in Vegetable Soup

Consider your vegetables. Some take longer to cook than others, like carrots and potatoes. Be thoughtful about when you add things to the soup and also when you are dicing your veggies.  Bigger diced veggies will take longer to cook as well. Something to keep in mind. Here is a list of optional veggies- pick a few and give it try!

• onions, leeks, shallots,
• garlic
• celery
• fennel
• carrots
• parsnips
• potatoes
• bell pepper
• green beans
• zucchini
• corn
• tomatoes
• cabbage
• wilting greens- kale, chard, collards, etc.

And yes, you can absolutely make this Vegetable Soup Recipe in your Instant Pot. A quick, 4-minute pressure cook, manual release, then add any quick-cooking veggies like corn and fresh herbs. ( See recipe notes.)

Variations of Vegetable soup:

You can make this Vegetable Soup “tomato-y” or totally leave them out as I did in the first photo. Up to you.

If you love a rich tomato base, fresh tomatoes and a little tomato paste are a nice addition too.

My husband loves this Vegetable Soup recipe topped with grated pecorino and sourdough croutons, or crusty bread – also an option!

Meatlovers could plop in little meatballs right into the simmering broth.

I prefer my vegetable soup clean and lean, with a little drizzle of good olive oil.

Simple and healthy. Nourishing for body and soul!

How to elevate a Vegetable soup

Swirl any of the following over your steaming bowl of vegetable soup for elevated flavor!

• Fresh Basil Pesto (Nut-Free)
• Gremolata (a zesty Italian herb sauce)
• Arugula Almond Pesto
• How to Make Authentic Harissa Paste in Two Easy Ways!
• Authentic Zhoug Sauce Recipe

Farmers Market Vegetable Soup – a delicious way to give your body some love this week! Make a batch this Sunday for the upcoming week – perfect for lunches on the go. The soup will keep 4-5 days in the fridge!

I hope you are having a relaxing holiday weekend.

xoxo

Sylvia

More recipes you may like:

• 50-Must-try Farmers Market Recipes!  
• 20 Warming Broth-Based Soups
• Farmers Market Veggie Enchiladas
• Farmers Market Fried Rice
• Farmers Market Pasta Salad

Farmers Market Vegetable Soup

★★★★★ 5 from 27 reviews

• Author: Sylvia Fountaine | Feasting at Home
• Prep Time: 15
• Cook Time: 20
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 8 cups 1x
• Category: soup, vegan, vegetarian
• Method: Stove top or Instant Pot
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Farmers Market Vegetable Soup- an easy healthy vegetable soup recipe that is vegan, easy to make and loaded with healthy nutrients- a great way to use up all those farmers market veggies! Great for Sunday meal prep! Make on the stovetop or instant pot.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

1. 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
2. 1 medium onion diced ( or a large leek)
3. 2 cups diced carrot (2 medium carrots)
4. 2 cups diced celery (2 stalks)
5. 1 cup diced fennel bulb (optional)
6. 4 cloves garlic rough chopped
7. 1 tablespoon fresh thyme ( or oregano or tarragon- or sub 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, or dry Italian seasoning or Herbs de Provence )
8. 2 tablespoons white wine, vermouth, sherry cooking wine– all optional (feel free to leave out)
9. 2 cups diced zucchini or yellow summer squash
10. 2 cups chopped green beans
11. 1 ear corn, kernels cut off
12. 4 cups veggie stock or broth, chicken or beef stock, or bone broth
13. 2 cups water
14. 2 bay leaves
15. 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Garnish:

• 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley ( or basil ribbons)
• 1/2 teaspoon of lemon or vinegar ( at the end)
• pepper, cayenne, or chili flakes to taste
• a drizzle of olive oil, gremolata or grated pecorino cheese

Other soup additions: diced tomato, diced bell peppers, diced potatoes, diced cabbage, diced kale, cooked beans ( like chickpeas, white beans, etc) or cooked grain.  If going the tomato route feel free to add a tablespoon of tomato paste for extra “tomatoey” richness.

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Instructions

1. In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until deeply golden and fragrant, 5 minutes.
2. Add carrots, celery, fennel, garlic and thyme. Saute 7-8 minutes, stirring often. At this point you could splash with white wine, dry vermouth, sherry wine ( all totally optional) just a couple tablespoons and cook it off.
3. Add zucchini and green beans ( and optional tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes, or bell pepper) stock, water, bay leaves and salt. ( You will add the corn later).
4. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer until carrots are just tender about 10-12 minutes. Add corn. Cook 3-4 more minutes, then stir in the fresh parsley.
5. Taste. Often (especially if leaving the tomatoes out) I’ll add a tiny splash of acid- like lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, be very conservative, 1/2 teaspoon, and add more to taste. Season with pepper and a pinch of cayenne or chili flakes.
6. If broth tastes bland, it probably needs salt and acid 😉
7. Serve with a drizzle of good olive oil, crusty bread, or shaved parmesan or pecorino. Or try it with Gremolata ( Italian herb sauce) – a delicious way to finish the soup!

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Notes

Feel free to swap out other veggies, being thoughtful about the size you cut them and cooking times.

Feel free to add 1/2 cup quinoa (uncooked) or cooked beans to add heartiness.

Feel free to add a big handful of chopped greens ( spinach, chard, arugula) to the soup at the end!

Other additions and flavorings:

• Mexican chili powder, cumin, cilantro and lime.
• Indian curry powder
• Pesto or fresh basil
• Croutons
• Tortilla chips

INSTANT POT Instructions:

1. Using the saute function, heat oil and add onion and saute until deeply golden and fragrant, 4-5 minutes.
2. Add carrots, celery, fennel, garlic and thyme. Stir 2 minutes.  At this point you could splash with white wine, dry vermouth, sherry wine ( all totally optional) just a couple tablespoons and cook it off for a minute.
3. Add zucchini and green beans ( and optional tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes, or bell pepper) stock, water, bay leaves and salt. ( You will add the corn at the end).
4. Pressure cook on high for 4 minutes. Manually release and set back to “saute”.  Add corn. Cook 3-4 more minutes, then stir in the fresh parsley.  Taste. Often (especially if leaving the tomatoes out) I’ll add a tiny splash of acid- like lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, be very conservative, 1/2 teaspoon, and add more to taste. Season with pepper and a pinch of cayenne or chili flakes. If broth tastes bland, it probably needs salt and acid 😉
5. Serve with a drizzle of good olive oil, crusty bread, or shaved parmesan or pecorino. Or try it with Gremolata ( Italian herb sauce) – a delicious way to finish the soup!

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 cups- with veggie broth
• Calories: 192
• Sugar: 13.4 g
• Sodium: 838 mg
• Fat: 8.1 g
• Saturated Fat: 1.3 g
• Carbohydrates: 29 g
• Fiber: 6.7 g
• Protein: 4.6 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg

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