Vegan Rustic Vegetable Soup ♥️Feed your body & soul. This beautiful vegetable soup is one of my all-time favorites. It’s hearty, healthy, high in nutrients & fiber, very low in fat, absolutely delicious, and oh so satisfying.
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My mom, aka ‘Mama Love’, was a fantastic cook. She had an uncanny knack at pulling together whatever was in the pantry and making something scrumptiously good. Mom grew up on a small farm in Idaho during the Great Depression. Due to immense financial hardship, she learned to make a meal out of what few ingredients were available. Nothing went to waste. Wilted vegetables, potatoes, carrots, or onions from the root cellar became one-pot meals. Her soups and stews would feed the family for days.
Inspired by Mama Love’s fabulous “Energizer” vegetable soup recipe, my version uses fewer ingredients and is quicker to prepare. Serve it with a loaf of freshly baked artisan bread or a crusty baguette and you’ll have a simply heartwarming meal to enjoy on a chilly night!
What is a rustic vegetable soup?
The term rustic, as it relates to food, can best be described as simple and unpretentious. This soup is just that, as the primary ingredients are basic staples like onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes, items you might keep on hand. This recipe is so easy to prepare! Most of the fresh ingredients are cut into chunky pieces, which means very little mincing or dicing. The flavors and appearance of this soup are robust and full of texture and variety, certainly not fussy or fancy.
Use fresh ingredients for the most flavor!
What is the best pot for making vegetable soup?
Clean up is easy since everything goes into one pot…one BIG pot. This recipe will easily serve twelve or more portions. You’ll love having leftover soup, since you can freeze individual servings for later.
I prefer enameled cast iron cookware and here’s why:
- You can’t beat it for soups and stews, as the even heat distribution will let your food cook uniformly.
- It will retain heat long after you take it off a burner.
- The enameled surface is a big plus, as it is easy to clean and care for.
If you don’t already have one, you should consider investing in a good quality, 7 quart or larger, dutch oven or soup pot.
One disadvantage about cast iron is the weight, so if you are concerned about lifting a large, heavy pot full of hot soup, you might want to consider a deep stainless steel soup pot instead of cast iron.
Vegan Rustic Vegetable Soup
Equipment
- One large (7 qt. or more) stove-top dutch oven or soup pot.
- Vegetable peeler
- Chef's knife
Ingredients
- 3-4* Tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 sweet onion peeled & diced
- 4 stalks celery diced
- 4 carrots peeled & cut into 1/2" rounds
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp dried sweet basil
- 3 whole bay leaves
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 2 cloves fresh garlic finely minced
- 32 oz vegetable broth fresh or boxed
- 1 Tbsp vegan bouillon
- 3 medium zucchini cut into 1/2" rounds
- 3 medium yellow squash cut into 1/2" rounds
- 4 russet potatoes peeled & cut into roughly 1" x 2" pieces
- 1 15 oz can kidney beans drained
- 1 C sweet corn off the cob, fresh or frozen
- 2 28 oz cans whole tomatoes
Instructions
- Use a large (7 qt. or more) stove-top dutch oven or soup pot.
- Begin heating 3 Tbsp olive oil over med-high temperature.
- Add onions. Saute until onions begin to look transparent.
- Add celery & carrots. Continue cooking over med-high until slightly tender.
- Add dry spices. Add garlic, making sure it doesn't burn *(add 1 extra Tbsp of oil if needed).
- Pour in broth & bouillon. Stir. Gradually add zucchini, squash, potatoes, kidney beans, corn, & tomatoes.
- Using a long spoon, stir from the bottom of the pot, incorporating the spices throughout. Cover pot and bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low. Stir occasionally. Continue cooking for about 30-40 minutes, or until potatoes are tender but not mushy.
- Ladle into soup bowls (remove bay leaves before serving). Add salt & pepper to taste.Serve with a warm sourdough baguette & your favorite vegan butter. M'm! M'm! Good! 🥕
Notes
Nutrition
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