Italian Herb Vegetable Soup (Printable)

A vibrant Mediterranean soup with fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs, and hearty broth. Simple, nourishing, and delicious.

# What You'll 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 oz) diced tomatoes with juices
10 - 4 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
12 - 2 cups baby spinach leaves

→ Herbs and 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 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
20 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley for garnish
21 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic; sauté for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and softened.
02 - Stir in carrots, celery, zucchini, red bell pepper, and green beans. Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Add diced tomatoes with juices, vegetable broth, and diced potato. Stir in oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
04 - Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes until vegetables are tender.
05 - If using cannellini beans, add to pot and simmer for another 5 minutes to heat through.
06 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in spinach leaves and cook for 1–2 minutes until wilted.
07 - Taste the 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 Hints:

01 -
  • The vegetables maintain their individual character while marrying into a harmonious broth that tastes like it simmered all day, even though it takes less than an hour.
  • You can adapt it to whatever vegetables are in season or looking sad in your refrigerator, making it both economical and infinitely customizable.
02 -
  • Adding all vegetables at once leads to overcooked mush, so stagger additions based on how long each needs to cook.
  • Stirring in the spinach at the very end preserves its bright green color and prevents it from disintegrating into unappealing brown threads.
03 -
  • The order of adding ingredients matters tremendously, I learned this when rushing once led to potatoes that dissolved completely while my carrots remained too firm.
  • Cooling the soup completely before refrigerating or freezing prevents that odd film from forming on top and preserves the vibrant colors of your vegetables.
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