Vegetarian soups are the epitome of comfort food and provide nourishment without weighing you down. Transforming simple vegetables into highly satisfying and warm bowls of nourishment is what these five recipes accomplish.
They help make for the perfect meal prep and make for an excellent busy weeknight or cozy weekend recipe.
1. Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
The warm and cozy felt like summer’s heavenly basking in the sun while dining al fresco at an elegant restaurant.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. and ripe seasonal tomatoes, halved
- One large onion, quartered
- 6 peeled and roasted garlic cloves
- 3 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ts. of sea salt
- 1/2 tsp of black ground pepper
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup of heavy cream or coconut cream
- 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
- 1 of the optional sugars
Instructions
For easy cleanup, preheat your oven to 425°F and put parchment paper on a large baking sheet.
Step 1
On the baking sheet are the cut tomato halves, cut garlic cloves, and onion quarters.
To make sure it is olive oil, sea salt, and black ground pepper a piece of the oil drizzle to every food component and distribute evenly on the baking sheet.
Roast the onions and tomatoes for around 35 to 40 minutes until the onions are golden and the tomatoes have dark and crispy caramelized edges.
This will cause the kitchen to smell heavenly. You will also notice the tomatoes bubbling in the juices in the dish.
When done, pour the vegetables, along with the juices, into a large pot.
Pour the vegetable broth and keep the heat on medium. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 2
Take the pot off the heat.
Then add the basil and, using an immersion blender, puree the soup until it is completely smooth.
If you do not have an immersion blender, you can use a regular blender; just be careful to do it in batches
Do not fill the blender more than halfway to prevent the hot liquid from exploding.
Mix in the cream and the vinegar.
The soup will need a little salt and sugar, depending on how sour the tomatoes are. This will add a balance of richness and smoothness to the soup.
Serve the dish hot, with extra cream and fresh basil leaves
2. Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Soup
Has lots of nutrients and fiber; therefore, very filling, and each day, the better this soup gets.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 stalks of celery, diced
- Garlic: 4 cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon; ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon; smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon; dried thyme
- 1 1/2 cups green or brown lentils, rinsed
- 1 can; 14 ounces; diced tomatoes
- 6 cups; vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups chopped kale or spinach
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch pot until the oil shines and is warm.
Step 1
Add the legumes, tomatoes, broth, and bay leaves. Stir and bring to a boil.
To have good, tender, yet not mushy, lentils, you will want to have them simmer for about 30-35 minutes.
Every so often, try to squish one between your fingers. If it is easy to pulverize, they’re done.
Once you are about 5 minutes from being done, add the kale or spinach to the soup. They will wilt down into the soup.
Take the bay leaves out and add the lemon juice in. This will really bring the flavor out of the soup.
Always feel free to add more salt and pepper to flavor the soup to your own definition of perfection.
This one goes great with bread.
3. Thai Coconut Curry Soup
This is great for a flavor boost and still a comfort.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large onion
- 3 tbsp red Thai curry paste
- 2 14-oz cans of coconut milk
- 1 box of vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup sliced baby corn
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
Start by heating up the coconut oil in a big pot on medium heat. Let it melt and enjoy the welcoming smell from the coconut oil.
Step 1
After 5 minutes, add the sliced onion and sauté until tender and beginning to turn golden at the edges.
Add the Thai curry paste and, stirring constantly, let cook until very fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Deep and complex flavors are created from this, so the paste must be cooked thoroughly.
Add the coconut milk and vegetable broth and, whisking, incorporate all the curry paste.
Add the soy sauce and brown sugar and, stirring, let the sugar dissolve.
Add the butternut squash and let the soup come to a gentle boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down and let it simmer until the squash is fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
After the butternut squash is cooked, add the bell pepper, sliced mushrooms, and baby corn and simmer until all the vegetables are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the baby spinach and, stirring, wait until it wilts, about two minutes. You know it is cooked when it is a bright green color.
Stir in the freshly chopped cilantro and lime juice to finish. The lime juice complements all the flavors.
4. Rustic Italian White Bean and Kale Soup
Even though it comes together pretty quickly, this Tuscan-style soup is hearty, wholesome, and tastes like it’s been simmering all day.
Ingredients
- Olive oil, 3 tbsp
- Diced large onion, 1
- Diced carrots, 2
- Diced celery stalks, 2
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 dried rosemary
- 1 dried oregano
- 1/4 red pepper flakes
- 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 parmesan rind, optional but recommended
- Chopped kale, 4 cups, stems removed
- 2 lemon juice, tbsp
- Salt and pepper
- Grated parmesan, for serving
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and the onion is translucent.
This combination is called soffritto in Italian cooking. It forms the aromatic base.
Add minced garlic, rosemary, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
Stir constantly for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant, but not browned. Burnt garlic tastes bitter, so watch this step closely.
Please include the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, and white beans.
If using, add the parmesan rind, which provides awesome umami depth as it simmers.
Let it boil and then cover the stew, letting it stew for 20 minutes to mesh the flavors together.
Mash about a third of the beans with a wooden spoon or a potato masher, which makes the stew thicker and creamier without any actual cream added.
Once the kale is added, let the stew boil for an additional 5-to-7 minutes until the kale is wilted and soft.
Stir the lemon juice in before removing the Parmesan rind. Then add black pepper and salt to taste.
Drizzle a high-quality olive oil before serving the stew in broad bowls. Have fun with the serving by adding a lot of Parmesan on top.
5. Spiced Moroccan Chickpea Soup
Dried, humble chickpeas with these warm spices make an exciting, aromatic, and comforting soup.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 big onion, cut into small pieces
- 3 carrots, cut into small cubes, peeled
- 4 garlic cloves, cut into small pieces
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 to 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 to 1/16 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed,
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14 ounces)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup of red lentils
- 2 tbsps of tomato paste
- 2 tbsps of lemon juice
- 4 tbsps of fresh chopped cilantro
- 4 tbsps of fresh chopped parsley
- Some salt to season
Instructions
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a big pot over medium heat and wait until it is hot and has a shiny coating.
The onion and carrots are diced. Put first and let it cook for 8 minutes under medium heat. Let it soften and keep stirring.
The minced garlic and the rest of the ground spices, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne are added.
Let the spices cook under medium heat for a while until the kitchen smells good and the spices cook.
Put the tomato paste into the big pot. Cook for a minute, letting the vegetables cook in the tomato paste.
Put the broth, the red lentils into the pot, and add the chickpeas. Stir and cook under a boil.
Let it simmer for 25-30 minutes after reducing the heat and covering it.
It should be soft enough to mash apart. It should be breaking apart to form a thick, hearty base. It should dissolve into the water.
Chickpeas should be set aside for a bit to mash.
There should be some mash around to create a chunky-smooth texture. Some should remain whole to create texture contrast.
Cilantro, parsley, and lemon juice should be mixed in. It should be balanced, and the warm spices should be complemented perfectly.
Some salt should be mixed in to taste, and it should be served with warm pita bread or couscous.
Ingredient Swaps
Coconut cream, pureed silken tofu, or cashew cream can be substituted for the heavy cream to make it dairy-free.
Fresh herbs can also be substituted for dried ones and give 3 times the amount.
Vegetable broth can be used with some bouillon water instead if it’s all you have. Swapping out kale for spinach or collard greens works too.
Fresh tomatoes can be used instead of canned in a lot of recipes.
Since curry powder is usually much less concentrated than a paste, it’s important to be careful with how much is used.
Storage Tips for Healthy Vegetarian Soup Recipes
All of these soups keep very well in the fridge for 5 days in airtight containers.
The tastes blend better together and get even better after a day, too.
For freezing, cool the soup completely before transferring to containers for the freezer, leaving a 1-inch headspace for expansion.
These can be frozen for 3 months.
Cream soups tend to separate a little upon thawing, so when reheating, whisk to combine.
Don’t freeze soups with potatoes or pasta because they get mushy.
To reheat, use the stove on medium-low with occasional stirring or a microwave in 2-minute intervals.
If the soup has thickened during storage, add a little broth or water.
Best Tips for Making Healthy Vegetarian Soup
To achieve richer, more sophisticated flavors, always sauté onions, garlic, and spices before adding other liquids.
Don’t skip the toasting step; that’s where the oils hiding in the spices get activated.
When blending soup, which we’ll assume is hot, never fill the blender more than half and hold the lid with a towel to avoid spilling hot liquid all over.
At the end, give the soup a good taste and add some salt.
Soup often needs a better salt balancing than just enough, and adding vinegar/lemon/lime juice really brightens the soup.
When making soup, let it simmer rather than boil; that way, the vegetables keep their structure.
For a better base flavor, use a high-quality vegetable broth (you can simmer vegetable scraps for a broth too).
To keep their color and nutrients, add delicate greens, like spinach, at the end.