Homemade vegetable soup is one of my go-to favorite comfort foods when I need something quick and nutritious. It’s delicious for both lunch and dinner. Plus it’s a one-pot meal. Since it’s a family favorite, I like to always have the ingredients on hand at all times. That isn’t difficult with most of the ingredients being shelf stable.

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Easy Vegetable Soup

This vegetable soup is easy to make and so adaptable. You can swap out some of the ingredients for others that you may like even more.

I like a lot of different soups. My other current favorite is this homemade bean soup. I understand that fresh-picked vegetables might pack a few more vitamins than veggies from cans. However, that would take quite a bit longer than most of us have when we get home from work.

In contrast to fast food, this homemade vegetable soup is a whole lot better for us.

Although some people only eat soup during colder weather, I like to have it year-round. After all, it’s easy to make, comforting, and delicious.

The country church my mother used to attend as a child in Mississippi had the same type of dinner, only they called it “Potluck Soup.” Even as an adult, she called it that.

Ingredients

As I mentioned, you can use what I have here or switch any of the ingredients out for something else. Here is what I used:

• Ground beef (or ground turkey if you prefer)
• Bone broth
• Diced tomatoes
• Creamed corn
• Chopped spinach
• Mixed vegetables
• Ketchup (my mother-in-law’s secret ingredient, optional)

For exact measurements of each ingredient and full directions, go to the recipe card at the bottom of the page. You can even print out the card by using the “print” button.

Other ingredients you can add or swap out:

• Fresh green beans
• Fresh carrots, chopped
• Chopped onions
• Fresh squash, diced
• Fresh zucchini, diced
• Chopped cabbage
• Red pepper flakes
• Worcestershire sauce
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Italian seasoning
• Currie powder
• Fresh lemon juice

If there’s something else you’d like to try, test it out with a little bit of the soup. If you like the way it tastes, add it to the whole pot.

How to Make Quick and Easy Homemade Vegetable Soup

This soup is so easy to make, and the payoff is delicious! It’s a great one for those days when my family needs comfort food but I don’t have a lot of time.

Use either a big soup pot or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. After everything is in the pot, you’ll want to turn the heat down to low and simmer it.

First, you start with a pound of ground beef.

Put it in a skillet or the pot and brown it, breaking it up as you go. I use a hamburger chopper that you can find at most cooking stores or Walmart.

After the meat is brown, drain the grease. Put the meat into the pot and turn heat on medium high.

Pour the beef bone broth in with the meat and stir until it until it bubbles.

Next, add the tomatoes and stir.

After that, pour in the cream corn. Stir.

Then pour in the spinach and stir.

Add the vegetables and stir.

Finally, if you’ve decided to include my mother-in-law’s secret ingredient, the ketchup, add that and give it another stir.

Put a lid on the soup and let it simmer while you set the table and get washed up. Dinner can be served whenever you’re ready to eat.

More Tips for Making Vegetable Soup

Whipping up a scrumptious pot of homemade vegetable soup is a breeze. And with these tips, you’ll be dishing out bowls of hearty goodness in no time.

• Use your favorite vegetables. The beauty of vegetable soup is its versatility, so you can use whatever you have in your pantry or fridge. Try zucchini, bell peppers, or whatever leafy greens you just happen to have.
• Use your favorite broth or stock. Try beef stock, chicken stock, or even vegetable stock.
• If you prefer a thicker broth, put some of the cooked vegetables in your blender and pulverize them. Then add them back to the soup. This works really well with potatoes or beans.
• Don’t be afraid to experiment with your favorite seasonings and spices. If you’re not sure about something add the spice to a small amount and give it a taste. If you like it, add it to the entire batch.

Leftover Vegetable Soup

There’s a good chance that you won’t have any leftover soup. However, if you do, it will be good on another day. There are a couple of options.

First, you can cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tight lid and place it in the refrigerator. It should be good for up to a week.

Second, you can put it in an airtight container and store it in the freezer. This method keeps it good for a couple of months.

On the day you want to serve it, all you have to do is thaw it and heat it up in a saucepan until it reaches your desired temperature. Or you can microwave it until it’s hot.

Perfect for a Southern Potluck

One of the things I remember enjoying was potluck dinners at different people’s homes and at church. Sometimes, we were asked to bring our favorite dish, while others had a theme.

Here are some of our other favorite potluck dishes:

Chicken and rice casserole – This one is always a favorite and disappears quickly. My mother loved to make it, so I have fond memories of the flavors.

Mac and cheese with ham casserole – Check out some of the ingredients I add to give it more flavor, texture, and nutrition. If you have ideas of your own, add those too!

Italian chicken and zucchini casserole – Even people who claim not to like zucchini love this one. That’s because there’s a lot of delicious flavor surrounding it!

Peanut butter Cocoa Krispie treats – It’s always a good idea to add something to the dessert table, so try this take on an old-school favorite.

Other Names for This Version of Homemade Vegetable Soup

You can get cute with this type of homemade vegetable soup coming up with a theme for it. It will certainly give your children something to remember.

When we lived in Japan, one potluck featured, “Can-Can Soup,” which is basically the same as the recipe below. The host provided the ground beef and the pot to cook it in, while each guest brought cans of vegetables.

As each family arrived, we dumped our vegetables into the pot. What we wound up with was vegetable beef soup.

Our military friends in Oregon called this style of homemade vegetable soup “Hobo Stew” or “Hobo Soup.” We had the exact same scenario with the host providing the meat and guests bringing cans of veggies.

More Delicious Soup Recipes

If you like soup as much as we do, you love having a variety of homemade soup recipes. Here are some of our favorites:

Cream of Mushroom Soup – Why bother with canned soup when you can have homemade? This is an easy soup to make from scratch.

Butternut Squash Soup – Do you ever wonder what to do with butternut squash? This is our favorite way to enjoy it.

Lentil Soup – When you want a quick and easy homemade soup, this lentil soup is perfect! It’s delicious and filling!

Potato Soup – Comforting and delicious, this soup is definitely a crowd favorite. It warms you from the inside out.

Nutritious and Delicious Vegetable Soup

The best thing about this delicious soup is that you can feel good about feeding it to your family. Not only will they love the delicious taste, but it’s also very nutritious!

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