Italian Herb Vegetable Soup (Printable)

Vibrant soup loaded with Mediterranean vegetables and aromatic Italian herbs, ready in under an hour.

# 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 ounces) 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 ounces) 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 to 3 minutes until fragrant and softened.
02 - Stir in carrots, celery, zucchini, red bell pepper, and green beans. Cook for 5 to 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 to 25 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
05 - Add cannellini beans if using and simmer for an additional 5 minutes to heat through.
06 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in spinach leaves and cook for 1 to 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 Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • Every spoonful is loaded with vegetables, so you feel genuinely nourished without any heaviness.
  • The herb blend is generous enough to make the soup sing, but not so bold that it overshadows the fresh vegetable flavors.
02 -
  • Don't skip the sautéing of the onion and garlic—that initial fragrance develops the foundation of the entire soup's flavor.
  • The spinach must go in at the very end; add it earlier and it turns to stringy mush that disappears into the broth.
03 -
  • Use good vegetable broth—it's one of only five major components, so it deserves to be something you'd drink on its own.
  • Don't be afraid to taste multiple times during cooking; soup flavors develop gradually, and you'll catch any adjustments needed before it's finished.
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