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Loaded with fresh vegetables and cozy, rich flavors, this Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup is naturally healthy yet packed with textures, amazing taste, and comfort.
Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup Recipe
There’s nothing quite as comforting as a bowl of vegetable soup on a chilly day. When the aroma of simmering veggies, herbs, and spices fills the air, it’s a nostalgic reminder of family gatherings and homely warmth. This Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup gives off that amazing smell we all love, but also adds a healthful, hearty meal that’s both vegetarian and gluten-free, and delicious! The best part of all this is that the slow cooker does most of the work! Because, the key to a good soup is a long and slow simmer, and that is where our Crock Pot comes in very handy. The slow simmer gives veggies time to infuse and meld together to create a soup with plenty of flavor, plus quarts of leftover soup to pack for lunches or put away in the freezer.
Why We Love This Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup Recipe
- Low Fat & Healthy Indulgence: This recipe combines the goodness of fresh vegetables in a rich broth, ensuring you get a dose of essential nutrients without compromising on taste.
- Ease of Preparation: With minimal prep time and the magic of a slow cooker, you can have a delicious soup ready with very little fuss.
- Versatility: Whether you have fresh vegetables from the market or frozen ones from your freezer, this recipe is adaptable. You can also tweak it to suit your preferences.
- Multiple Cooking Options: Though this is a slow cooker recipe, you can prepare it using an Instant Pot or the traditional stovetop method.
How To Make Vegetable Soup In The Slow Cooker
In around 10 minutes, you can chop the vegetables and fill up your slow cooker. You can also sub in whatever frozen or fresh vegetables you have on hand.
Ingredients For Vegetable Soup
- Olive Oil: Adds a mild, aromatic base to sauté the veggies.
- Yellow Onion & Garlic
- Carrots: Introduce natural sweetness and a soft texture.
- Celery Ribs: Contribute a fresh, crisp flavor.
- Diced Tomatoes: Add tanginess and a rich texture to the broth.
- Potatoes: Offer starchy comfort, making the soup hearty.
- Green Beans: Provide a bite and a contrast to the softer veggies.
- Tomato Paste: Deepens the color and flavor of the soup.
- Bay Leaves
- Smoked Paprika: Lends a hint of smokiness and warmth.
- Dried Thyme, Basil, and Oregano: Offer a trio of Mediterranean-inspired aromas and flavors.
- Salt & Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- Vegetable Broth: You can also use chicken broth.
- Corn Kernels: Add sweetness and a pop of color.
- Dill (or Parsley for garnish): Adds a final fresh touch before serving.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: Brightens the flavor, adding a zesty finish.
Directions For Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup
- Saute: First, start with sautéing the onions, carrots, and celery with some garlic; then, transfer them to the pot of your slow cooker.
- Mix In: Add potatoes, tomatoes, tomato paste, green beans, herbs, spices and broth to the slow cooker; stir everything together.
- Cook: Cover and set the Slow Cooker on LOW for 6 hours, or set it on HIGH for 3 hours.
- Finish: Stir in some corn the last 30 minutes of cooking, and you’re pretty much DONE!
Instant Pot Vegetable Soup Directions
- Use the sauté function to sauté onions, carrots, and celery.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the IP, except for corn.
- Close the lid, set the valve to sealing, and pressure cook on high for 15 minutes. Allow a natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release.
- Stir in the corn and let it simmer on sauté mode for a few minutes or until heated through.
Stovetop Directions
- In a large pot, heat olive oil and sauté the onions, carrots, and celery.
- Add the remaining ingredients, except for corn, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 40 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
- Stir in the corn and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
Tips For Making The Best Vegetable Soup
- Frozen Veggies: I almost always use frozen green beans and frozen corn for this soup. It’s just easier for me because I have numerous bags of frozen veggies in the freezer. Thus, do not be afraid to use frozen veggies. Just dump them in the slow cooker and go about your business.
- Deglazing: After sautéing the veggies, deglaze the pot with a splash of white wine or vegetable broth. This process will lift the flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan, adding more depth to your soup.
- Flavor Boost: The key to a flavorful soup is adding fresh herbs and acid just before serving. For this soup, stir in chopped fresh parsley or dill and add a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Make it Hearty: While I serve this Vegetable Soup as a starter, stir in some leftover shredded chicken before reheating to make this more of a main dish. Or have chicken on the side served over brown rice pilaf.
- Broth Variety: Use a mix of vegetable and chicken broth for a different flavor profile.
- Fresh Herbs: In addition to parsley and dill, add fresh rosemary, tarragon, or cilantro.
- Spice It Up: For a bit of heat, add red pepper flakes, a dash of cayenne, or sliced jalapeños.
- Salt & Pepper To Taste: If the soup tastes bland or lacks depth, add a bit more salt. If it needs a little kick or warmth, add more pepper. Everyone’s taste preference is unique. What’s perfectly seasoned for one person might be too salty or too bland for another. Trust your own palate and season the soup to what tastes best to you. The rule of thumb is to add 1 teaspoon of table salt per 1 quart (4 cups) for soups and sauces.
What To Serve With Vegetable Soup
- Crusty Bread: A fresh loaf of my rosemary garlic no-knead skillet bread is perfect for dipping and soaking up the flavorful broth.
- Grilled Cheese Sandwich: Try my ham and apple grilled cheese sandwiches for a comforting classic.
- Salads: A light mixed greens or this chef salad can provide a crunchy contrast to the soup’s texture.
- Quiche: A slice of spinach quiche pairs nicely with soup.
- Savory Muffins: Think cornbread muffins, cheese muffins, or even herb-infused muffins.
How Long Can You Keep Homemade Vegetable Soup In The Refrigerator?
- Store leftover Vegetable Soup in airtight containers and keep in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
How To Freeze Vegetable Soup
- Transfer completely cooled soup to quart-size or gallon-size freezer bags. Seal and place the bags on a cookie sheet in one single layer; freeze.
- Once frozen, remove from cookie sheet and just stack them up in the freezer. Keep in the freezer for up to 4 months.
More Slow Cooker Soup Recipes
- Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Slow Cooker French Onion Soup
- Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Crock Pot White Chicken Chili Recipe
- Slow Cooker Creamy Cauliflower Soup
- Slow Cooker Leek And Potato Soup
ENJOY!
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Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup
Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup is the ultimate comfort dish, packed with fresh vegetables and rich flavors. Let the slow cooker work its magic as the aroma fills your kitchen and delivers a hearty and healthy meal.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion,, diced
- 4 carrots,, peeled and sliced into rounds
- 3 celery ribs,, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic,, minced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes,, undrained
- 3 cups diced potatoes,, I use up about 2 large Russet potatoes, peeled, and dice into 1/2-inch thick cubes
- 2 cups frozen or fresh green beans, , ends trimmed and chopped
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt,, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper,, or to taste
- 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup frozen or canned corn kernels
- dill or parsley,, finely chopped, for garnish
- fresh lemon juice,, for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery; cook for 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and fresh parsley and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and transfer to the pot of your 6-quart, or larger, slow cooker.
- To the slow cooker, add diced tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, and tomato paste. Stir in the bay leaves, smoked paprika, salt, thyme, basil, oregano, pepper, and vegetable broth; gently stir until everything is well combined.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours. Add in the corn for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Remove the lid; gently stir and ladle the soup into bowls.
- Garnish with fresh dill or parsley, plus a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and serve.
Notes
- Frozen Veggies: Use frozen veggies for convenience; they’re great in the slow cooker.
- Flavor Boost: Add fresh dill or parsley and a dash of lemon juice before serving.
- Make it Hearty: Add shredded chicken, and serve the soup with rice, bread, or a salad.
- Deglazing: After sautéing, use a splash of wine or broth to deglaze the pan and capture all the tasty browned bits.
- Broth: Combine vegetable and chicken broth for added flavor.
- Herbs: Use rosemary, tarragon, thyme, or cilantro for a personal twist on this soup.
- Add Heat: Consider red pepper flakes or fresh jalapeños for a kick.
- Season to Taste: Season to your liking, as everyone’s taste varies.
Nutrition
Serving: 2cups | Calories: 181kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 540mg | Potassium: 917mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 5820IU | Vitamin C: 23.1mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Did you make a recipe? Leave a rating
This just became my new favorite soup! I used chicken broth instead of beef and threw in a cube of chicken bouillon for a little extra flavor! Thank you for sharing!
Can I use water instead of vegetable stock? What do you think that will do?
Yes, you can definitely use water, but vegetable broth is flavored, so if you want to use water, you’ll have to add more salt, seasonings, pepper, etc…
I am curious why this soup uses 8 cups of broth instead of 4. when I made it, I felt the 8 cups was too much. Admittedly, I am not the most experienced chef and I would like an explanation in depth about the seemingly large amount of broth is for.
Because I like a “soupy” soup 🤷♀️ and not a vegetable casserole. But you can make it your own and use 4 cups instead of 8.
This has become my staple soup recipe, so easy and I always feel great after having it! Perfect for winter weather too, thank you!!
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂