Craving some comfort food? You're not alone. I've been making soup regularly, enjoying those warm bowls of goodness in my hands. And if you're a soup fan like I am, I have 7 vegan soup recipes that are easy to make, inexpensive and oh-so-satisfying.
Making sourdough starters, baking banana bread and other goodies to relieve stress, reverting back to childhood food favorites, and eating lots of comfort food marked the uncertain days of 2020 as the world experienced varying levels of quarantining and social distancing due to the global pandemic.
But with the start of a new year, now is the best time to focus on preparing wholesome, nutritious meals that not only make you feel good but are also tasty. If you’re in need of a healthy reset, why not try a nourishing bowl of soup? Some are even taking this to the point of doing soup detoxes.
Whether you’re using a slow cooker, Dutch oven or Instant Pot, there is something deeply satisfying about cooking up a batch of soup. Though winter and fall seem to call for it more, soup is a year-round affair. Soup recipes are extremely forgiving and can be adjusted to whatever ingredients you have at hand. Plus they are super easy to freeze and reheat (most soups actually taste better the next day, after the flavors have had time to fully mature).
So that's why I’m sharing 7 of my favorite vegan soup recipes that I believe you'll actually look forward to eating and are full of slurpable goodness. They are packed with nutrition and are a quick meal in a bowl, perfect for busy weeknights or a weekend lunch. Most of these are made with fresh seasonal produce (I get mine from Basil Bandwagon) while some utilize pantry ingredients. Enjoy!
1. Mixed Vegetable Soup
Gluten-free, Nut-free, Vegan
Main ingredients: mixed vegetables, vegetable broth, wild rice
Why I love it: A mixture of veggies in a flavorful broth, this is one of my top vegan soup recipes. It's an easy way to pack in nutrients and fiber into one bowl. This is a light soup that’s easily digestible but hearty enough to fill you as it warms you from the inside out. As a result, this low fat, low-calorie vegetable soup is a perfect addition to a weight-loss diet. And the great thing about this soup is that it works with different kinds of vegetables, making it a versatile recipe.
You'll find this recipe for this soup at the bottom of this post.
Soup-making tip: Don’t add hearty and delicate veggies together. Vegetables don’t always cook at the same rate. For instance, a potato will take much longer to cook than spinach. So know your cook times and add the hearty vegetables earlier than the delicate ones.
2. Bean Soup Recipe: Lentil Soup
Gluten-free, Nut-free, Vegan
Main ingredients: lentils, carrots, zucchini
Why I love it: This healthy vegan soup recipe is easy to make and flexible enough to use whatever fresh vegetables you have lying around. Lentils are made up of over 25% protein and are high in iron, B vitamins, magnesium, zinc and potassium. Moreover, when you combine this with the antioxidant properties of the veggies, herbs, and spices, you’ve got a meal that packs a nutritional punch.
Get the recipe here.
Soup-making tip: Soups are easy to make in large batches and are very freezer-friendly. Double up on ingredients, grab a larger pot, and make two meals instead of one.
3. Carrot Soup
Gluten-free, Nut-free, Vegan
Main ingredients: carrots, butternut squash, coconut milk
Why I love it: This easy, homemade soup recipe has a brilliant color and is full of flavor. Plus, it’s a great way to incorporate vegetables. Therefore, it's the perfect recipe for fussy eaters and kids who don’t like eating their veggies. Carrots are a rich source of beta-carotene, fiber and are high in vitamin A. And when you combine their soft cooked texture with with creamy, dairy-free coconut milk, you have a perfect dish. Additionally, it's flexible as you can use any other dairy-free milk in place of the coconut milk when making creamy vegan soup recipes like this.
Get the recipe here.
Soup-making tip: Build the flavors of your vegan soup recipe as you cook. First start with aromatic vegetables like garlic, onion, and celery. They should be cooked long enough to be softened and release their flavor before adding the other ingredients.
4. Fermented Food Soup Recipe: Miso Soup
Gluten-free, Nut-free, Vegan
Main ingredients: miso paste, wakame (seaweed), dashi or vegetable broth
Why do I love it? First, miso soup is one of my favorite vegan soup recipes because it only requires a few ingredients. Secondly, this savory soup requires less than 15 minutes to make. Thirdly, this traditional Japanese soup is rich with umami. Additionally, it also has many health benefits. For example, drinking miso soup helps to improve your overall digestion and absorption of nutrients. Miso is rich in minerals as well as copper, manganese, protein, vitamin K, and zinc.
Get the recipe here.
Soup-making tip: When adding vegetables to your soup, think about how big you want them to be on the spoon. For example, hearty soups should have well-chopped, reasonably sized vegetables. Similarly, leafy greens such as spinach and kale should also be chopped, or they might be difficult to eat.
5. Squash Apple Soup
Gluten-free, Nut-free, Vegan
Main ingredients: butternut squash, apples, nutmeg
Why do I love it? First, this soup recipe is a balance of sweet and savory flavors and has a comforting, rich texture. Second, you only need 7 ingredients and around 30 minutes to make it. Thirdly, I love how the tart apples help to cut through the creaminess of the coconut milk and add more depth of flavor. Additionally, it's a great keeper. For example, you can make this soup up to 3 days ahead of time, and defrost as needed.
Just like the carrot soup, you can replace the coconut milk with other plant-based milk of your choice. And it's possible to make it creamy without any milk at all. Simply add some peeled white sweet potatoes to the ingredients for a rich, creamy effect.
Get the recipe here.
Soup-making tip: What goes on top of your soup is just as important as what goes into your soup. Complement the flavors of your soup with a garnish. You can use a swirl of coconut yogurt, freshly chopped herbs, or crunchy, toasted pepitas.
6. White Bean Soup
Gluten-free, Nut-free, Vegan
Main ingredients: white beans, onions, celery
Why I love it: This hearty vegetable soup recipe is bursting with flavor and rich in nutrients. Additionally, white beans are low in calories but loaded with minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Plus they're a great source of plant protein and highly filling, making them a weight loss-friendly food. Serve with roasted seasonal vegetables and plenty of crusty, whole grain bread for a well-rounded meal.
Get the recipe here.
Soup-making tip: A great option for adding fresh herbs to your soup is putting them in an herb sachet while the soup cooks and then remove it afterwards. This way, you get all the flavor without small bits of herbs floating in your soup (and getting stuck in your teeth).
7. Root Vegetable Soup
Gluten-free, Nut-free, Vegan
Main ingredients: sweet potatoes, kabocha squash, onions
Why I love it: It's versatile. You can make this hearty vegetable soup with almost any mixture of root vegetables that you have on hand. For example, try using carrots, parsnips, celery root, turnips, rutabaga or regular potato. In addition, I love this soup because root vegetables are super healthy and loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. While healthy is good, I just love how each spoonful warms the body and the soul.
As you can probably tell, I'm a huge fan of creamy soups! The sweetness of orange vegetables combined with the creamy texture almost feels like dessert. So I feel relaxed after eating this type of soup. Moms, kids tend to love them too!
Get the recipe here.
Soup-making tip: If you don’t want a bowl of flavorless mush, slowly bring the soup to a boil and then immediately turn it down to barely a simmer (the surface of the soup should slightly bubble and move). This way the flavors of the ingredients will meld better, and your ingredients will maintain their structure and integrity.
I hope you enjoy this selection of vegan soup recipes. Remember that all of these recipes can be personalized with your own choice of veggies and seasonings. For example, garlic and ginger can add a nice touch. And if you like it hot, add some cayenne pepper, curry powder or crushed red chiles. Or a dash of hot sauce can add some nice kick. As long as you’ve got a flavorful base, your soup additions are limitless.
Let me know your favorite in the comments below!
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Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ onion, chopped
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 4 small ribs celery, sliced
- 1 cup chopped potatoes (I used baby heirloom potatoes but you could use red-skinned potatoes)
- 1 medium red beet, peeled and diced
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 13 ounces cooked kidney beans
- ¼ cup wild rice, soaked in water to cover for several hours, then drained
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup chopped green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 1 cup baby bok choy, chopped
- 1 small zucchini, chopped
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste
- Optional: Black pepper
Instructions
- In an Instant Pot, pressure cooker or large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook and stir for five minutes. Add the carrots, celery, beets and potatoes. Add 4 cups of the vegetable broth, along with the kidney beans, drained wild rice and thyme.
- Place the lid on your cooking pot of choice.
- For an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, bring up to full pressure. Once full pressure is achieved, reduce heat to cook for 10 minutes. Then turn off or remove from heat to allow pressure to drop naturally.
- If you're using a regular soup pot, bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to cook on low, covered, for 30 minutes.
- Next, add the green beans, scallions, baby bok choy, zucchini, parsley, corn kernels, sea salt and enough vegetable broth to cover everything. If your cooking vessel is too full you can cook in two batches.
- Bring the Instant Pot or pressure cooker bring back up to full pressure. Then reduce heat to cook on low for 5 more minutes.
- Regular soup pot: Bring back to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to cook on low for 10 to 15 more minutes.
- Season with black pepper if desired, and additional sea salt to taste. I like to serve with a drizzle of olive oil as well. If a tart taste is desired you can add a splash of apple cider vinegar as well.
- Store leftover soup in a covered glass container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze leftovers for up to a month.
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