Vegetable Soup Recipe (Easy and Healthy)
This is the soup we make when the fridge is full of vegetables and nobody can agree on dinner. It takes one pot, about 40 minutes, and nothing fancier than a knife and a saucepan — and it genuinely improves on day two, when the flavours have had time to settle.
We keep it simple: onion, carrot, celery, leek, potato, tomatoes and peas, simmered in vegetable stock with thyme and bay. Every bowl carries well over two portions of vegetables, the potatoes make it properly filling, and the whole pot works out to pennies a serving. It follows the template the NHS Eatwell Guide recommends — vegetables forming the bulk of the meal, a starchy food for energy, and a small amount of unsaturated oil. If you like cooking this way, our healthy dinner recipes for two follow the same simple template.
| Servings | 4 bowls |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 25 minutes |
| Total time | 40 minutes |
| Approx. calories per serving | 250 kcal |
| Freezer-friendly | Yes — up to 3 months |
Easy vegetable soup
Vegetable Soup Recipe (Easy and Healthy)
A classic homemade vegetable soup with onion, carrot, celery, leek, potato, tomatoes and peas in a thyme and bay broth — chunky, comforting and ready in 40 minutes.
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes | Servings: 4 | Course: Dinner | Cuisine: British | Calories: approx. 250 kcal per serving
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion (about 150g), chopped
- 2 carrots (about 200g), peeled and diced
- 2 celery sticks (about 80g), diced
- 1 leek (about 200g), trimmed and sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 medium potatoes (about 300g), peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
- 200g tinned chopped tomatoes (half a standard 400g tin)
- 1.2 litres vegetable stock (2 stock cubes)
- 150g frozen peas
- Salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and leek and cook for 8 minutes, stirring often, until softened but not browned.
- Stir in the garlic, thyme and bay leaves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the potatoes, chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, until the vegetables are completely tender and the potatoes break apart easily when pressed with a spoon.
- Stir in the frozen peas and simmer for 3 minutes more. Fish out the bay leaves, then season generously with salt and black pepper.
- Ladle into warm bowls as it is for a chunky soup — or blend about half of it and stir it back through for a thicker texture.
Recipe notes
Cut all the vegetables to roughly the same size (about 1cm) so they cook through evenly. The non-potato vegetables work out at over three 80g portions per serving — well past two of your 5 a day (potatoes don’t count toward the 5 a day, per NHS guidance). Use a vegan-friendly stock cube if serving vegans. The soup keeps in the fridge for 3–4 days and freezes for up to 3 months — see the freezing tips below.
Variations worth trying
Once you have the base recipe down, it takes small changes well:
- With red lentils: add 100g rinsed red lentils along with the stock, plus an extra 200ml of stock, and simmer for 25–30 minutes until the lentils are completely soft. It thickens the soup and makes it even more filling.
- Spicy: add 1 teaspoon ground cumin and ½ teaspoon chilli flakes with the garlic in step 2.
- Creamy coconut: stir in 200ml light coconut milk along with the peas in step 4.
- Herby: swap the thyme for 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley or dill stirred in at the end.
A word on quantities: these variations were chosen to work with the 1.2 litres of stock already in the pot. Add more than 200ml of extra liquid and you will need to extend the simmering time or end up with thin soup — so measure, don’t guess.
Batch cooking, freezing and reheating
This soup was made for batch cooking. A few practical points:
- Cool it quickly: divide the pot into shallow containers and get leftovers into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking.
- Fridge: a sealed container keeps it for 3–4 days. One nuance from the UK Food Standards Agency: reheated leftovers should ideally be eaten within 2 days of cooking — so if you are on day three or four, enjoy the last bowls cold or freeze them instead of reheating.
- Freezer: cool completely, then freeze in portion-sized containers for up to 3 months. Leave a little headspace, as liquid expands.
- Reheating: defrost overnight in the fridge, eat within 24 hours of defrosting, and reheat until steaming hot throughout — only reheat a portion once.
- What to serve it with: a thick slice of wholemeal toast or a crusty roll makes it a complete meal. For a bigger occasion, our Christmas food 2026 guide has soup-friendly starter ideas too.
We batch-cook this most Sundays in winter — four portions for the week, and the freezer does the rest. It pairs well with a warm house: see our guide on draught-proofing your home if yours is letting the cold in.
Frequently asked questions
Can you freeze vegetable soup?
Yes — it freezes very well for up to 3 months. Cool it completely within 2 hours of cooking, portion into freezer-safe containers, and leave a little headspace. Defrost overnight in the fridge and eat within 24 hours, reheating until steaming hot throughout.
How long does vegetable soup keep in the fridge?
In a sealed container, 3–4 days. Note the UK Food Standards Agency recommends eating reheated leftovers within 2 days of cooking, so on day three or four either eat it cold or freeze it.
Is this vegetable soup vegan?
Yes, as written — provided your vegetable stock cubes are vegan-friendly (most are, but a few contain milk or lactose, so check the label).
Can I add meat to it?
You can. Brown 250g of diced chicken breast with the onion and vegetables in step 1 until it is no longer pink, then continue as normal — the simmering time is unchanged. Or stir in shredded leftover roast chicken at the end and simmer until steaming hot throughout.
How do I make the soup thicker?
Blend a portion of the soup and stir it back through — no cream needed. For a thinner soup, add a little more stock at the end and bring it back to a simmer.
Is vegetable soup gluten-free?
As written, yes — but check your stock cubes, as some contain barley or wheat derivatives.
Sources
- NHS — The Eatwell Guide: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/the-eatwell-guide/
- NHS — 5 A Day portion sizes: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/5-a-day/portion-sizes/
- NHS — 5 A Day: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/5-a-day/
Ekaterina Saar is the editor of ContentOcean, covering UK entertainment, sport, money and lifestyle. She researches every article from news reports and official sources and keeps them updated as new information comes out.