Spring vegetable soup is made from scratch and packed with fresh seasonal ingredients. This light vegan soup is made with cannellini beans, leeks, basil, asparagus, carrots, and peas.
Recipe summary
Flavor: Fresh, light, garlicky
One pan. Make a batch of soup in 30 minutes or less on the stovetop.
Perfect for: Spring and summer, light lunch, meal prep.
Serve with: Crusty bread, Garden Salad, or a Pesto Grilled Cheese
Similar to: Creamy Vegetable Soup and Chicken Vegetable Soup
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil - Can be substituted with your favorite cooking oil if desired.
- Aromatics - Celery, leek, and garlic add significant flavor to the soup. I don't recommend omitting any of these ingredients. Leek could be substituted with ½ a small onion if desired. I highly recommend using fresh minced garlic for this recipe because it adds extraordinary flavor that you can't get from garlic powder.
- Vegetable broth - Can be substituted with beef or chicken broth (keeping in mind your soup will no longer be vegan).
- Cannellini beans - Can be substituted with any canned beans you have on hand. This soup does not cook long enough for raw beans so do not substitute with raw or dry beans.
- Peas and carrots - I chose to use frozen peas and carrots in this recipe to cut down on the chopping and prep work involved. Fresh-frozen vegetables are easy to find year round, inexpensive, and maintain their fresh flavor. I do not recommend substituting with canned vegetables.
- Asparagus - Adds bulk to the soup. Asparagus could be substituted with chopped broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, or green beans.
- Salt & pepper - Enhances the flavor of the soup.
- Fresh basil - Can be substituted with fresh dill for a different flavor.
How to make spring vegetable soup
- Sauté aromatics over medium heat.
- Add broth, beans, vegetables, and seasoning, stirring to combine.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until vegetables are tender to your liking.
- Remove lid, stir in fresh chopped basil, and serve warm.
Tips and tricks
Brown your aromatics - Browning the aromatics (leeks, celery, and garlic) adds significant flavor to the soup. Give them a few minutes to lightly brown around the edges. It's important to add extra flavor where we can since there are so few ingredients in this recipe.
Use fresh basil - Fresh basil has a far superior flavor compared to the dried variety.
Variations
Fresh herbs - Add fresh herbs like parsley, chives, or dill.
Fresh veggies - Sauté bell pepper or onion with the celery. Add a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach in the last minute of cooking. Frozen green beans also make a great addition.
Protein - Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken along with the asparagus to warm it up before serving.
Lemon - Add a squeeze of lemon just before serving to add a little brightness and acidity.
Frequently asked questions
Fresh herbs like dill, chives, and parsley add fresh, bright flavor to the soup. Fresh veggies like a few handfuls of baby spinach, diced bell pepper (sauteed with the celery and leeks), or green beans are other great additions. You could also add a squeeze of lemon juice just before serving for a little brightness and acidity.
This soup has a mild, savory flavor and relies on the use of fresh produce like leek, celery, garlic, asparagus, and fresh basil, as well as the broth, salt, and pepper. These are all flavor-adding ingredients and I don't recommend omitting any of them. If you're using a low sodium broth (which I don't recommend for this recipe), then you'll want to add extra seasoning to the recipe to make up for the loss in flavor. A spoonful of pesto or a dash of hot sauce can add extra flavor to your soup as well.
Vegetable soup will keep for 3-4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator and reheats well. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through.
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📖 Recipe
Spring Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 celery rib, sliced
- 1 leek, sliced (white and light green part only)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 32 ounces vegetable broth
- 15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups frozen peas and carrots
- 1 cup chopped asparagus
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
Instructions
- In a stockpot over medium heat, add olive oil. When hot, add celery and leeks. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges, stirring occasionally. Add minced garlic, stirring to combine. Cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add vegetable broth, beans, peas & carrots, asparagus, salt and pepper . Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes, or until vegetables and beans are heated through.
- Stir in chopped basil. Remove from heat and serve.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Ingredients that add flavor: Aromatics are important for adding flavor to your soup. Don't omit the celery, leek (can be substituted with ½ small onion), garlic, or basil (can be substituted with fresh dill) for best results.
- Storage: Leftover soup will keep for 3-4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
- Can I use dry beans?: Canned beans must be used in this recipe. Canned beans are already cooked and only need to be reheated. This recipe does not cook long enough to use dry beans.
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