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.
Sometimes, spring arrives but the weather isn't quite cooperating yet. A warm bowl of chunky soup filled with fresh spring veggies is the perfect solution!
Minced garlic and fresh chopped basil enhance the flavor of seasonal veggies, like asparagus, leeks, and peas. It's the perfect light soup for any season - many of these veggies are available year round at your local grocer.
Pair with some crusty bread and a side salad, or a grilled cheese sandwich for a complete meal. This soup reheats well, making it perfect for meal prep and make ahead lunches.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil - can be substituted with any light flavored cooking oil you have on hand.
- Celery
- Leek - can be substituted with half a small onion.
- Garlic - I highly recommend using fresh minced garlic for this recipe - it adds extraordinary flavor that you can't get from garlic powder. However, 2 cloves of garlic can be substituted with ½ teaspoon of garlic powder if needed (add with the salt and pepper).
- 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 to cook 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
- Salt & pepper
- Fresh basil - can be substituted with fresh dill for a different flavor.
The importance of aromatics in soup
Aromatics are ingredients that add flavor to your soup, but may not be star of the recipe. For spring vegetable soup, this includes celery, leeks, garlic, and basil.
They may not seem important at a glance, but these ingredients add layers of flavor to your meal. So, it's important not to omit them from your soup (unless you're looking for a bland soup!).
What other spring vegetables can I add?
Here are a few other spring vegetables and spring herbs that can easily be incorporated into your spring vegetable soup:
- Fresh dill
- Fresh parsley
- Spinach (add in the last minute of cooking)
- Chives
- A squeeze of lemon juice (just before serving)
- Diced peppers (sauté with your celery and leeks)
- Green beans
Make ahead and reheating
This vegetable soup keeps well in the refrigerator - up to 3 or 4 days - in a tightly sealed container.
Plus, it reheats beautifully in the microwave (or on the stove top, over medium heat, until warmed through). Portion your soup into individual containers for an easy, make-ahead lunch during the week!
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, rinsed and drained
- 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, stirring occasionally. Add minced garlic, stirring to combine. Cook for 1 additional minute.
- Add vegetable broth, rinsed 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
- Aromatics are important for adding flavor to your soup. I do not recommend omitting the celery, leek (can be substituted with ½ small onion), garlic, or basil (can be substituted with fresh dill).
- Leftover soup will keep for 3-4 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
- 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 raw/dry beans.
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