Homemade Vegetable Soup

Homemade Vegetable Soup with Cornbread

Comfort foods are always comforting but they don’t have to be fattening. Nutritious fresh ingredients are used to make this really delicious vegetable soup. Seriously, it was one of the best I have ever made!

This healthy comforting soup helps reduce belly bloat, fills you up because it is loaded with fiber, and it is low fat, low calorie!

Fresh Vegetable Soup — Homemade Vegetable Soup

Start with grapeseed oil due to its high temperature tolerance, diced onion, and a small can of tomato paste. Add in layers of fresh ingredients such as red, orange, and yellow bell pepper, okra (I used 3 or 4 pickled okra from my jar), fresh grape tomatoes (use whatever kind of fresh tomatoes you have; I just happened to have grape.), a can of white beans or use whatever beans you have – dark red kidney beans, light red kidney beans, black beans, just don’t use refried beans, 1 small to medium baking potato – partially peeled and cubed, celery, vegetable broth, and black pepper. You won’t need too much salt. You will need water, but it boils and simmers for quite a while, so don’t worry about using purified water.

View the recipe video here >> Homemade Vegetable Soup with Cornbread

To serve, Grandpa’s Southern Buttermilk Cornbread is perfect! Recipe featured in separate post and can also be found in my cookbook, Cooking With Susan Southern Family Favorites available here > Cooking With Susan

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 cup
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 99
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2.7g 3%
Saturated Fat 0.3g 2%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 245mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 15.6g 6%
Dietary Fiber 3.7g 13%
Total Sugars 7.3g
Protein 4.7g
Vitamin D 0mcg 0%
Calcium 41mg 3%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 457mg

Recipe

Homemade Vegetable Soup

Soup

A medley of onion, white beans, fresh tomatoes, okra, bell peppers, potatoes, and more served with fresh buttermilk cornbread

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 medium white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small can tomato paste
1 medium baking potato, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
6 small bell peppers, assorted colors, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes
3 celery stalks, sliced
1 can white northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can vegetable broth
4 pickled okra, sliced
water, as needed
1 bay leaf
black pepper, as desired
sea salt, to taste

Instructions

Heat oil in a medium to large stockpot over medium heat.
Add onion, garlic, and tomato paste and stir using a wooden spoon, for about 3 minutes.
Add potatoes and stir to coat.
Add bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, and grape tomatoes; stir to combine.
Stir in celery.
Stir in beans.
Add vegetable broth, water to cover, bay leaf, black pepper, and a pinch of salt.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for about an hour, adding water in 1/2 cup increments to desired level of thickness.
NOTE: I allow for an hour and half simmering time, adding a little water as it evaporates. Simmering for a long period allows the flavors to meld, just be careful not to dilute the flavors by adding too much water at one time.
Other ingredient suggestions: 1 cup roughly chopped carrots, 1 cup organic corn kernels, 1 can diced or stewed tomatoes