Homemade Vegetable Soup Recipe – Made With Fresh Tomatoes

As the garden season comes to an end, it’s a great time to make a large batch of homemade vegetable soup, especially when you have fresh tomatoes still on the vine but need picked before the first frost.

In addition, this recipe allows you to use up any extra vegetables from your late season garden or leftover produce that you might still have in your refrigerator. And now that the weather is turning cooler it’s the perfect time to make a healthy and hearty meal that will keep you feeling warm and satisfied.

Best of all it is easy to make. Not to mention that you can customize the vegetables to use what you have on hand or whatever you prefer.

Throughout the summer, many people spend time picking and preserving their garden tomatoes for future use. Whether it’s through canning tomato juice, salsa, or pasta sauce, or freezing whole or diced tomatoes, there’s always a way to enjoy the taste of fresh tomatoes long after the growing season.

But when you still have tomatoes hanging on the vines at the end of the season, and you are done canning and preserving, vegetable soup is a simple and satisfying way to make good use of them.

Not to mention that vegetable soup can be adjusted to whatever ingredients you have on hand, making it a versatile dish that can be different each time you prepare it.

Basic Ingredients

Fresh tomatoes play a central role in this vegetable soup recipe. Tomatoes from the garden (or Farmer’s market), whether red or yellow, become the base of the soup.

Yellow tomatoes, which are typically lower in acid, might not be ideal for canning. However, they work perfectly well in soups and sauces, especially those that will be eaten fresh or frozen.

In addition to tomatoes, vegetable soup starts with a few common vegetables. Carrots, onions, and celery are in most vegetable soups. These three vegetables provide a solid foundation for the soup’s flavor, and from there, you can build it up by adding other vegetables. Common additions include green beans, corn, and peas.

Adding potatoes is another option if you want to make the soup more filling. And if you still have a head of cabbage, throwing that into the pot can bring even more flavor and texture to the mix.

Cooking the Vegetable Soup

Making homemade vegetable soup on the stove is simple and easy. Start by heating olive oil in a large stockpot, then sauté onions, carrots, and celery until they begin to soften. Garlic can be added at this stage as well to deepen the flavor.

Next, add your broth (either chicken or vegetable broth works well) and the diced tomatoes. If you’re using fresh tomatoes from the garden, chop them up into bite-sized pieces before adding them to the pot.

Along with the broth and tomatoes, throw in diced potatoes, bay leaves, and any dried herbs you want to use, like Italian seasoning. Be sure to season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.

After bringing the soup to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. This is also a great time to add fresh green beans to the broth if you are using them. Let the soup simmer until the potatoes are tender but not falling apart. This usually takes about 20-25 minutes.

Finally, add frozen or fresh peas and corn (or frozen mixed veggies), and let everything cook together for a few minutes to give them time to heat through.

Serving and Storing

Vegetable soup can be served right away for a warm and delicious meal, or stored for later use.

When it’s time to serve the soup, you can enjoy it as is or serve it with crackers, rolls or bread. It is a great way to soak up all of the broth at the bottom of the bowl.

Storing soup in the refrigerator is a great option when you want a meal later in the week that is quick and easy. Just transfer the soup to an airtight container and keep it refrigerated. Then reheat it on the stove or in the microwave.

If you plan to freeze the soup, be sure to let it cool completely before transferring it into freezer-safe containers. For the best results, freeze the soup in portions that are easy to reheat later.

There’s nothing like pulling out a homemade vegetable soup from the freezer in the middle of winter. It’s a warm reminder of the garden’s bounty and a comforting meal during the colder months.

Homemade Vegetable Soup Recipe Made With Fresh Tomatoes

* Complete recipe instructions including specific measurements, cook temperatures and times are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to read the entire article for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 4 ribs of celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 7 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 4 cups diced tomatoes
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in bite size pieces
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp. dried Italian Seasoning
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 cups frozen mixed vegetables

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large stockpot over medium heat add the olive oil. Once the olive oil is hot, add onions, carrots, and celery.

Sauté 5 minutes then add garlic and sauté for an additional minute, stirring constantly.

To the pot add in the broth, tomatoes, potatoes, parsley, bay leaves, and Italian seasoning. Stir well. *If you are using fresh green beans, now is the time to add them.

Add in salt and ground pepper to taste. Then bring the contents to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer.

Continue to simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20-25 minutes. The potatoes should be fork tender but not falling apart.

Add the frozen mixed vegetables and simmer for an additional 5 minutes (or until the vegetables are tender.

Serve warm or let it cool and store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Homemade vegetable soup is a great way to use up the last of your garden’s produce. With a base of carrots, onions, celery, and tomatoes, you can customize the recipe to include whatever vegetables you have on hand.

This soup freezes beautifully, so you can enjoy the flavors of your garden all winter long. And no matter how many times you make it, it will always be a little different and delicious, depending on the vegetables you use.

ENJOY!

Follow Our Facebook Page For Even More Great Tomato Growing Tips! I Grow Tomatoes Facebook Page

I Grow Tomatoes is a website created for those who love all things about tomatoes – from planting and growing – to cooking and canning! We publish two articles every week, 52 weeks a year. Sign up today to follow via email! This article may contain affiliate links.