Creamy Vegetable Soup (Printable)
A velvety blend of fresh garden vegetables simmered in seasoned broth with a touch of cream for ultimate comfort.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables and Aromatics
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 medium russet potato, peeled and cubed
07 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
08 - 1 cup cauliflower florets
09 - 1 cup broccoli florets
→ Liquids
10 - 4 cups vegetable broth (use gluten-free if needed)
11 - 1 cup whole milk or unsweetened plant-based milk
12 - 1/2 cup heavy cream or full-fat coconut cream
→ Seasonings
13 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
14 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
15 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
16 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
→ Garnish
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
18 - Croutons, for serving
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, stirring frequently, and cook for 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
02 - Add the sliced carrots, diced celery, cubed potato, diced zucchini, cauliflower florets, and broccoli florets to the pot. Sauté the mixture for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a rolling boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 15 minutes until all vegetables are fork-tender.
04 - Remove the pot from heat. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup directly in the pot until completely smooth. Alternatively, transfer the mixture in batches to a countertop blender and blend until silky.
05 - Return the puréed soup to the pot if using a countertop blender. Stir in the milk, heavy cream, salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and ground nutmeg. Simmer gently over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring often. Do not allow the soup to come to a boil.
06 - Taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper as needed to your preference.
07 - Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Top each serving with chopped fresh parsley and a handful of croutons if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Hacks:
01 -
- It turns whatever vegetables are languishing in your fridge into something genuinely luxurious without any fuss.
- The creamy texture comes from blending the vegetables themselves so you control how rich or light it feels.
02 -
- Never let the soup boil after adding the cream or the texture can break and turn grainy instead of smooth.
- The potato is doing heavy lifting here for thickness so do not leave it out thinking it is optional.
03 -
- Toast a pinch of thyme in the olive oil for thirty seconds before adding the onion and the herb flavor will bloom in a way that dried thyme stirred in later never achieves.
- A shower of grated Parmesan or nutritional yeast over each bowl right before serving adds a savory punch that takes the whole thing from comforting to unforgettable.