By Amy @ Positively Splendid
Nothing nurtures the body and soul more on a dreary, cold winter’s day than a delicious homemade soup recipe. This hearty vegetable soup nourishes the body with an abundance of vitamins and nutrients, and its rich, velvety texture will have you wondering how something this delicious could possibly contain a mere 150 calories per serving!
Hearty Vegetable Soup
Print recipe
| Serves | 10-12 |
| Prep time | 30 minutes |
| Cook time | 5 hours |
| Total time | 5 hours, 30 minutes |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Soup |
| Misc | Freezable |
Ingredients
- 1lb cannelini (white beans)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Medium onions (chopped)
- 6 Medium carrots (chopped)
- 4 stalks celery (chopped)
- 1 Small head green cabbage (chopped)
- 2 Medium zucchini (cut in half lengthwise, sliced into half moons)
- 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes (chopped)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3-4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2-1 teaspoon pepper
- water
Note
You'll hardly believe from the rich, velvety taste of this soup that it contains a mere 150 calories per serving! Serve with a bit of grated parmesan, if desired. Count on plenty of leftovers when preparing this recipe, as it makes a huge amount. I think you'll be pleased to discover that it tastes even better on the second (or third) day!
Directions
| Step 1 | |
| Place beans in a Dutch oven; cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil and cook for 5 minutes. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand for one hour, or until beans are softened. Drain water. Return beans to Dutch oven, and cover with 10 cups cold water. Smash the two cloves of garlic under the side of a knife, and toss them into the water with the beans, along with the 1/2 teaspoon of sage. Season the water with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a 1/4 teaspoon or so of pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. | |
| Step 2 | |
| While the beans cook, start the rest of the soup. In a very large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Place the onions, carrots and celery into the pot; season with a pinch of salt. Saute, stirring often, until the onions are golden and the veggies are softened, about 10 minutes. Add the zucchini and broth, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir in the cabbage and the tomatoes and their juices. Cover the pot and simmer gently for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. (Don't be alarmed if it appears there isn't enough liquid in the pot at this point. The vegetables give off quite a bit of liquid as they cook, and you'll be adding the water from the beans to the pot in a later step.) | |
| Step 3 | |
| After 1 hour, add the beans and their liquid to the pot with the veggies. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper (I typically add another 1-2 teaspoons of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper at this point). Bring to a very low simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally for another 1-2 hours, until the vegetables and beans are very tender. | |
This soup pairs beautifully with a crusty loaf of rustic bread or fresh-baked cornbread!
Note: For a totally vegetarian meal option, use vegetable broth in lieu of chicken broth.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Amy @ Positively Splendid
Having grown up in a home brimming with sewing notions and paintbrushes, Amy has a deep love for all things creative. On any given day, you’ll find her knee-deep in her latest creative endeavor, with projects ranging from sewing and crafts to home decor and kid-friendly ideas. Amy believes that everyone, regardless of skill level or experience, possesses the ability to create something beautiful, and Positively Splendid was born of her passion for helping others harness their innate creative potential.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Crystal says Thanks for the hearty soup recipe. It’s perfect for a cold, rainy day. 🙂
- Sara @ Mom Endeavors says
Awesome, Amy! Just need to find the beans & then am so making this! 🙂
This looks so yummy Amy! And I love that it’s low calorie too!! Thanks for the recipe!
- Kelli says
I love veggie soup! We had it for dinner earlier this week! I have trouble getting my kiddos to eat it thought because my recipe has chunky tomatoes in it and they hate the chunks:)
- Barbie K In NC says
I just made this in the crockpot, yummy yum yum. I cheated and used a can of cannellinis and a bag of shred carrots. Added Celery seed and a couple shakes of Slap Yo Mama. It is dee-lish. Thanks so much for sharing…now to try some cake do-nuts! B-)
- Amy @ Positively Splendid says
So glad you enjoyed this! We are actually having it for dinner again tomorrow night. 🙂
- Jeanne says
What is a serving size to equal 150 calories?
- Amy @ Positively Splendid says
The soup as prepared makes 12 servings. Thanks for stopping in!
