How to beat the fall chill and get your kids to eat more veggies? Soup. These simple veggie soups are proven kid pleasers, and here’s the thing: You can easily customize each recipe to fit your fam’s preferences (and yes, it’s totally fine to sneak extra veggies in!). All of these recipes are meat-free and they freeze well, so you can make a large batch of soup to store in the freezer for a quick meal on a busy weeknight.
Ready to try a new, incredibly easy veggie soup recipe? Follow my instructions below. Enjoy!
1. Creamy Cauliflower Soup
This soup tastes more like mashed potatoes than cauliflower, if you ask me. Your kids won’t know the difference! To make it, sauté 1 finely chopped onion, 1 tsp thyme, 3 cloves of minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste until soft. Stir in one head of chopped cauliflower and about 4 cups vegetable stock. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes until the cauliflower is tender. Then puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a traditional blender. Return to the pot and mix in about 2 cups of milk and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese until the soup is creamy. Salt and pepper to taste and serve alongside bread or roasted chickpeas.
2. Veggie Noodle Soup
This meat-free take on chicken noodle soup is a great feel-good soup for anyone, and the spiral noodles are a kid classic. To make it, chop and sauté 4 large carrots, 4 celery stalks (also chopped), and 1 diced onion with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 4 cloves of minced garlic until fragrant. Add 5 cups of vegetable stock and a couple of bay leaves with your desired spices (I like to use onion powder, thyme, salt, and pepper.) Gently boil the ingredients for about 5 minutes, then stir in uncooked noodles and cook until the noodles are soft. Before serving, add more seasoning to reach desired flavor and remove the bay leaves. This cold-busting soup is a surefire favorite, even without the chicken. Trust me, you won’t miss it!
3. Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup
My personal favorite soup is based on stuffed bell peppers, sans meat. By combining the usual ingredients that are packed inside stuffed bell peppers into a hot soup, you get a TON of flavor with a lot of nutrients (and it tastes unbelievably delicious). To make it, sauté 1 chopped onion, 2 cups of shucked corn, 2 bell peppers, 3 cloves of garlic, and salt and pepper in a large pot with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until the vegetables are softened. Add 4 cups vegetable stock, one 15 oz. can of tomato sauce, 1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes, and 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning and simmer covered for about 25 minutes (or until the vegetables are fork-tender). Cook brown rice or quinoa separately and stir it into a bowl of soup right before serving. (Note: Make and store the soup and rice separately or the rice may become soggy.)
4. Cheddar Broccoli Soup
I’ve found that the key to getting kids (and even myself) to eat vegetables is cheese! So, every bite of this delicious, Panera Bread-inspired creamy cheddar broccoli soup is filled with broccoli and carrots. To make it, sauté 1 chopped onion and 3 cloves of garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until soft and set aside. In a large pot, melt about 1/4 cup butter with 1/4 cup flour and whisk until thick. Add 2 cups of milk and 2 cups of vegetable stock and simmer for 15 minutes, whisking occasionally until it thickens — this is what makes it taste so good! Then stir in 3 cups of chopped broccoli florets, 2 large chopped carrots, and the onion mixture and simmer for an additional 15 minutes until vegetables are fork-tender. Stir in a mild cheddar cheese and additional salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
5. Loaded Potato Veggie Soup
Last but not least, this loaded potato veggie soup has a little bit of everything, and you can make it by simply throwing all your family’s favorite vegetables together. It’s a great way to use up ingredients you have in the house and make a hearty, filling soup that even veggie cautious kids can enjoy. To make it, sauté all of your desired vegetables (unless using tomatoes) in a large pot with olive oil and salt and pepper for about 7 minutes. I use 2 Yukon potatoes (skin on), 2 bell peppers, 2 large carrots, 3 celery stalks,1 onion, and 1 cup of peas in mine. Stir in 3 cloves of minced garlic, followed by 6 cups vegetable stock, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes (if using), 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning and 2 bay leaves. If using extra tomatoes add at this time. Cover and simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes until all vegetables are fork-tender. Season to taste and prepare to LOVE it.
