Easy Summer Vegetable Soup

This simple summer vegetable soup recipe is so flexible and versatile. Pick up your favorite summer vegetables at the farmers' market and use them to make this fresh and easy soup. 

This summer soup is so flavorful and satisfying. It's wonderful for lunch or a light dinner. Serve it with a slice of cheesy garlic toast or a crusty dinner roll for a quick and satisfying meal. 

If you find yourself with an abundance of summer vegetables, be sure to make this soup. Even if you don't grow your own veggies, head out to the farmers' market and pick up some so that you can make this soup! It will be ready in less than an hour. 

Ingredients in This Soup:

To sauté the onions, celery, and carrots: You will need a 50-50 mix of olive oil and butter. 

Onions, Carrots, and Celery: These together form the base of the soup. For the onion, I used a sweet yellow onion. 

Roma Tomatoes: There is no need to peel the tomatoes. You could also substitute any fresh tomatoes, the goal is to use the freshest and tastiest tomatoes available. 

Zucchini: I recommend using smaller sized zucchini, not the huge one your neighbor might have left on your doorstep. 

Additional Summer Squash: You can use crook neck or pattypan. I used tatuma squash, sometimes called white Mexican squash. It is shaped similarly to a zucchini, and has a wonderful flavor. It's often used in a Mexican dish, calabacitas. 

Herbs and Spices: Dried Italian seasoning, fresh thyme and Italian Parsley, and salt and pepper. 

Garlic: I used five fresh cloves, enough for a tablespoon of minced garlic. 

Broth: Chicken broth, or, if you prefer, vegetable broth. I used reduced sodium chicken broth. 

To Make This Vegetable Soup:

This soup is super easy to make and is ready in less than an hour using a single pan. You will need a six to eight quart saucepan or Dutch oven. I love my stainless steel All Clad eight quart pot. It's lighter than a cast iron Dutch oven and can be moved easily from the stovetop to the oven. 

First, sauté the onions until they are softened. Then, add the carrots and celery and cook everything for an additional five minutes. Toss in the garlic, salt and pepper, and Italian seasoning. 

Next, add the broth, tomatoes, squashes, and thyme and bring everything to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 30 minutes. 

Finally, remove the pot from the heat, add the fresh parsley, and serve! 

I served mine with a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. 

Recipe Variations:

On the first day, we enjoyed this soup recipe as written, but we had fun playing with the leftovers. On the second day, I reheated a bowl of the soup and added a quarter cup of canned black beans, rinsed. 

If you like, you could add sliced cooked sausage, small meatballs, or diced cooked chicken. You could also add some cooked rice or pasta for a more filling soup. 

For even more veggie goodness, you could add a handful of fresh spinach, baby kale, fresh peas, or fresh corn kernels.  

Welcome to Farmers Market Week! 

This is the week we celebrate all things found at the Farmers Market. There are ten bloggers sharing over 25 recipes this week. From desserts to entrees and sides, there’s something for everyone.

• Ajvar Sauce by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Easy Summer Vegetable Soup by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Fresh Basil Honey Mustard Radish & Corn Salad by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Indian Cucumber Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Jalapeno Green Beans by Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Vegan Gochugaru Jicama Coleslaw by Magical Ingredients
• Vegetable Galette by Art of Natural Living

Easy Summer Vegetable Soup

Yield: 6 Servings

Author: Karen Kerr

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 55 Min

This simple summer vegetable soup is so flexible and versatile. Pick up your favorite summer vegetables at the farmers' market and toss them in this fresh and easy soup. 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
• 3 to 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 large stalks celery, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 5 medium garlic cloves)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian herb seasoning
• 6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups diced zucchini
• 1 1/2 cups diced summer squash such as pattypan, crook neck, or tatuma (see note about tatuma in the post)
• Leaves from a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Instructions

1. In a 6 to 8 quart saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, about five minutes. Add the carrots and celery and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt,1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and the Italian seasoning. Stir to combine.
3. Add the broth, tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, and thyme. Turn the heat up to high and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste as necessary.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

141

Fat (grams)

9 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

3 g

Carbs (grams)

15 g

Fiber (grams)

4 g

Net carbs

11 g

Sugar (grams)

8 g

Protein (grams)

2 g

Cholesterol (grams)

10 mg

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2025/08/easy-summer-vegetable-soup.html

Karen's Kitchen Stories

vegetables, zucchini

soup

American

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Recipe adapted from Melissa's Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce: A Guide to Easy-to-Make Dishes with Fresh Organic Fruits and Vegetables by Cathy Thomas (2010).