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This easy creamy vegetable soup recipe is incredibly delicious and made in one pot with a short list of healthy ingredients.
I’ve been making this creamy vegetable soup for over 15 years. It’s a staple soup for my family, the one we turn to when we need a little comfort or an easy meal.
Our recipe below is for a blended vegetable soup. For a brothy veggie soup, see this Easy Vegetable Soup.
Key Ingredients
- Vegetables: I keep this vegetable soup really simple with onions, garlic, carrots, and celery. If you have other veggies in the fridge that need to be used up, feel free to add them. I’ve added zucchini, summer squash, and even winter squash cubes to this and loved it.
- Potatoes: Instead of using a roux made with butter and flour, we add a pound of potatoes to make this soup thick and creamy. I prefer thin-skinned potatoes like Yukon Gold and don’t peel them. You can substitute sweet potatoes.
- Broth: This recipe calls for vegetable broth or chicken broth. You can make your own or buy it. When looking for store-bought veggie broth, I go for the brands that include mushrooms (these tend to have more flavor).
- Thyme and Bay Leaves: I love these for their classic flavor. You can use fresh or dried.
- Something Creamy: When the soup is blended, I stir in something creamy to make things extra delicious. I love cream or half-and-half, but you can use dairy-free coconut milk or this homemade cashew cream.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make the Best Creamy Veggie Soup
Tip 1: Cut all the veggies to the same size. So that everything cooks quickly and evenly, chop your vegetables into similar sizes. Remember that this soup is eventually blended, so there’s no need for perfect cuts, though. I cook onions, carrots, and celery in a big pot until softened. Then, I add potatoes, garlic, broth, and herbs.
Tip 2: Remove your bay leaf before blending. The vegetables will be soft after simmering for 15 minutes. Then you will blend. Before you do, remove the bay leaf and thyme stalks (the leaves will have fallen off into the soup). Then, blend the vegetables into a creamy soup. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve forgotten a bay leaf before blending soup. The thyme stalks and bay leaf don’t soften well enough to blend in, so it really is best to remove them!
Tip 3: Finish with something creamy. The potatoes really make this soup thick and creamy, but I still love adding a splash of cream or half-and-half just before serving. You can skip it or use a dairy-free option like coconut milk. It’s amazing all by itself, but I love topping it with some homemade croutons.
More Creamy Soup Recipes
Easy Creamy Vegetable Soup
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You will love this easy, delicious, and creamy vegetable soup recipe. Don’t worry too much about how you prep the vegetables. You should be fine as long as they are all of a similar size. Since this is a blended soup, you do not need to mince the garlic cloves. Just peel and cut them in half.
We have been making this soup for years. It’s simple to make, healthy, and comforting. Throw lots of vegetables into a big pot, add stock and herbs, and then simmer until done. Blend, and it is ready to eat. For a brothy soup, see this Homemade Vegetable Soup.
Makes 4 Servings
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
1 large onion, chopped into ½-inch pieces
1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces, 4 to 5 medium carrots
4 celery sticks, chopped into ½-inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt, as needed
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound thin-skinned potatoes, chopped into ½-inch pieces, 3 medium potatoes
3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth (710ml)
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ cup half-and-half, cream, or coconut milk (60ml)
Directions
1Cook the veggies: Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Toss the onion, carrots, and celery around in the oil. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt and add the red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables sweat, soften, and smell sweet, 5 to 10 minutes.
2Add the potatoes: Stir in the potatoes, garlic halves, bay leaves, and thyme. Cook for 5 minutes. Add more oil if the pot seems dry.
3Simmer the soup: Pour in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until you can easily pierce the potatoes with a fork, about 15 minutes.
4Blend the soup: Remove the soup from the heat. Take out the bay leaves and thyme sprigs and discard them. Use an immersion blender, stand blender, or food mill to puree the soup until smooth.
5To finish: Stir in the cream. Taste for seasoning and adjust with more salt and pepper if necessary.
Adam and Joanne’s Tips
- Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it! Portion into freezer-safe containers or bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheating: Add to a saucepan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until hot. You can also microwave it. Use a spoon or whisk to bring the soup back together if it is separated.
- Vegan vegetable soup: Use either homemade veggie broth or store-bought broth, and look for one that is heavy on mushrooms for the most flavor. Add full-fat coconut milk or cashew cream at the end.
- Substitute the potatoes: Try 1 can of drained and rinsed white beans. Once blended, they make the soup creamy and add a little extra protein.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We included ¼ cup of half and half in the calculations and assumed 4 servings. We omitted salt from the calculations since you will need to add it to your taste.
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories
234
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Protein
6 g
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Carbohydrate
41 g
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Dietary Fiber
7 g
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Total Sugars
8 g
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Total Fat
6 g
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Saturated Fat
2 g
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Cholesterol
6 mg
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