If you are running low on easy lunch or dinner ideas that are healthy and delicious, make this incredibly easy vegetable pasta soup.
This dish is loaded with all the goodness of pasta and frozen and canned produce that you probably already have in your freezer and cabinets, and simple herbs and spices that you’re almost guaranteed to have on your spice rack.
Have fresh vegetables on hand? Those are perfect in this soup, too!
It’s comforting and warming, and light enough to enjoy year round.
I have to tell you that the best part of this recipe is not only the flavor, but the fact you can make it in one pot. This means there’s fewer dishes to clean up when you’re done, which I think we can all appreciate.
After all, less mess means quick cleanup in the end!
Do you love making one-pot dishes? I sure do. They are so filling and satisfying, without requiring a ton of prep work.
As someone who is only serving two people at the end of the work day, it’s nice to have a big batch of soup that can be enjoyed for dinner, and then eaten again for lunch the next day.
It’s no wonder one-pot meals are so popular!
So, let’s chat about just how easy this recipe is to make.
To begin, you prep your ingredients. If you’re going with fresh veg, trim the green beans and cut the corn off the cob. Peel and chop your root vegetables.
Everything except for the pasta is added to the pot in one go, so you can bring it all to a rolling boil in one step. You let all of the ingredients cook together, so their flavors can meld and create something wonderful.
When the soup is nearly done, you add the elbow noodles to the mix. They cook in the soup, and soak up the delicious flavors that you’ve already built. The pasta is cooked until it’s tender, and then your soup is ready to serve.
I like to serve this dish for dinner because it is hearty enough to fill you up. But you can also serve smaller portions as an appetizer if you are having a dinner party.
I love having enough leftovers to make a simple lunch with a side salad and a hunk of crusty bread the following day.
It’s so much better than going out to lunch.
Want to make this meal vegetarian? You can do this easily, by substituting vegetable stock for the chicken stock that’s called for in the recipe.
Including this recipe in your meal prep for the week will provide you with a week’s worth of lunches. Simply make the soup, cool it to room temperature, and store it in airtight individually-sized containers so you can grab and go on your way out the door in the morning.
Brimming with vegetables, this recipe does not skimp on flavor, even when fresh produce isn’t in season. And you’ll probably be able to make it without taking an extra trip to the grocery store. With just 10 minutes of prep time, it practically cooks itself.
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Easy Vegetable Pasta Soup
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Description
Easy vegetable pasta soup is a one-pot meal that’s ideal for quick meal prep, to create weeknight dinners or simple lunches to enjoy throughout the week.
Ingredients
- 2 28-oz cans diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
- 3/4–1 cup fresh or frozen green beans (cut fresh into 2-inch pieces)
- 3/4 cup frozen or canned carrots (or fresh, peeled and chopped)
- 1/2 cup canned black-eyed peas or butter beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup peeled and diced Russet potato (about 1 large)
- 5 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 3/4 cup elbow shaped pasta (about 3 oz)
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Place all of the vegetables and the chicken stock in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add basil, and stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil and let cook until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 more minutes. Stir in salt and pepper. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as desired.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegetables
Keywords: vegetable soup, pasta, vegetables
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 – Prepare Vegetables and Measure Remaining Ingredients
If you are using fresh green beans, trim the ends and cut them into 2-inch pieces.
Peel and chop the carrots until you have 3/4 cup total.
Drain the black-eyed peas or beans and rinse with cold water.
Peel and dice the potatoes and carrots, and dice or chop them as desired. Try to keep the pieces uniform, so they will cook evenly.
If you are using canned carrots, drain them. Frozen vegetables can be added frozen, or defrosted – keep reading through to the end of this article for more information.
Measure out all of the remaining ingredients as listed on the ingredients list.
Note that you can use any combination of veggies that you have on hand to make this recipe. That’s the beauty of this soup – it’s never the same twice!
Step 2 – Combine Ingredients and Cook
Add the canned tomatoes with their liquid, corn, green beans, carrots, rinsed and drained beans or black-eyed peas, potatoes, and chicken stock to a large stock pot. Stir in the basil.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Continue to cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Step 3 – Add Pasta
Stir in the pasta and continue to boil for about 7 minutes. The pasta should be cooked through so that is is al dente, not mushy.
Step 4 – Season and Serve
Stir in the salt and pepper. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. I like to use freshly ground black pepper for the best flavor.
Serve with a simple side salad, crackers like buckwheat cheddar or parmesan rosemary, or toasted French bread.
Looking for tomato soup options that don’t have as many carbs? Try our creamy tomato soup with basil or Italian-style beans and greens instead.
How Do I Use Frozen Vegetables For This Recipe?
If you are using frozen vegetables, there’s very little prep work required. You can measure them out and add them right to the pot as is, or you can thaw them first and drain them in a colander before using them in this recipe.
It’s as easy as that.
The best part of this soup is that you can use any combination of vegetables that you have available, so you can make it seasonal or try it with whatever you happen to have in your refrigerator or pantry.
Craving even more soup recipes to try out at home? Check out some of our favorites that pack the veggies:
What are your favorite vegetables to use in soup recipes? Tell us in the comments below, and be sure to come back to rate this recipe once you try it for yourself!
Photos by Meghan Yager, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on February 25, 2011. Last updated: July 29, 2021 at 14:37 pm. With additional writing and editing by Allison Sidhu.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Meghan Yager
Meghan Yager is a food addict turned food and travel writer with a love for creating uncomplicated, gourmet recipes and devouring anything the world serves up. As the author of the food and travel blog Cake 'n Knife, Meghan focuses on unique foodie experiences from around the world to right at home in your own kitchen.
This is so good. Simple but tasty. Cheap and nutritious. Love it!
★★★★★
I add more, like spinach, leftover broccoli stems cut up and blanched before freezing to save for soup, also black beans, brown rice and a few noodles. I make a big batch and have enough left over for several meals. Also add the other vegetables mentioned, like corn, peas, green beans, onion, celery, garlic, beef broth and bone broth and several spices. This is a really a healthy soup & low in calories.