Homemade Vegetable Soup (Soupe de légumes)

Homemade Vegetable Soup (Soupe de Légumes)

This homemade vegetable soup is quick, healthy, and brimming with flavour. Made from fresh seasonal vegetables and herbs, it's ready in just 30 minutes. No stock cubes, no cream, no chicken broth - just pure vegetables, butter, and a naturally made vegetable broth.

Inspired by Raymond Blanc's Mange - the first French cookbook I owned - this recipe keeps cooking time to just 15 minutes. Unlike many vegetable soup recipes that simmer for much longer, here the vegetables are sweated in butter then gently cooked until tender, preserving both flavour and nutrients. The result is not just a fresh vegetable soup but also its own light, aromatic vegetable broth in one pot.

Homemade Vegetable Soup Ingredients

The secret to easy vegetable soup is simple: don't use limp leftovers lurking in the fridge. Choose crisp, seasonal organic vegetables and let them shine. For this version, I've used:

• Onion - the all-rounder soup base
• Potato - adds texture, otherwise use turnip
• Carrot - even better, pick dirty carrots (I use carottes sables in France, full of flavour)
• Leek - because we love the flavour
• Green beans - add a fragrant floral touch
• Cauliflower florets - broken into tiny pieces
• Fresh parsley - flat Italian is best, full of vitamin C
• Chervil - this is what makes it pop in flavour - or use tarragon, lovage, sorrel or basil.
  Can't find them? Use fennel seeds.

In summer, swap in peas, courgettes, or fresh tomatoes. In winter, try pumpkin, turnip, or celery root. Adapt the soup to whatever's freshest at your market.

How to Make Vegetable Soup

1. Sweat the vegetables - Start with butter (or olive oil for vegans). Sweat the onion and carrot for 5 minutes, then add leek and potato/turnip or celery - with salt and pepper for a few minutes. This brings out their natural sweetness.
2. Add water and simmer - Cover with water and bring to the boil. Add cauliflower florets and reduce to a gentle simmer for about 15 minutes.
3. Add delicate vegetables - Add green beans, peas, or tomatoes near the end so they keep their flavour and bite.
4. Finish with herbs - Stir in parsley, chervil, or tarragon at the last minute. Never boil herbs or they'll lose their aroma and vitamins.

The water and vegetables together form a light, clear vegetable broth that tastes far fresher than anything from a packet - or anything overcooked for an hour!

Vegetable Soup or Broth

This recipe does double duty: as the vegetables simmer, they naturally create a light, flavourful vegetable broth. You can serve it just as it is, with the broth and vegetables together, or purée it into a smoother soup.

I sometimes leave it chunky for that rustic feel. When I served this to my Corsican in-laws, Madeleine gave it a nod of approval but looked surprised: in Corsica, soups often had "bits in it".
Growing up in Scotland, we were the same: chunky Scotch Broth or Lentil Soup are winter staples. Somehow going back to soup with pieces feels comforting, yet when I'm serving guests, I'll usually blend it smooth. Less risk of dribbles at the table!

Tips for the Best Homemade Vegetable Broth

• Use real butter, not spreads - it adds depth of flavour.
• Chop vegetables last minute - nutrients and taste fade quickly.
• Simmer gently - boiling destroys texture and vitamins.
• Add herbs at the end - for maximum freshness.

Variations to Boost Soup's Flavour

Here are some flavour ideas to add at the end of cooking:

• Add an extra knob of butter in the last minute of cooking
• Blend and stir in a spoonful of cream or crème fraîche
• Garnish with smoked paprika or piment d'espelette
• Brighten with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• For luxury, add a few threads of saffron. This is a natural flavour enhancer and so will bring out the taste of each vegetable.

Healthy Vegetable Soup

One serving has only 54 calories (before you tear into that baguette with salted Normandy butter). Light, vegetarian, and naturally gluten-free, this soup proves that healthy doesn't mean bland. If you love this type of soup, then try Potage Bonne Femme or French leek and potato.