Nothing beats a cozy bowl of classic minestrone soup! It’s hearty and healthy, light and flavorful.

In this minestrone recipe, vegetables, beans and noodles are cooked in a delicious tomato-based broth that’s infused with herbs and spices. It’s easy to make in 30 minutes on the stovetop, or you can cook it in the crockpot.

Serve with a side of crusty french bread or no knead bread for a complete meal loaded with nutrients!

Minestrone Soup Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Onion. yellow, white and red onions are all great choices.
• Vegetables (Celery, carrots, zucchini, green beans). You can omit or add any vegetables you choose to this minestrone soup. It’s totally customizable.
• Olive Oil. Avocado oil or canola oil are good substitutes.
• Elbow Macaroni. Use your favorite pasta if you don’t have any elbow macaroni on hand.
• White Beans/Kidney Beans. Choose your favorite beans.
• Baby Spinach. up to half of the spinach can be substituted with kale in this recipe, if desired.
• Chicken Broth. Vegetable broth works great in place of chicken broth.
• Parmesan cheese. Romano cheese works well too.

How to Make Minestrone Soup

We’ll walk thorugh how to make minestrone step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Begin by cooking the onion, celery, carrots, olive oil and garlic to a in a large stockpot until the vegetables begin to soften (5-10 minutes).

Then, add the zucchini and green beans and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is slightly soft.

Next, add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, Italian seasoning salt and pepper and bring the mixture to a boil.

Once boiling, add pasta, beans, spinach, basil and parsley and return the mixture to a boil.

After it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered until the pasta is cooked (about 10-15 minutes depending on package instructions).

At this point, I suggest tasting and adjusting the seasonings (specifically salt and pepper) to your liking.

The amount of salt depends greatly on the salt content of your broth. Start with 1 tsp and add more according to your own tastes.

Serve

Serve the minestrone soup warm garnished with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley or basil.

This minestrone pairs well with these recipes:

• Top it with these homemade croutons and you will be in heaven!  
• I love making this no knead bread or french bread and dipping it into the minestrone soup!
• Make a batch of these easy homemade biscuits.
• Serve it with homemade cornbread, cornbread muffins, or cornbread croutons.

Store/Freeze

Store this minestrone soup recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

Minestrone Soup Recipe FAQS

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Minestrone Soup Recipe

This minestrone soup recipe is easy to make in 30 minutes! This flavorful minestrone is loaded with veggies, beans and noodles making it a healthy and hearty soup perfect for any time of the year!

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Italian

Diet Low Calorie, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 12 Servings

Calories 172kcal

Author Laura

Cost $8

Equipment

• large pot
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• Wooden spoon

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion finely diced (1 heaping cup)
• 2 ribs of celery finely diced
• 2 large carrots cut in half & sliced thin
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 small zucchini diced
• 1 cup green beans frozen and thawed
• 28 oz diced tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 4 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or to taste*
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup elbow macaroni uncooked
• 15 oz white beans drained and rinsed
• 15 oz kidney beans drained and rinsed
• 1 cup baby spinach finely chopped (optional)
• 2 Tablespoons fresh basil finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
• Parmesan cheese for serving

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Add onion, celery, carrots, olive oil and garlic to a large stockpot. Cover and cook until the vegetables begin to soften (5-10 minutes).
• Add the zucchini and green beans and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is slightly soft.
• Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, Italian seasoning salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, add pasta, beans, spinach, basil and parsley and return the mixture to a boil.
• After it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered until the pasta is cooked (about 10-15 minutes depending on package instructions).
• Taste and adjust seasonings, if desired.
• Serve warm with parmesan cheese

Video

Notes

*The amount of salt depends greatly on the saltiness of your broth. Start with 1 tsp and add more according to your own tastes.

Ingredient Notes/Substitutions

• Onion. yellow, white and red onions are all great choices.
• Vegetables (Celery, carrots, zucchini, green beans). You can omit or add any vegetables you choose to this minestrone soup. It’s totally customizable.
• Olive Oil. Avocado oil or canola oil are good substitutes.
• Elbow Macaroni. Use your favorite pasta if you don’t have any elbow macaroni on hand.
• White Beans/Kidney Beans. Choose your favorite beans.

Store/Freeze

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 600mg | Potassium: 652mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2224IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 4mg

Try these Recipes

Easy Homemade Vegetable Soup

Chicken and Rice Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup

Sweet Potato Soup

Best Tomato Soup Recipe

If you’re looking for a hearty, healthy soup to warm up with this winter – this beef barley soup recipe is it!

It only takes ten minutes and a handful of simple ingredients to prepare this delicious soup. Then, it cooks all day in the slow cooker.

This beef and barley soup will become a favorite for your whole family!

Beef Barley Soup: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Beef Broth. In a pinch you can use chicken broth or vegetable broth, but beef broth is the best choice.
• Worcestershire sauce. you can omit this if you don’t keep it on hand, although it really does add a great flavor.
• Minced garlic. fresh or jarred both work well. You can substitute 1 tsp garlic powder for the 1 Tablespoon of minced garlic.
• Stew Beef. Buying already cut beef stew meat makes this recipe so easy. You can purchase 2 pounds of chuck, round or sirloin and cube it yourself.
• Onion. white, yellow or red onions all work well in this recipe.
• Bay Leaves. Fresh or dried bay leaves both work well in this recipe.
• Barley. you can use pearl barley or hulled barley – I prefer pearled!

How to Make Beef Barley Soup

This beef and barley soup recipe is so easy to make! Simply toss everything in the slow cooker and let it do the work for you! We’ll walk through the process step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Begin by whisking together the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, paprika, salt, pepper, and barley in the contianer of a slow cooker.

Then, add the stew beef, onion, carrots, celery, and barley and stir to combine.

Gently stir in the bay leaves.

Then, cook the beef barley soup on low for 7-8 hours (preferred) or high for 4 hours. Cook until beef is tender and the barley is fully cooked, checking it towards the end of cook time.

Serve

Once the meat is tender and barley is cooked, remove the two bay leaves. Then, serve the beef and barley soup warm garnished with fresh parsley.

Since this soup is really a meal in itself, we usually just serve it with a side of bread. I suggest making this crusty no knead bread, french bread, homemade biscuits or homemade dinner rolls.

Store/freeze

Store leftover beef barley soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or, freeze it for up to 2 months.

Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat on the stovetop, or in the microwave.

Beef & Barley Soup Recipe FAQs

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Beef Barley Soup Recipe

This slow cooker beef barley soup only takes 10 minutes to prepare and is loaded with tender beef, veggies and barley. Beef and barley soup is a healthy & hearty meal your whole family will love.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 6 hours hours

Total Time 6 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8 Servings

Calories 231kcal

Author Laura

Equipment

• Slow Cooker
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula

Ingredients

• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ cup barley
• 2 pounds beef stew meat cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 onion chopped
• 4 carrots sliced (1 heaping cup)
• 3 stalks celery sliced (1 heaping cup)
• 2 bay leaves
• Fresh parsley for serving

Instructions

• In the container of a slow cooker, whisk together beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, paprika, salt, pepper, and barley.
• Add beef, onion, carrots, celery and barley and stir to combine.
• Gently stir in bay leaves.
• Cook on low for 7-8 hours (preferred) or high for 4 hours, or until beef is tender and barley is cooked.
• Remove the two bay leaves and serve warm with fresh parsley.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions & Notes

• Beef Broth. In a pinch you can use chicken broth or vegetable broth, but beef broth is the best choice.
• Worcestershire sauce. you can omit this if you don’t keep it on hand, although it really does add a great flavor.
• Minced garlic. fresh or jarred both work well. You can substitute 1 tsp garlic powder for the 1 Tablespoon of minced garlic.
• Stew Beef. Buying already cut beef stew meat makes this recipe so easy. You can purchase 2 pounds of chuck, round or sirloin and cube it yourself.
• Onion. white, yellow or red onions all work well in this recipe.
• Bay Leaves. Fresh or dried bay leaves both work well in this recipe.

Store/freeze

Store leftover beef barley soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat on the stovetop, or in the microwave.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 707mg | Potassium: 653mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 5170IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 3mg

Try these Recipes

Minestrone Soup Recipe

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Best Potato Soup Recipe

Chicken and Rice Soup

Balsamic Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Taco Soup Recipe

This creamy potato soup recipe is made completely from scratch. It’s a flavor-packed, hearty soup that every absolutely goes crazy over!

It only takes 30 minutes and one pot (if using an immersion blender) to make and is the perfect main or side dish to serve on chilly nights!

This potato soup recipe is even more delicious than your favorite restaurant! It’s loaded with bacon, vegetables, and is so rich and creamy it’s absolutely irresistible!

Potato Soup Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Bacon. Choose your favorite variety, I don’t suggest omitting the bacon.
• Salted Butter. Unsalted butter is a great choice.
• Yellow Onion. Red or white onion also works well in this recipe.
• Minced Garlic. Freshly minced or jarred are both great choices.
• Yukon Gold Potatoes. I love the silky smooth, buttery flavor of Yukon gold potatoes. If desired you can use red potatoes.
• Chicken Broth. Vegetable broth can be used in place of chicken broth.
• Heavy Cream. Half and half or whole milk both work well, I don’t recommend substitutions with lower fat content.
• Sour Cream. full-fat, plain Greek yogurt works well!
• All-purpose Flour. to make this recipe gluten-free, use all-purpose gluten-free flour.

How to Make Potato Soup

Let’s walk through how to make potato soup step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video!

Begin this recipe by cooking the bacon over medium heat in a large pot or dutch oven until lightly browned.

Then, use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside, but keep the bacon grease inside the pot.

Please do not discard the bacon grease! It adds tons of flavor to this potato soup recipe!

Once the bacon is cooked, add 2 tablespoons of butter, onion, celery, (and optional carrots) minced garlic, and potatoes to the Dutch oven with the reserved bacon grease.

Then, stir to combine, cover and cook on medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes, until the onions are translucent and vegetables are slightly soft, stirring often.

Next, add the broth, salt, pepper, and paprika and bring the mixture to a boil.

Once the mixture comes to a boil, continue boiling with the lid slightly ajar (to avoid it spilling over) for 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.

Note: Cook time will depend on how large you cut your potatoes. Smaller diced potatoes will cook faster.

When the potatoes are soft, carefully ladle about half of the soup into the container of a high-powered blender (Vitamix), then add the heavy cream, ¼ cup of the cooked bacon, flour and sour cream to the blender.

Blend, starting on low speed an increasing to high until the mixture is smooth.

Alternatively, you can remove half of the soup from the dutch oven and set aside. Then blend the soup that remains in the dutch oven with an immersion blender until smooth.

Return the blended mixture to the Dutch oven and cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until the soup is thickened.

Or, if you used an immersion blender, return the unblended portion of soup to the dutch oven.

Serve

Serve topped with remaining cooked bacon, cheese, chives, etc.

We love serving this with crusty bread like this no knead bread or homemade french bread. Or homemade biscuits or cheese biscuits!

Store

Store leftover potato soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze

Or, you can freeze this potato soup recipe for up to 2 months. I recommend freezing it in individual portions for easy reheating.

These silicon cubes are a great way to freeze soup in 1-cup portions. You can also use small glass storage containers.

Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Potato Soup Recipe FAQs

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Best Potato Soup Recipe

This potato soup recipe is easy to make in 30 minutes. This hearty, rich and creamy potato soup is a delicious way to warm up from the inside out!

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 16 Servings

Calories 211kcal

Author Laura

Cost $8

Equipment

• 5 Quart Sauce Pan
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• Vitamix blender
• Immersion Blender

Ingredients

• 10 oz bacon (diced small)
• reserved bacon grease
• 2 Tablespoons salted butter
• 1 small yellow onion (finely diced (1 cup))
• 3 ribs of celery (finely diced)
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (about 6 small/medium potatoes, peeled and diced to ½” cubes)
• ½ to 1 teaspoon sea salt (depends on how salty your bacon is)
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• Toppings: cheddar cheese (chives, green onions, bacon, etc.)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until lightly browned. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside, but keep the bacon grease inside the pot.
• Add 2 TBS butter, onion, celery, (and optional carrots) minced garlic, and potatoes to the Dutch oven with the reserved bacon grease. Cook on medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes, until the onions are translucent and vegetables are slightly soft.
• Add the broth, salt, pepper, and paprika and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil with the lid slightly ajar for 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft (this will depend on how large you cut your potatoes. Smaller diced potatoes will cook faster).
• Carefully ladle about half of the soup into the container of a high-powered blender, then add the heavy cream, ¼ cup of the cooked bacon, flour and sour cream to the blender.
• Blend, starting on low speed an increasing to high until the mixture is smooth.
• Return the blended mixture to the Dutch oven and cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until the soup is thickened.
• Serve topped with remaining cooked bacon, cheese, chives, etc.

Video

Notes

Optional Carrots: 
Add 2 large carrots, dice them and cook them with the potatoes/veggies. The only note is that the soup will have an orangeish tint because you will be blending carrots in with the potatoes when you blend half of the soup mixture. But I love the flavor the carrots add to this soup!

Ingredient Substitutions

• Bacon. Choose your favorite variety, I don’t suggest omitting the bacon.
• Salted Butter. Unsalted butter is a great choice.
• Yellow Onion. Red or white onion also works well in this recipe.
• Minced Garlic. Freshly minced or jarred are both great choices.
• Yukon Gold Potatoes. I love the silky smooth, buttery flavor of Yukon gold potatoes. If desired you can use red potatoes.
• Chicken Broth. Vegetable broth can be used in place of chicken broth.
• Heavy Cream. Half and half or whole milk both work well, I don’t recommend substitutions with lower fat content.
• Sour Cream. full-fat, plain Greek yogurt works well!
• All-purpose Flour. to make this recipe gluten-free, use all-purpose gluten-free flour.

Store

Store leftover potato soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze

Or, you can freeze this potato soup recipe for up to 2 months. I recommend freezing it in individual portions for easy reheating.

These silicon cubes are a great way to freeze soup in 1-cup portions. You can also use small glass storage containers.

Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 435mg | Potassium: 345mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 381IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

Try these recipes

Butternut Squash Soup

Minestrone Soup Recipe

Sweet Potato Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup

Easy Tortellini Soup Recipe (30 Minutes)

Beef Barley Soup

This chicken tortilla soup is one of our family’s favorite soup recipes (along with this taco soup). It’s healthy and easy to make in 40 minutes on the stovetop!

This chicken tortilla soup is loaded with chicken, veggies, and beans, flavorful with herbs and spices and topped with the best homemade tortilla strips.

It tastes even better than your favorite restaurant and is an irresistible soup recipe you will make on repeat.

Chicken Tortilla Soup: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Chicken Breasts. I suggest thinly sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts for the best results.
• Onion. Use a sweet, yellow onion or red onion.
• Minced garlic. Fresh or jarred can be used. You can replace 1 tablespoon minced garlic with 1 tsp garlic powder (add with the spices).
• Green Bell Pepper. Any color bell pepper works well.
• Diced tomatoes. fire roasted, with green chilies or just plain diced tomatoes all work well in this taco soup recipe.
• Green Chiles. choose your “heat” preference, we use mild.
• Chicken Broth. Vegetable broth can be used in place of chicken, although I prefer chicken broth.
• Black Beans. Other beans that work well are kidney beans and great northern (white) beans.
• Taco Seasoning. Make your own with this Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe, or use an organic seasoning to avoid unfavorable ingredients. This is a mild chicken tortilla soup, but you can easily increase the heat/spice by adding chili powder, hot sauce, spicy taco seasoning, jalapeño peppers, etc.
• Frozen Corn. You can substitute fresh corn.

How to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup

This recipe is easy to make on the stovetop. We’ll walk through it together, and don’t forget tow watch the video.

Cook olive oil, onion green pepper and garlic over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes or until onions are translucent.

Then, add the diced tomatoes, chiles, chicken broth, lime juice, taco seasoning, sea salt, pepper, chicken breasts, beans and corn to the pot and stir to combine.

Next, bring the mixture to a boil. Once it’s boiling, lower the heat, cover and simmer until the chicken is easily shredded with a fork (about 25-30 minutes).

Once the chicken is fully cooked, shred it and then return it to the pot.

Then, add the cilantro and cover and simmer for 10-30 minutes (until ready to serve).

Make the Tortilla Strips

While the soup is cooking (preferably while the chicken is cooking before it needs to be shredded), make the tortilla strips (I have a full post dedicated to making tortilla strips here: homemade tortilla strips)

Begin by preheating the olive oil in a large skillet, then add the tortilla strips and stir to combine

Cook over medium-high heat for 2-5 minutes, stirring often, until crispy. Sprinkle warm strips with salt and set them aside to serve on top of the soup!

Serve

Once the homemade chicken tortilla soup is ready, serve it warm with sour cream, cheese, chopped onion, sliced avocado or homemade guacamole, and homemade tortilla strips. Check out all of our favorite Mexican Recipes.

Store/Freeze

Store leftover chicken tortilla soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe FAQs

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

This chicken tortilla soup recipe is easy to make in 40 minutes on the stovetop. Learn how to make chicken tortilla soup that's even more delicious than your favorite restaurant!

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American, Mexican

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 10 Servings

Calories 223kcal

Author Laura

Cost $8

Equipment

• large pot
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion finely diced
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 green bell pepper finely diced
• 15 ounces diced tomatoes
• 4 ounces mild green chiles
• 4 cups chicken broth (1 quart)
• 1 Tablespoon lime juice
• 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 pounds chicken breasts sliced thin
• 15 ounces black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn
• ½ cup Fresh cilantro finely chopped (plus more for garnish)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Homemade tortilla strips

• 4 corn tortillas (6" round) cut into 1” strips (or two 8-10” flour tortillas)
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• Pinch of sea salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Make the Soup

• Cook olive oil, onion green pepper and garlic for 3-5 minutes or until onions are translucent.
• Add diced tomatoes, chiles, chicken broth, lime juice, taco seasoning, sea salt, pepper, chicken breasts, beans and corn to the pot and stir to combine.
• Bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat, cover and simmer until the chicken is easily shredded with a fork (about 25-30 minutes).
• Shred the chicken then return it to the pot.
• Add the cilantro, cover and simmer for 10-30 minutes (until ready to serve).
• Serve hot with sour cream, cheese, chopped onion, sliced avocado, and homemade tortilla strips.

Make the Tortilla Strips:

• Preheat olive oil in a large skillet
• Add tortilla strips and stir to combine
• Cook over medium-high heat for 2-5 minutes, stirring often, until crispy.
• Sprinkle warm strips with salt.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

• Chicken Breasts. I suggest thinly sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts for the best results.
• Onion. Use a sweet, yellow onion or red onion.
• Minced garlic. Fresh or jarred can be used. You can replace 1 tablespoon minced garlic with 1 tsp garlic powder (add with the spices).
• Green Bell Pepper. Any color bell pepper works well.
• Diced tomatoes. fire roasted, with green chilies or just plain diced tomatoes all work well in this taco soup recipe.
• Green Chiles. choose your “heat” preference, we use mild.
• Chicken Broth. Vegetable broth can be used in place of chicken, although I prefer chicken broth.
• Black Beans. Other beans that work well are kidney beans and great northern (white) beans.
• Taco Seasoning. Make your own with this Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe, or use an organic seasoning to avoid unfavorable ingredients. This is a mild chicken tortilla soup, but you can easily increase the heat/spice by adding chili powder, hot sauce, spicy taco seasoning, jalapeño peppers, etc.
• Frozen Corn. You can substitute fresh corn.

Store/Freeze

Store leftover chicken tortilla soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 206mg | Potassium: 759mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 217IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg

Try these recipes

Homemade Tortilla Strips

Taco Soup Recipe

Crockpot Chicken Tacos (Mexican Chicken)

Chicken Enchiladas

Best Chicken Quesadilla Recipe

Easy Guacamole Recipe (5 Minutes)

This taco soup recipe is a true testament to the idea that there’s beauty in simplicity. It’s made with 9 ingredients and only takes minutes ot prepare, but is a delicious recipe my family comes back to time and time again.

I love making this taco soup (and this chicken tortilla soup) on busy days because I can just brown the ground beef, throw everything in the slow cooker and it’s ready to go whenever we have time to eat.

It’s easily customizable to your tastes, you can change the type of beans, increase the heat, or add some more of your favorite vegetables. Top it with homemade guacamole, homemade tortilla strips and a dollop of sour cream for a yummy and healthy dinner!

Taco Soup: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Ground beef. I suggest lean ground beef. Ground turkey or ground chicken also work in this recipe.
• Onion. Use a sweet, yellow onion or red onion.
• Vegetable Broth. Chicken or beef broth can be used in place of vegetable broth.
• Diced tomatoes. fire roasted, with green chilies or just plain diced tomatoes all work well in this taco soup recipe.
• Beans. I suggest using kidney beans, black beans or garbanzo beans.
• Taco Seasoning. Make your own with this Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe, or use an organic seasoning to avoid unfavorable ingredients. This is a very mild taco soup with a subtle taco flavor, you can easily increase the heat/spice by adding chili powder, hot sauce, spicy taco seasoning, jalapeño peppers, etc.
• Frozen Corn. You can substitute fresh corn.

How to Make Taco Soup

This taco soup recipe is easy to make, and it can be cooked in the slow cooker or on the stovetop.

To begin, cook the ground beef onion and minced garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat until beef is lightly browned.

In the Slow Cooker

Next, combine the vegetable broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beans, taco seasoning, frozen corn and cooked beef mixture in the container of a slow cooker (mine is 5.3 quarts).

Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Taste and adjust salt, pepper and spice as desired

On the Stovetop

Cook the beef, onion and garlic in 5 quart saucepan. Then add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer until ready to serve, but for at least 30 minutes.

Serve

Serve warm with your favorite taco fixings (sour cream, shredded cheese, crushed chips, homemade tortilla strips, guacamole, etc.)

Store/Freeze

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Taco Soup Recipe FAQs

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Slow Cooker Taco Soup Recipe

This slow cooker taco soup recipe is easy to make and only takes a few minutes to prepare. Then it cooks all day in the slow cooker (or for a shorter time on the stovetop) so the flavors intensify and it’s ready to serve at dinner time.

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Mexican

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 263kcal

Author Laura

Cost $8

Equipment

• Slow Cooker
• non-stick fry pan
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• ½ onion finely diced
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 15 ounces tomato sauce
• 15 ounces diced tomatoes
• 15 ounces kidney beans drained and rinsed
• 2 Tablespoons taco seasoning*
• 1 cup frozen corn
• Salt and pepper to taste

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a large skillet, cook ground beef onion and minced garlic until beef is lightly browned.
• In the container of a slow cooker, combine vegetable broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beans, taco seasoning, frozen corn and cooked beef mixture.
• Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Taste and adjust salt, pepper and spice as desired.
• Serve warm with your favorite taco fixings (sour cream, shredded cheese, crushed chips, guacamole, etc.)

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

• Ground beef. I suggest lean ground beef. Ground turkey or ground chicken also work in this recipe.
• Onion. Use a sweet, yellow onion or red onion.
• Vegetable Broth. Chicken or beef broth can be used in place of vegetable broth.
• Diced tomatoes. fire roasted, with green chilies or just plain diced tomatoes all work well in this taco soup recipe.
• Beans. I suggest using kidney beans, black beans or garbanzo beans.
• Taco Seasoning. I suggest an organic seasoning to avoid unfavorable ingredients. Or you can make your own. This is a very mild taco soup with a subtle taco flavor, you can easily increase the heat/spice by adding chili powder, hot sauce, spicy taco seasoning, jalapeño peppers, etc.
• Frozen Corn. You can substitute fresh corn.

To Make on the Stovetop

Cook the beef, onion and garlic in 5 quart saucepan. Then add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer until ready to serve, but for at least 30 minutes.

Store/Freeze

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 610mg | Potassium: 721mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 477IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 4mg

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Chili is one of our favorite cold weather meals. We love beef chili, chicken chili, turkey chili, etc. So I decided to create the best vegetarian chili for my fellow veggie lovers!

This vegetarian chili recipe is the epitome of healthy comfort food. It’s absolutely loaded with vegetables and perfectly seasoned with a homemade spice mixture.

It’s easy to make in 30 minutes which means it’s a healthy, quick and easy weeknight meal. Delicious served with homemade cornbread, cheese biscuits, or pretzel bread!

Vegetarian Chili: Ingredients and Substitutions

Note: you can replace any vegetable with an equal amount of another vegetable if there’s a veggie you don’t prefer listed in this recipe.

• Olive oil. Avocado oil or canola oil are good substitutes for olive oil.
• Onion. Use red, yellow, or a sweet white onion.
• Minced garlic. Garlic powder can be used in place of minced garlic, just add it with the spice blend. 
• Sweet potato. You can substitute your favorite potato here, but I prefer sweet potatoes (yams).
• Bell peppers. any color variety of bell pepper works well in this recipe. If you like to add some heat, use spicier peppers.
• Shredded zucchini. I like to shred it so that it’s undetectable to my kids. You can dice it if you prefer.
• Corn. Fresh and frozen corn both work well in this turkey chili.
• Spice mixture. I have written this recipe with the spice ratios and combination that we enjoy the most. If you change it I cannot guarantee the results. The one thing I will say is that you can add more chili powder, or some cayenne powder to increase the heat if you wish (we like mild chili). 
• Fire roasted tomatoes.You can substitute regular canned, diced tomatoes.
• Black Beans. I use one can of black beans because my husband does not prefer beans, so I don’t like to make our chili too “beany.” However you can add another can (2 cans total) if you love beans. You can also use any type of beans you like. My other favorites are kidney beans, great northern (white) beans, and garbanzo beans (chickpeas).
• Tomato sauce. I always have canned tomato sauce on hand (to make homemade pizza sauce). But you can substitute homemade tomato sauce as well.

How to Make Vegetarian Chili

This veggie chili recipe comes together in 30 minutes flat. It is important to follow the order the vegetables are cooked in (sweet potatoes first, etc). to ensure they are all properly cooked.

Begin my making the spice mixture by combining all the spices listed in a small bowl. Set this mixture aside to use later.

Next, cook the sweet potato, water, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, onion and minced garlic in a large pot, covered over medium heat. Be sure to stir occasionally until the sweet potatoes are soft (about 10-15 minutes).

Note: If you chop the vegetables into very small pieces, they will cook faster. Larger, more coarsely chopped vegetables will take longer to cook.

Once the sweet potatoes are soft, add the bell peppers, carrots, corn, shredded zucchini and the remaining 1 TBS olive oil to the sweet potatoes in the pot, cover and cook until carrots are soft (about 10 minutes).

Then, add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, chilies, spice mixture and beans and stir until evenly distributed.

Cook over medium heat with the lid slightly ajar for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, reduce heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until ready to serve, stirring occasionally.

To Prepare in Advance

Sometimes I make this veggie chili right after lunch and let it sit on the stove, covered all afternoon. Then I warm it up and simmer when we’re ready to eat dinner.

Serve

Serve with your favorite chili fixings! Our favorites include:

• Green onions
• Sour cream
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Crushed tortilla chips
• Cornbread (or cornbread croutons, cornbread muffins or this healthy skillet cornbread)
• Pretzel bread (try it and thank me later)
• Cheese biscuits or classic biscuits
• No knead bread

How to Store Vegetarian Chili

Store leftover veggie chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. 

Freeze

You can freeze this vegetarian chili in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Reheat by thawing it in the refrigerator overnight and warming it on the stovetop.

Vegetarian Chili Recipe FAQs

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Vegetarian Chili Recipe

This vegetarian chili recipe is easy to make in 30 minutes on the stovetop. It’s loaded with veggies and perfectly seasoned with a homemade spice mixture. It's a healthy, hearty and cozy meal. 

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 10 servings

Calories 158kcal

Author Laura

Cost $8

Equipment

• large pot
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons olive oil divided
• ½ cup onion finely diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 cup sweet potato finely diced
• ½ cup water
• 2 bell peppers diced
• ½ cup carrots finely diced
• ½ cup corn fresh or frozen & thawed
• 1 cup zucchini shredded
• 14 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 15 ounces can tomato sauce
• 4 ounces diced green chilies
• 14 ounces can black beans drained and rinsed

Spice mixture:

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 2 Tablespoons paprika
• 1 ½ Tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon sea salt or more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Mix cumin, coriander, paprika, chili powder, sugar, sea salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Add sweet potato, water, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, onion and minced garlic to a large pot, cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes are soft (about 10-15 minutes)
• Add bell peppers, carrots, corn, shredded zucchini and the remaining 1 TBS olive oil to the sweet potatoes in the pot, cover and cook until carrots are soft (about 10 minutes).
• Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chilies, spice mixture and beans and stir until evenly distributed.
• Cook over medium heat with the lid slightly ajar for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, reduce heat to a simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until ready to serve, stirring occasionally.
• Serve with your favorite chili fixings! Our favorites include sour cream, green onions, cheddar cheese, and crushed tortilla chips!

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions 

Note: you can replace any vegetable with an equal amount of another vegetable if there’s a veggie you don’t prefer listed in this recipe.

• Olive oil. Avocado oil or canola oil are good substitutes for olive oil.
• Onion. Use red, yellow, or a sweet white onion.
• Minced garlic. Garlic powder can be used in place of minced garlic, just add it with the spice blend. 
• Sweet potato. You can substitute your favorite potato here, but I prefer sweet potatoes (yams).
• Bell peppers. any color variety of bell pepper works well in this recipe. If you like to add some heat, use spicier peppers.
• Shredded zucchini. I like to shred it so that it’s undetectable to my kids. You can dice it if you prefer.
• Corn. Fresh and frozen corn both work well in this turkey chili.
• Spice mixture. I have written this recipe with the spice ratios and combination that we enjoy the most. If you change it I cannot guarantee the results. The one thing I will say is that you can add more chili powder, or some cayenne powder to increase the heat if you wish (we like mild chili). 
• Fire roasted tomatoes.You can substitute regular canned, diced tomatoes.
• Black Beans. I use one can of black beans because my husband does not prefer beans, so I don’t like to make our chili too “beany.” However you can add another can (2 cans total) if you love beans. You can also use any type of beans you like. My other favorites are kidney beans, great northern (white) beans, and garbanzo beans (chickpeas).

Serve

Serve with your favorite chili fixings! Our favorites include:

• Green onions
• sour cream
• shredded cheddar cheese
• crushed tortilla chips
• cornbread (or cornbread croutons, cornbread muffins or this healthy skillet cornbread)
• pretzel bread (try it and thank me later)

Store

Store leftover vegetable chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. 

Freeze

You can freeze this vegetarian chili in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Reheat by thawing it in the refrigerator overnight and warming it on the stovetop.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 438mg | Potassium: 549mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 5156IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 3mg

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This roasted vegetable soup is a wonderful way to usher in the fall (also known as soup season).

This healthy soup is made with vegetables – that’s it (and a little vegetable stock). Butternut squash, sweet potatoes, parsnips and carrots are roasted to golden perfection and then blended together (In the Vitamix of course) to make a creamy dreamy soup without dairy.

Since it’s made with only veggies, this Roasted Vegetable Soup is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, and paleo, which means it can be enjoyed by even people with strict allergies.

Roasted Vegetable Soup: Ingredients & Substitutions 

You can find all the ingredients to make this root vegetable soup at your local farmer’s market. October is my favorite month of the year to visit the farmer’s market. The rich, beautiful fall produce becomes readily available and I just can’t help myself. Apples, squash, carrots, beets, and the list goes on and on. We visit our city’s market most Saturday mornings and stock up on our favorite fresh veggies from some amazing local farms.

So, I implore you to head to your local market this weekend, bring home a bounty of delicious produce, and get cooking. Here are a few notes on the ingredients used in this Roasted Root Vegetable Soup:

• Vegetable Stock. You can use chicken stock in place of vegetable stock, but keep in mind then this recipe will no longer be vegan/vegetarian.
• Carrots & Parsnips. If you can’t find parsnips, you can substitute equal amounts of carrots for them. However, I think the parsnips really make this soup special.
• Sweet Potato/Butternut Squash. These vegetables can also be substituted for each other (e.g. if you can’t find butternut squash, simply replace it with more sweet potato, and vice versa).
• Other Vegetables. Pumpkin, beet, purple sweet potato, etc. are also great veggies to roast and toss in this soup.

How to Make Roasted Vegetable Soup

Begin this recipe by roasting the vegetables. Place the vegetables in the oven drizzled with a little olive oil.

A helpful tip is to keep the vegetables separated on the pan. Different veggies roast at different speeds (e.g. carrots roast faster than sweet potatoes), so you will want to be able to remove some from the oven before others.

Blend. Next, add the vegetable stock and roasted veggies to the container of a Vitamix (or another high powered blender) and blend until the mixture is smooth, becomes warm and you see steam coming from the soup (about 2 minutes).

Stovetop Option. You can also add the broth and roasted root vegetables to a pot on the stovetop and blend with a hand-held immersion blender until smooth.

Serve

Serve this roasted root vegetable soup with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and garnish with your favorite herbs (rosemary and parsley are my top recommendations.

I suggest baking a crusty loaf of no-knead bread or homemade french bread to dip into the soup – yum!

Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze

You can freeze this soup in an airtight container (or in these souper cubes), for up to 2 months. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Roasted Vegetable Soup Recipe FAQs

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Roasted Vegetable Soup

Roasted vegetable soup is made with 6 ingredients including butternut squash, sweet potatoes, parsnips & carrots! It's a delicious healthy fall soup recipe that is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan & paleo.

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 8 Servings

Calories 155.9kcal

Author Laura

Cost $6

Equipment

• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• Vitamix blender
• baking sheet

Ingredients

• 3 large carrots about 1 cup
• 3 Parsnips (about 1 cup)
• 1 medium sweet potato (about 1 cup)
• 1 small butternut squash (about 2 cups)
• 4 TBS Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 quart Vegetable Broth

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 Degrees F. Grease two large baking sheets.
• Peel and cut all the vegetables into similar size chunks, drizzle olive oil (enough to coat the veggies) and sprinkle with salt and pepper!
• Place parsnips & carrots on one baking sheet, and butternut squash & sweet potatoes on the other.
• Place both pans in the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Stir and continue roasting (stirring every 10-15 minutes) until all the veggies are golden-brown!
• Pour 3 cups of the vegetable broth into a Vitamix (or other high-powered blender).
• Add all your vegetables and place lid onto the top. Choose the “Soup” preset and press start. Blend until program is finished. (If you do not have presets on your blender, simply start blending at the lowest speed and slowly increase to high, blend until soup is smooth and hot).
• Taste and add more vegetable broth, salt and pepper to reach your desired taste and consistency.
• Serve hot!

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions 

• Vegetable Stock. Chicken stock can be substituted for vegetable stock, but keep in mind then this recipe will no longer be vegan/vegetarian.
• Carrots & Parsnips. I absolutely adore the flavor that both of these sweet root vegetables add to this healthy vegetable soup. If you can’t find parsnips, you can substitute equal amounts of carrots for them. However, I think the parsnips really make this Roasted Root Vegetable Soup special.
• Sweet Potato/Butternut Squash. These vegetables can also be substituted for each other (e.g. if you can’t find butternut squash, simply replace it with more sweet potato, and vice versa).
• Other Vegetables. Pumpkin, beet, purple sweet potato, etc. are also great veggies to roast and toss in this soup.

Serve

Serve this roasted vegetable soup with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and garnish with your favorite herbs (rosemary and parsley are my top recommendations.

I suggest baking a crusty loaf of no-knead bread or homemade french bread to dip into the soup – yum!

Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze

You can freeze this soup in an airtight container (or in these souper cubes), for up to 2 months. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 155.9kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2.4g | Fat: 3.9g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.5g | Sodium: 501mg | Potassium: 703mg | Fiber: 7.2g | Sugar: 7.9g | Vitamin A: 17600IU | Vitamin C: 46.4mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 1.5mg

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Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite foods, so I cook with them all the time (see: sweet potato tacos, sweet potato casserole, roasted sweet potatoes, etc.). This sweet potato soup is one of my favorite cozy fall creations.

It’s made in one pot (no roasting required) which I means it’s quick and easy. Celery, onion and carrots give this sweet potato soup a beautiful depth of flavor, and it’s silky-smooth and perfectly sweet with a touch of fall spices. 

Watch our video and check out the step-by-step photos to learn how to make sweet potato soup either with an immersion blender or in a high-powered blender.

Sweet Potato Soup Recipe: Ingredients and Substitutions

I cannot stress how absolutely perfect this recipe is. So I recommend keeping substitutions to a minimum (if you have to make any at all). However, as always, we will talk about possible substitutions 

• Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well too.
• Onion. I prefer a sweet onion, but any variety of yellow or white onions work well. (I don’t suggest using red for the way it will change the color of the soup).
• Carrot. I’d stay away from baby carrots here. I prefer large, organic, sweet carrots for the best flavor. 
• Celery. This is a must, no substitutes here. 
• Sweet potato. I suggest organic sweet potatoes or yams. You can also use purple sweet potatoes to make a purple soup!
• Maple Syrup. Again, I don’t recommend subbing anything for the pure maple syrup – as the maple flavor is important.
• Light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar can be used in place of light for a richer molasses taste. 
• Heavy Cream. Half and half can be used in place of heavy cream, but I don’t recommend making any other substitutions. 
• Apple Cider Vinegar. White vinegar can be used in place of apple cider vinegar if you don’t have any on hand. 

How to Make Sweet Potato Soup

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt the butter. Then add onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-high heat until the onions become translucent (about 5 minutes).

Then, add the sweet potato, cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt black pepper, and brown sugar and stir until spices are evenly distributed.

Next, add the water and stir until combined. Then cover to pot and bring the mixture to a boil.

Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat slightly and continue boiling for 15-20 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft.

Once sweet potatoes are soft, transfer the contents of the pot to a high-powered blender, or use an immersion blender, and blend for 60 seconds or until completely smooth.

Pour the smooth mixture back into the large stockpot. Then, add the heavy cream and apple cider vinegar and whisk or stir until smooth.

Taste and adjust salt/pepper as desired.

Serve

Serve warm with a drizzle of heavy cream and a sprinkle of fresh herbs.

We love dipping homemade bread into this sweet potato soup. Some of our favorites are homemade french bread, no knead bread, homemade biscuits (or cheese biscuits) and homemade dinner rolls.

Or, have a “soup night” and make some of these soup recipes as well: potato soup (seriously the best), chicken noodle soup, butternut squash soup, and homemade tomato soup!

Store

Store this sweet potato soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. 

Freeze

I recommend freezing this soup in individual portions for easy reheating. These silicon cubes are a great way to freeze soup in 1-cup portions. You can also use small glass storage containers.

Reheat

Remove the sweet potato soup from the freezer and let it thaw slightly. Then transfer to a pot on the stove or a microwave-safe container to reheat until warmed through.

Sweet Potato Soup Recipe FAQs

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Sweet Potato Soup Recipe

This sweet potato soup is silky-smooth and slightly sweet with a touch of fall spices. The addition of celery, onion and carrots make this sweet potato soup recipe flavorful and delicious. Plus, it’s easy to make in one pot with either an immersion blender or standard blender.

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 2 Liters (8 Cups) Soup

Calories 137kcal

Author Laura

Cost $6

Equipment

• large pot
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• spatula
• Vitamix blender

Ingredients

• ¼ cup salted butter
• 1 cup onion diced (1 small onion)
• 1 cup celery diced (2 stalks celery)
• 1 cup carrot peeled and diced (1 large carrot)
• 1 pound sweet potato peeled and chopped, (about 3 ½ cups)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
• 4 cups water
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt butter. Then add onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-high heat until the onions become translucent (about 5 minutes).
• Add the sweet potato, cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt black pepper, and brown sugar and stir until spices are evenly distributed.
• Add water and stir until combined. Cover and bring mixture to a boil.
• Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat slightly and continue boiling for 15-20 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft.
• Once sweet potatoes are soft, transfer the contents of the pot to a high-powered blender, or use an immersion blender, and blend for 60 seconds or until completely smooth.
• Pour the smooth mixture back into the large stockpot.
• Add heavy cream and apple cider vinegar and whisk or stir until smooth.
• Taste and adjust salt/pepper as desired.
• Serve warm.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

• Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well too.
• Onion. I prefer a sweet onion, but any variety of yellow or white onions work well. (I don’t suggest using red for the way it will change the color of the soup).
• Carrot. I’d stay away from baby carrots here. I prefer large, organic, sweet carrots for the best flavor. 
• Celery. This is a must, no substitutes here. 
• Sweet potato. I suggest organic sweet potatoes or yams. You can also use purple sweet potatoes to make a purple soup!
• Maple Syrup. Again, I don’t recommend subbing anything for the pure maple syrup – as the maple flavor is important.
• Light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar can be used in place of light for a richer molasses taste. 
• Heavy Cream. Half and half can be used in place of heavy cream, but I don’t recommend making any other substitutions. 
• Apple Cider Vinegar. White vinegar can be used in place of apple cider vinegar if you don’t have any on hand. 

Store

Store this sweet potato soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. 

Freeze

I recommend freezing this soup in individual portions for easy reheating. These silicon cubes are a great way to freeze soup in 1-cup portions. You can also use small glass storage containers.

Reheat

Remove the sweet potato soup from the freezer and let it thaw slightly. Then transfer to a pot on the stove or a microwave-safe container to reheat until warmed through.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 280mg | Potassium: 181mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 5695IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg

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In my opinion, tomato soup with grilled cheese is the ultimate comfort food. Chilly days make me want to grab a spoon and dive into a bowl of fresh, warm tomato soup – and this recipe is the best of the best! 

This roasted tomato basil soup is easy to make with fresh tomatoes, irresistibly creamy & bursting with flavor. It’s a healthy and cozy way to warm up on cold winter days. It’s also a perfect recipe to use fresh garden tomatoes and basil during the late summer months. 

Follow our step-by-step instructions & watch the video to learn how to make tomato soup from scratch.

Tomato Soup Recipe: Ingredients and Substitutions

As always, I recommend making this tomato basil soup recipe exactly as it’s written, however we’ll discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions. 

• Tomatoes. Choose a vine-ripened, naturally sweet tomato variety for the best flavor. 
• Onion. a sweet yellow or white onion are the best choices.
• Garlic. jarred minced garlic can be used in place of freshly chopped.
• Olive Oil. Any neutral oil works well, my second and third choices would be avocado oil and canola oil. 
• Fresh Basil. This can be omitted but I do not recommend it.
• Salted Butter.  Unsalted butter works well.
• All-purpose flour. To make this creamy tomato soup gluten-free, use an all-purpose gluten-free flour. 
• Granulated sugar.  brown sugar or honey are good substitutes.
• Vegetable broth. Chicken broth is a great substitute for vegetable broth. 
• Heavy cream. This is optional, but recommended. The cream cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and makes this tomato soup recipe delicious. Whole milk or half and half are great substitutes. 

How to Make Tomato Soup

This homemade tomato soup recipe is very easy to make. As always, we’ll walk through how to make tomato soup step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video. 

Being making this easy tomato soup by combining tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a large bowl. Toss the ingredients with olive oil, salt and pepper and stir until evenly distributed.

Next, spread the tomato mixture onto a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the tomatoes from the oven, stir, and roast for an additional 15 minutes, broiling during the last 3 minutes so that some of the tomatoes get lightly charred.

One the tomatoes, onion and garlic are roasted, add the mixture to the container of a high-powered blender (Vitamix), making sure to scrape all the contents from the baking sheet into the blender. Add fresh basil and blend the mixture on high speed until smooth (about 50 seconds).

Make a Roux

My favorite way to thicken soups, stews, gravy, etc. is by making a roux, which is how we do it in this tomato soup recipe. Begin by melting the butter over medium-high heat in a large pot. 

Then, add flour to the melted butter and whisk to combine. Cook until butter and flour mixture is golden brown (30-60 seconds).

Once the roux is ready, add the broth and sugar to the pot and whisk to combine.

Next, add the blended mixture to the pot and whisk to combine. If desired (for a creamier soup) add ¼ to ½ cup heavy cream. Cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.

Serve

Once the soup is ready, serve it warm with your favorite bread and toppings, and definitely make this grilled cheese sandwich! Here are some suggestions: 

• Bread. dip pieces of crusty no-knead bread or pretzel bread into the tomato basil soup. 
• Make homemade croutons or cornbread croutons and serve on top of the soup.
• Use this homemade whole wheat bread to make a delicious grilled cheese sandwich to dip into the roasted tomato soup. 
• These homemade dinner rolls are a great companion to this creamy tomato soup. 
• Add a swirl of cream, a dash of freshly chopped basil or a spoonful of parmesan cheese to the top! 
• Have a “soup night” and make some of these soup recipes as well: potato soup (seriously the best), chicken noodle soup, sweet potato soup and butternut squash soup.

Store

Store any leftover roasted tomato soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

How to Freeze Tomato Soup

To freeze, let the soup cool to room temperature. Then, transfer it to freezer-friendly containers and freeze for up to 2 months. I recommend freezing it in individually-sized portions or at least in portions that you’d eat in a sitting as a family. 

Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat. 

Tomato Soup Recipe FAQs

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Best Homemade Tomato Soup Recipe

The best homemade tomato soup recipe – this roasted tomato basil soup is easy to make with fresh tomatoes, irresistibly creamy & bursting with flavor. It’s a healthy and cozy way to warm up on cold winter days, especially served with a grilled cheese sandwich. Follow our step-by-step instructions & watch the video to learn how to make tomato soup from scratch!

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine American, Italian

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 8 Servings

Calories 111kcal

Author Laura

Cost $5

Equipment

• large pot
• Vitamix blender
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups
• whisk
• spatula

Ingredients

• 3 pounds tomatoes, fresh, cut into 2” pieces
• ½ onion diced (1 cup)
• 5 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup fresh basil
• 2 Tablespoons salted butter
• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 quart vegetable broth
• Optional: ¼ to ½ cup heavy cream.

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet, set aside.
• Combine tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a large bowl. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and stir until evenly distributed.
• Spread tomato mixture onto prepared baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven, stir, and roast for an additional 15 minutes, broiling during the last 3 minutes so that some of the tomatoes get lightly charred.
• Add roasted tomato mixture to the container of a high-powered blender, making sure to scrape all the contents of the baking sheet into the blender.
• Add fresh basil and blend mixture on high speed until smooth (about 50 seconds).
• In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat.
• Add flour to melted butter and whisk to combine. Cook until butter and flour mixture is golden brown (30-60 seconds).
• Add broth and sugar and whisk to combine.
• Add blended mixture to the pot and whisk to combine. If desired (for a creamier soup) add ¼ to ½ cup heavy cream. Cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.
• Serve warm with croutons, chopped fresh basil, etc.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitution Notes

• Tomatoes. Choose a vine-ripened, naturally sweet tomato variety for the best flavor. 
• Onion. use a sweet white or yellow onion.
• Olive Oil. Any neutral oil works well, my second and third choices would be avocado oil and canola oil. 
• Salted Butter.  Unsalted butter is a good substitute. 
• All-purpose flour. To make this creamy tomato soup gluten-free, use an all-purpose gluten-free flour. 
• Granulated sugar.  brown sugar or honey are good substitutes. 
• Vegetable broth. Chicken broth works well.
• Heavy cream. Whole milk or half and half are great substitutes. 

Store

Store any leftover roasted tomato soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. 

How to Freeze Tomato Soup

To freeze, let the soup cool to room temperature. Then, transfer the tomato soup to freezer-friendly containers and freeze for up to 2 months. I recommend freezing it in individually-sized portions or at least in portions that you’d eat in a sitting as a family. 

Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat. 

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 653mg | Potassium: 421mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1796IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

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Easy Homemade Vegetable Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup

Best Easy Chili Recipe

Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Chicken and Rice Soup

Minestrone Soup Recipe

Soup season is here! And on a busy weeknight when I want a cozy, healthy meal – or when we’re feeling under the weather – I make our favorite Chicken Noodle Soup (or this chicken rice soup or vegetable soup)!

This easy chicken noodle soup is flavorful, hearty, healthy and it’s made in one pot in under an hour! You’ll say, “goodbye” to canned soups forever once you make this homemade chicken noodle soup!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Olive Oil. Any neutral oil works well in this chicken noodle soup. Suggested substitutes are avocado oil, canola oil, and butter. 
• Onion. Yellow, white, red, sweet, any onion variety works well in this recipe. 
• Minced Garlic. Garlic powder can be used in place of minced garlic, add it with the broth. 
• Chicken Broth. Homemade or store-bought chicken broth works well in this recipe. 
• Better than Bouillon.  This is the secret ingredient in my chicken soup recipes. You can use a different chicken base, but I have had the best results with this brand. 
• Raw Chicken Breasts. If you have precooked, leftover chicken you can use that instead. Just make the soup according to the instructions and add the chicken once the noodles are cooked. 
• Fresh thyme, bay leaves, and parsley. You can use dried spices, however I don’t recommend it. Fresh is best. 
• Egg noodles. Any noodles work well in this chicken noodle soup recipe, egg noodles are our favorite – but rotini, macaroni, wheels, etc. are all great choices. 

How to Make Chicken Noodle Soup

This best chicken noodle soup recipe is easy to make in one pot in less than an hour. As always, we’ll walk through the process step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video!

Begin by cooking the olive oil, onion, carrots, celery and garlic in a large stockpot over medium-high heat until onions are translucent.

Once vegetables are cooked, add the chicken broth and better than bouillon to the stockpot and whisk to combine.

Next, add the chicken breasts, parsley, thyme sprigs, bay leaves salt, pepper to the stockpot and stir to combine. Cover and bring the mixture to a boil. After it reaches a boil reduce heat to simmer and simmer for 45 minutes, covered.

Once the chicken is cooked and can easily be shredded with a fork, remove and discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs.

Then, remove the chicken from pot and transfer it to a large bowl or cutting board to shred. Return the shredded chicken to the stockpot.

Once the shredded chicken is returned to the pot, bring the mixture to a boil and add the noodles. Boil for 10 minutes or until noodles are cooked.

Serve

Serve this homemade chicken noodle soup with your favorite crusty bread, like this no-knead bread, pretzel bread or the best homemade dinner rolls. Or make these easy homemade biscuits!

Store

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. 

Freeze

Let the chicken noodle soup cool to room temperature, then transfer it to a freezer-friendly, airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. 

Reheat

Remove frozen chicken noodle soup from the freezer and let thaw in the fridge overnight, or on the counter (faster). You can also let it thaw slightly then transfer the mostly-frozen soup to a pot and thaw it over low heat, stirring often. 

FAQs about Chicken noodle soup

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!

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Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

This is the best homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe ever! This easy chicken noodle soup is flavorful, hearty, healthy and it’s made in one pot in under an hour! Follow our step-by-step instructions & watch the video to learn how to make chicken noodle soup!

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Diet Low Lactose

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 12 Servings

Calories 177kcal

Author Laura

Cost $8

Equipment

• large pot
• whisk
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup onion (diced)
• 1 cup carrots (peeled & diced)
• 1 cup celery (finely diced)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 quarts chicken broth (8 cups)
• 1 Tablespoon chicken base (better than bouillon recommended)
• 2 Pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (or to taste)
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley
• 4 cups egg noodles

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a large stockpot, combine olive oil, onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until onions are translucent (about 5-7 minutes).
• Add chicken broth and better than bouillon to the stockpot and whisk to combine.
• Add chicken breasts, parsley, thyme sprigs, bay leaves salt, pepper and stir to combine.
• Bring mixture to a boil.
• After it reaches a boil reduce heat to simmer and simmer for 45 minutes, or until chicken is fork-tender.
• Remove and discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
• Remove chicken from pot and shred, return it back to the pot.
• Bring mixture to a boil and add noodles.
• Boil for 10 minutes or until noodles are cooked.
• Serve warm.

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

• Olive Oil. Any neutral oil works well in this chicken noodle soup. Suggested substitutes are avocado oil, canola oil, and butter. 
• Onion. Yellow, white, red, sweet, any onion variety works well in this recipe. 
• Minced Garlic. Garlic powder can be used in place of minced garlic, just add it with the broth. 
• Chicken Broth. Homemade or store-bought chicken broth works well in this recipe. 
• Better than Bouillon.  This is my secret ingredient in my soup recipes. You can use a different chicken base, but I have had the best results with this brand. 
• Raw Chicken Breasts. If you have precooked, leftover chicken you can use that instead. Just make the soup according to the instructions and add the chicken once the noodles are cooked. 
• Fresh thyme, bay leaves, and parsley. You can use dried spices, however I don’t recommend it. Fresh is best. 
• Egg noodles. Any noodles work well in this chicken noodle soup recipe, egg noodles are our favorite – but rotini, macaroni, wheels, etc. are all great choices. 

Store

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. 

Freeze

Let the chicken noodle soup cool to room temperature, then transfer it to a freezer-friendly, airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. 

Reheat

Remove frozen chicken noodle soup from the freezer and let thaw in the fridge overnight, or on the counter (faster). You can also let it thaw slightly then transfer the mostly-frozen soup to a pot and thaw it over low heat, stirring often. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 177kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 879mg | Potassium: 512mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1886IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg

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Chicken and Rice Soup

Minestrone Soup Recipe

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Beef Barley Soup

Sweet Potato Soup

Easy Homemade Vegetable Soup