This hearty and delicious recipe for vegan Harvest Vegetable Soup is made with butternut squash and kale. The herbs and seasonings pair perfectly with the tender fall veggies. This homemade vegetable soup recipe is healthy, easy and tastes amazing. It will warm you from the inside out on a chilly autumn day.

two white bowls of veggie soup with rosemary sprig and a white napkin

I originally published this Vegetable Soup Recipe on September 5th 2014. I have updated the text and photos and added a video to reshare it with you today. This post contains affiliate links. 

Table of contents

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Why You’ll Fall In Love With This Vegetable Soup Recipe

Every fall when I go hog wild making batch after batch of soup {an affliction I call going “Soup Crazy”} I am sure to include a batch or two of this Vegan Vegetable Soup. It has been a favorite for many years and readers always tell me they love it too.

This soup is simple to prepare and all the flavors are amazing! Thanks for another great recipe! 

~Laura

Every week, I made a different soup, sometimes more than once a week, if we’re being honest. I love the cozy tradition of making big batches of soup. Ladling up steaming bowls, maybe a corn muffin or savory muffin alongside. Lunchboxes for my hubby. Quarts into the freezer. The whole soup crazy nine yards.

It happened when I made this cheddar potato leek soup and when I amassed this list of healthy soups too and other many undocumented times no doubt.

Vegan Harvest Vegetable Soup Highlights

  • Uses fresh seasonal veggies including butternut squash, kale and the last of the season’s tomatoes
  • It is chunky and hearty but completely grain free so it is suitable for gluten-free and grain-free diets
  • It is 100 plant-based so that means it is vegan-friendly
  • It freezes perfectly and the leftovers are delicious!
  • Packs and reheats for a great lunch at the office
  • Can be customized for the veggies you happen to have on hand.

Ingredient Notes

the soup ingredients laid out on a gray countertop with text labels

Vegetable Broth

My favorite store-bought vegetable broth is Imagine No Chicken broth. It is by far the best vegetable broth on the market. Hands down. You can also make veggie stock from scratch.

If you are a meat eater, I you can try this with chicken broth or make your own chicken stock from scratch.

For purchased broths look for varieties that have about 500 mg of sodium per cup. For homemade stocks make sure you add a little extra salt.

Veggies

In addition to diced onions and garlic I added in celery and carrots which are classic vegetable soup veggies. I also added in cubed butternut squash (diced pumpkin could work too), fresh chopped kale and the last of the locally grown tomatoes. (Canned tomatoes work too.)

If you do not cook with butternut squash regularly, here are my tips on how to cut the squash.

Feel free to mix up the veggies in this soup. Follow our tips in Variations To Try.

Seasonings

To season this soup I use a pre-mixed blend of dried herbs called Herbes de Provence. It can be found in the dried spices in the baking aisle of large supermarkets. If you’re not familiar with this French herb blend, it is a woodsy and floral blend with lavender in it.

Once you have it in your spice drawer you’ll be able to use it in Ratatouille, Soupe au Pistou or Crispy Skin Chicken too. If you do not have it, you can substitute Italian Herb Blend instead.

I also add in a whole sprig of rosemary which can be removed at the end.

How to Make Vegan Vegetable Soup

saute the veggies then deglaze

Step 1: Saute Vegetables

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and salt, and cook, stirring often until the onion is softened and starting to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add carrots, celery and Herbes de Provence. Cover and cook, removing lid to stir often until the vegetables are starting to brown and sizzle, 5 to 8 minutes.

Step 2: Deglaze

After the vegetables are softened and starting to brown, add in white wine. This will deglaze the pan, and remove any browned bits from the pan. These browned bits, or fond, are full of rich flavor. The wine also balances the sweetness from the squash and brings out the flavors in the soup.

add broth and squash

Step 3: Add Broth and Simmer The Vegetable Soup

Add in the broth and increase the heat to high to bring it up to a simmer quickly. Add in hot sauce too to add a peppery backnote to the soup flavor. 

Once the soup comes to a simmer, add in the butternut squash and bring it back up to a simmer. Then cook the soup until the squash is nice and tender but not falling apart. This takes about 12 minutes. Check it with a fork to see if it’s done.

Step 4: Add in Quick Cooking Vegetables at the End

At the end, stir in kale and tomatoes, and cook them only until the kale is tender. If you have another tender vegetable like zucchini or green beans (ones that soften in 4 minutes or so) this is the time to add them. 

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black pot with the soup in it

Expert Tips For The Best Vegetable Soup

Can vegetable soup be frozen?

This soup freezes very well. Transfer the cooled soup to 4 cup containers. Seal shut and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator if desired. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until simmering.

What is the best way to reheat leftovers?

This soup is very forgiving. You can reheat it in the microwave for about 3 minutes per serving on high power. Make sure to stir it half way through heating it. You can also reheat large amounts in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat. Stir often and let it come to a gentle simmer. This soup will be thicker after it is initially cooked so you may want to add a little additional vegetable broth to thin it out when reheating it.

Can I use pre-cut butternut squash?

You can use diced pre-cut butternut squash. Note that if it is cut into large chunks it will take a little longer to soften in the simmering broth so just make sure it is fork tender before adding the kale.

What is a good alternative to the wine?

You can use 1/2 cup broth plus 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice instead of the wine to deglaze the soup pot.

How do you cut the butternut squash?

If you haven’t cut up a butternut squash before, it’s not as intimidating as you may think. You can wear gloves if you have sensitive skin. The squash is so high in Vitamin A that it actually will make the skin rough from exfoliating it so much! 
First cut the ends off. Then cut the neck from the bulb so it is easier to handle. As you remove the skin, it will become slippery, so having it in two smaller pieces makes it easier to hold. 
Peel the squash with a high-quality peeler. Then cut the bulb end in half and scoop out the seeds.
Cut the bulb end into cubes. Then cut the neck end into slabs and then into cubes. 

Time Saving Tip: Chop Vegetables as You Cook

  • No doubt making vegetable soup requires a lot of chopping of the vegetables, but that’s actually not a bad thing. One of the cool things about making soup is you can cut as you cook. Unlike a stir-fry where you need to have everything cut and measured before you turn on the stove, soup is much more forgiving and relaxed. It’s part of the charm of making soup!
  • I like to start off my chopping my onions and garlic, and about halfway through cutting, I get my big heavy soup pot onto the stove and start heating it up.
  • Then while the onions are softening, that’s when I start in on cutting the carrots and celery. And so on. It’s a good use of timing and actually quite relaxing!

Variations To Try

  • Cook the onion and garlic as directed, where you can mix it up is in step two and three.
  • Add large diced, hard, and longer-cooking vegetables like sweet potato, squash, potato or root vegetables like turnips and celery root in step two.
  • Add more tender, small diced, shorter cooking vegetables in step three.
  • Taste as you go.
  • I think adding zucchini in step three to this would be an obvious choice or even chopped green beans.
  • Instead of kale try another green such as Swiss Chard, Cabbage or Spinach.
  • Feel free to add in frozen veggies at the end. Sweet peas, corn and green beans are great in soups!
  • Add in cooked grain such as barley, brown rice or pasta. Stir it in after the kale is softened.
  • At the end, stir in canned beans such as white beans, kidney beans or chickpeas for protein.
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two white bowls of veggie soup with rosemary sprigs on a blue placemat

More Vegetarian Soup Recipes:

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At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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closeup of the bowl of vegetable soup

Harvest Vegetable Soup {Vegan}

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4.9 from 26 reviews

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Description

Healthy homemade Harvest Vegetable Soup recipe with all sorts of yummy fall veggies, including butternut squash and kale. This vegan soup is naturally free from gluten, grains and dairy.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large diced onion
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 cloves finely chopped garlic
  • 3 carrots, diced
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 6 cups Imagine No-Chicken Broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 10 dashes Tabasco sauce, or to taste
  • 1 4-inch sprig rosemary
  • 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 1 1/2 pounds or 4 1/2 cups)
  • 4 cups finely chopped kale leaves (no stems)
  • 1 large tomato, diced (about 1 large) peeled and seeded if desired

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and salt, and cook, stirring often until the onion is softened and starting to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add carrots, celery and Herbes de Provence. Cover and cook, removing lid to stir often until the vegetables are starting to brown and sizzle, 5 to 8 minutes.
  2. Add wine, increase heat to high, and cook, stirring until the wine is almost completely evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes.
  3. Add broth, Tabasco sauce and rosemary and bring to a boil. Add squash, and return to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low or to maintain a simmer, and cook until the squash is tender, but not falling apart, about 12 minutes.
  4. Add kale and tomatoes and stir until the kale is wilted into the soup. Cook until the kale is tender, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Remove rosemary sprig before serving.

Notes

Variations To Try

  • Cook the onion and garlic as directed, where you can mix it up is in step two and three.
  • Add large diced, hard, and longer-cooking vegetables like sweet potato, squash, potato or root vegetables like turnips and celery root in step two.
  • Add more tender, small diced, shorter cooking vegetables in step three. Green beans, zucchini and summer squash and frozen veggies are best added toward the end of cooking time.
  • Instead of kale try another green such as Swiss Chard, Cabbage or Spinach.
  • Stir in cooked grains or pasta at the end before serving.

  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 cups
  • Calories: 228
  • Sugar: 6 g
  • Sodium: 814 mg
  • Fat: 9
  • Saturated Fat: 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 27 g
  • Fiber: 6 g
  • Protein: 5 g

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