This vibrant, nutrient-dense soup is like a classic minestrone, minus the beans and pasta. Chock full of fresh tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, and many other veggies, it’s like a bowlful of summer on a cold winter’s day. Make an extra-large batch while the ingredients are in season during the summer months, and freeze it in mason jars. You’ll get that fresh flavor and nutritional boost that we all miss during those long, gray winter days. If you do plan to freeze it, I recommend using chopped kale instead of spinach. It holds its color and texture better than fragile spinach after freezing and reheating. Oh, and to maximize morning time, chop all your veggies while the tomatoes are in the oven roasting. Everything will go into the slow cooker around the same time, and you’ll be out the door in no time!
5 large tomatoes on the vine
Olive oil for drizzling
Sea salt to taste
1 cup (240 ml) chopped carrots
½ cup chopped celery
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup (240 ml) chopped white button mushrooms
3 cups (720 ml) chicken or beef broth
2 TBSP (30 ml) chopped fresh basil
2 TBSP (30 ml) chopped fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1 tsp (5 ml) sea salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (240 ml) chopped zucchini
1 cup (240 ml) chopped spinach or kale
Serves 4
Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C).
Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
Wash and dry the tomatoes, and remove the stems. Slice the tomatoes in half, then in half again, making 4 wedges.
Place the tomatoes on the baking sheet, drizzle them with olive oil, and sprinkle them with sea salt.
Roast the tomatoes in the oven for 20 minutes.
Transfer the cooked tomatoes to a slow cooker.
Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, mushrooms, broth, basil, parsley, bay leaf, sea salt, and pepper to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
During the last 45 minutes of cooking, add the zucchini and spinach or kale.
When the soup is done, remove and discard the bay leaf.
Stir the soup to break up the tomatoes, or, if needed, use kitchen scissors to cut the tomatoes into smaller chunks.
Enjoy a big bowl of soup or serve alongside your favorite protein.
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Veggie Soup is a big, warming bowl built on roasted tomatoes and every vegetable worth having in a soup. Carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms, and garlic simmer in broth with basil and parsley, then zucchini and spinach join at the end for a soup that's light but deeply satisfying.
Pro Tips
- Roast the tomato wedges first for 20 minutes at 450°F — this simple step gives the broth a sweetness and depth you can't get from raw tomatoes alone.
- Add the zucchini and spinach (or kale) only in the last 45 minutes so they keep their texture and colour instead of dissolving into mush.
- Five cloves of garlic and a full two tablespoons each of fresh basil and parsley keep this soup lively rather than bland — it's a vegetable soup, so the herbs matter.
- Stir the soup at the end to break up the roasted tomatoes, or snip them into smaller pieces with kitchen scissors right in the pot.
- The bay leaf does quiet work here — remove it before serving, and don't skip it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add protein to this soup?
Yes — shredded chicken, browned sausage, or even leftover grilled meat stirred in at the end turns it into a full meal without changing the broth.
Is this vegetable soup paleo?
Completely: tomatoes, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, mushrooms, zucchini, greens, and broth with fresh herbs. It's naturally vegan as written (use vegetable broth).
Does it freeze well?
Very well — freeze in portions for up to 3 months. The greens soften a bit after freezing but the flavour stays bright and the broth stays rich.
Can I use kale instead of spinach?
Yes, kale holds up even better in the long simmer. Add it in the last 45 minutes with the zucchini so it wilts but doesn't toughen.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- Serves 4 Preheat your oven to 450°F.
- Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Wash and dry the tomatoes, and remove the stems.
- Slice the tomatoes in half, then in half again, making 4 wedges.
- Place the tomatoes on the baking sheet, drizzle them with olive oil, and sprinkle them with sea salt.
- Roast the tomatoes in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked tomatoes to a slow cooker.
- Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, mushrooms, broth, basil, parsley, bay leaf, sea salt, and pepper to the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours. During the last 45 minutes of cooking, add the zucchini and spinach or kale.
- When the soup is done, remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Stir the soup to break up the tomatoes, or, if needed, use kitchen scissors to cut the tomatoes into smaller chunks.
- Enjoy a big bowl of soup or serve alongside your favorite protein.
