Creamy Vegetable Soup
This creamy vegetable soup is packed with healthy veggies and pureed into a delicious creamy soup that the whole family will love! This creamy veggie soup is naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and vegan so everyone can enjoy it!
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Why make this recipe
Simmer zucchini, potatoes, bell peppers, carrots, and tomatoes in a pot until soft, puree with an immersion blender until creamy then top with some pesto or sour cream for extra flavor. It’s that easy to make a nutrient-dense soup that’s truly delicious.
This pureed veggie soup works great to use up old vegetables that are starting to wrinkle. You know the ones that haven’t gone bad yet, but don’t look as appealing to eat raw. Just cut out any bad spots and throw them in the pot. Everything will be pureed into a smooth creamy consistency, in the end, so the look of the veggies doesn’t matter.
I love to make pureed soups like creamy vegan zucchini soup, pumpkin bean soup, cauliflower potato leek soup, and butternut squash soup for kids and picky eaters who don’t like the texture of vegetables, and this creamy vegetable soup is always a hit as well!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Zucchini – You can use any size of zucchini you like as long as you have about 4 cups in total. If you have large ones with big seeds, cut the seedy parts out. (You can also use yellow squash in equal parts or half zucchini and half yellow squash if you would like to).
- Potatoes – This thickens the soup and makes it creamy. About 4 medium potatoes usually work well. You can add a little more or less to control the consistency.
- Tomatoes – This can be any type of tomato. I usually use about 2 medium-sized tomatoes or about 1 cup of cherry tomatoes. (Tomatoes are an important ingredient to add some acidity to this soup.)
- Carrots – about 2-3 medium carrots add a great sweetness to this soup.
- Bell Peppers – Red, orange, or yellow bell peppers are the sweetest and give this soup a nice flavor.
- Water – Use enough water to cover the vegetables in the pot. The exact amount will vary depending on how many veggies you put in it. You can also use vegetable broth for more flavor.
- Salt – For flavor. I usually need about 2-3 tsp for a pot, but adjust to your taste.
- Red Pepper Fakes – to add a little spice and more flavor.
- Basil or Pesto – I love pesto in this soup, but if you don’t have it fresh basil also gives it a wonderful flavor too. You can use my vegan pesto recipe or vegan nut-free pesto to make your own easily.
Helpful tools
- A large soup pot – you can also make this in a pressure cooker, Instant Pot, or even a slow cooker.
- An Immersion Blender – to puree the soup into a rich and creamy broth. You can also use a regular blender and transfer a small amount of the soup to the blender and puree it in small batches.
How to make creamy vegetable soup
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
Pressure cooker or Instant Pot method
Step 1 – Throw all of the veggies into the pot with enough water to just barely cover them.
Step 2 – Let it build up to pressure and then turn it off.
Step 3 – Come back when the pressure releases and salt and vegan pesto (or basil) and puree with an immersion blender until creamy.
Crock-pot method
Step 1 – Put everything in the pot in the morning. (Add an additional 1 cup of water).
Step 2 – Turn it on low for 8 hours or high for 5-6 hours.
Step 3 – Then add salt and vegan pesto (or basil) and puree with an immersion blender until creamy.
Stovetop method
Step 1 – Throw all of the veggies into a soup pot with enough water to just barely cover them.
Step 2 – Boil until the veggies are very soft (about 25 minutes).
Step 3 – Then add salt, basil, or vegan pesto, and puree with an immersion blender until creamy.
*Garnish the top of this veggie soup with some vegan pesto, or vegan sour cream for added flavor.
Serve this soup with some vegan cornbread, focaccia, or vegan drop biscuits. If you want gluten-free bread, try my gluten-free breadsticks, farinata, or chickpea bread recipes.
Pro Tips
- I like to use a metal immersion blender for this soup. This way I don’t have to transfer it to a blender and I’m not touching plastic to such hot liquid.
- If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can transfer small amounts to your blender to puree it, but be careful not to overfill the blender or hot liquid could leak out and burn you.
- Pesto makes this soup delicious! It is hard to find dairy-free pesto in the stores, but it is super easy to make your own vegan pesto.
- Add slightly more water for a thinner soup, add less water, or an extra potato for a thicker soup.
- If you are using a very large zucchini, be sure to cut out the section with large seeds.
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate: This creamy pureed vegetable soup will keep well in the fridge for 3 – 5 days in an airtight container.
Freeze: Vegetable soup freezes well and can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat a serving of the veggie soup in the microwave for about 3 minutes or reheat it in a saucepan on the stovetop.
More vegetable soup recipes
- Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup
- Vegetable Minestrone
- Lemony Lentil Soup
- Vegan Orzo Soup with Spinach
- Vegan Stew with Mushrooms and Kale
- Sweet Potato Chickpea Soup
- Vegan Sausage Potato and Kale Soup
Creamy vegetable soup recipe
Creamy Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups zucchini, about 2 zucchini depending on the size.
- 2 medium bell pepper, I usually use red
- 2- 3 medium tomatoes, or about 1 ½ cup cherry tomatoes
- 2 – 3 medium carrots
- 4 cups potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes (about 3-4 medium potatoes)
- 6 cups water, or vegetable broth (enough to just cover over the veggies by about 1/4 inch)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons vegan pesto , or a handful of fresh basil plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 dash salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup vegan pesto , or fresh basil (optional for garnish).
Equipment
Instructions
- Wash and chop all of the veggies into big chunks and throw them into a pot. (You can use a pressure cooker or a slow cooker as well).
- Fill the pot with enough water to cover the veggies by about ¼ inch. (About 6 cups, but go by how much you need to cover the veggies than the exact measurement).
- Boil until all veggies are very soft. (If using a pressure cooker, just bring up to pressure and then turn off and wait until the pressure goes down). (If using a slow cooker, set to low for 8 hours or at high for 5 hours).
- Add pesto (or basil and olive oil) and salt to the pot and puree with an immersion blender. (If you don’t have an immersion blender transfer small amount to a blender to puree).
- Serve hot with a dollop of additional pesto or vegan sour cream.
Notes
- If using a crock pot, add an additional 1 cup of water.
- If using an instant pot, set it to pressure cook for 1 minute, then allow the pressure to go down on its own.
- I like to use a metal immersion blender for this soup. This way I don’t have to transfer it to a blender and I’m not touching plastic to such hot liquid.
- If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can transfer small amounts to your blender to puree it, but be careful not to overfill the blender or hot liquid could leak out and burn you.
- Pesto makes this soup delicious! It is hard to find dairy-free pesto in the stores, but super easy to make your own vegan pesto recipe.
- Add slightly more water for a thinner soup, add less water, or an extra potato for a thicker soup.
- If you are using a very large zucchini, be sure to cut out the section with large seeds.
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