V8 Vegetable Soup is an easy vegan soup that has great flavor. This fresh veggie packed soup has beans to add some plant based protein and some pasta to make it a very hearty meal and a family-pleasing soup on a cold day.
This soup will freeze well so you could make a double batch to have on hand for an easy meal on a busy weeknight. V8 Vegetable Soup is easy to make with simple ingredients. If you want to cut the prep time you can use frozen vegetables.
If you would like to try a vegetable beef soup, check out Guinness Beef Stew. Another hearty vegetable soup with ham and chorizo sausage is Garbanzo Bean Soup. You might also like Vegetarian French Onion Soup, Sun Dried Tomato Tortellini Soup, Tuscan Sausage Soup, Spaghetti Meatball Soup and Lasagna Soup.
To see the vegan recipes for some homemade vegetable soups check out 12 Simple Vegan Soups.
SOME THINGS TO KNOW: FAQ’S
INGREDIENT TIPS:
- V8 juice is a combination tomato juice and vegetable juice that will add a bit more flavor to the soup than pureed tomatoes. It is often used as a Bloody Mary mix. While it does not have fiber or the benefits of eating whole vegetables, it has a lot of flavor and the recipe adds a good amount of fresh vegetables to the soup as well.
- For a sweeter taste, choose young, tender carrots. Celery should be firm and bright green.
- Use fresh green beans for the best texture, snipping off the ends before chopping. Read about How to Choose Green Beans.
- Different colors of bell peppers can vary in taste. Red and orange bell pepper are sweeter, while green peppers are more bitter.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
- Large Soup Pot or Dutch Oven: For simmering the soup. A pot with a heavy bottom is ideal to prevent burning.
- Chef’s Knife and Cutting Board: For chopping the fresh vegetables. A sharp knife will make prep work easier and safer.
- Vegetable Peeler: Handy for peeling carrots, or any other vegetables you prefer to peel before adding to the soup.
- Garlic Press: While not necessary, a garlic press can speed up mincing garlic if you are using fresh cloves.
- Wooden Spoon: For stirring the soup.
- Ladle: For serving the soup.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Almost any vegetable can work in this soup. Consider swapping in or adding mushrooms, peas, corn, broccoli, lima beans, cauliflower, or eggplant. The idea is to use what you love or have on hand. You could also substitute frozen mixed vegetables if fresh vegetables are not available or use leftover veggies that you have on hand.
- Use an equal amount of chicken broth or beef broth in place of vegetable broth. This is a straightforward substitution, but it does change the dish from vegan to non vegetarian.
- Any leafy green can be used in place of spinach. Kale, Swiss chard or collard greens can be good alternatives.
- If you are out of fresh garlic, garlic powder can work in a pinch. Use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder for each clove of garlic called for in the recipe.
- If you do not have dried oregano or basil, Italian seasoning is a good substitute since it contains both herbs. Fresh herbs can also be used. Fresh herbs are less potent than dried, so you will need to use a tablespoon of a fresh herb to replace a teaspoon of a dried herb.
- If you cannot find the rings pasta, any small pasta shape will work in the recipe. You could also substitute rice or small cubes of russet potatoes.
- Any neutral-flavored oil like canola, vegetable, or avocado oil can be used for sautéing the vegetables instead of olive oil.
HOW TO STORE V8 VEGETABLE SOUP:
- Store the V8 vegetable soup in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. Allow the soup to cool to room temperature before storing it. Transfer the soup to an airtight container.
- V8 Vegetable soup can be frozen for up to 4-6 months. Use a freezer bag or container to store the cooled soup. Lay the bags flat in the freezer as they will save space once frozen solid.
- Transfer the frozen soup to the refrigerator 24 hours before you plan to eat it. This is the safest method for thawing.
HOW TO REHEAT V8 VEGETABLE SOUP:
- To heat the soup on the stovetop, pour the soup into a pot and reheat it over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it is heated all the way through.
- If you are reheating a single serving, a microwave is convenient. Transfer the soup to a microwave-safe container, loosely cover it (allowing steam to escape), and heat in 1-minute increments, stirring in between until heated through.
- Try to only reheat the amount of soup you plan to eat at one time. Repeatedly warming and cooling the soup can degrade its quality.
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrot, onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté until the vegetables are slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
Add the V8 juice to the pot along with the diced zucchini, green beans and vegetable broth. Stir in the oregano, basil and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.
Add the navy beans and ring pasta to the pot. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes to cook the pasta.
Add the spinach. Stir until it wilts.
V8 Vegetable Soup
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 small bell pepper, diced
- 2 fresh garlic cloves minced
- 46 ounce bottle V8 vegetable juice
- 1 small zucchini, diced
- ½ cup of fresh green beans, chopped
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon of dried basil
- 2 bay leaves
- 15 ounce can white navy beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup rings pasta
- 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
Instructions
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrot, onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic. Sauté until the vegetables are slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
Add the V8 juice to the pot along with the diced zucchini, green beans and vegetable broth.
Stir in the oregano, basil and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium low and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.
Add the navy beans and ring pasta to the pot.
Simmer for an additional 10 minutes to cook the pasta.
Add the spinach. Give it a good stir until it wilts.
Taste the V8 Vegetable Soup and add salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with some fresh parsley.
Serve the soup with some crusty bread and parmesan cheese on the side.
