Our Most-Loved Vegetable Soups,
Stews, and Chilis!

Basil Tomato Soup

If you love tomato soup, give this a try. The coconut milk adds an interesting twist, and adds lots of healthy fats.

• 8 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
• 8 cups tomato juice
• 30 leaves fresh basil
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 1 cup non-dairy buttery spread (I like organic Earth Balance)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Place tomatoes and juice in a stock pot over medium heat. Simmer for 30 minutes. Puree the tomato mixture along with the basil leaves in a blender, and return the puree to the stock pot

2. Place the pot over medium heat, and stir in the coconut milk and EB. Season with salt and pepper. On low heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Do not bring this soup to a boil.

Serves 8.

Per Serving: 318 Calories; 27g Fat (72.2% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 1161mg Sodium.

Black Bean and Yam Stew

Black beans and yams combine to make the ultimate cold weather vegetable soup.

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil (or 1/4 cup veggie broth)
• 2 cups finely chopped onions
• 2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
• 2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 medium garnet yams, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
• 2 cups orange juice
• 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 cans cooked black beans (15 oz) rinsed and drained well
• 1 jalapeno, seeded, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup dairy-free sour cream*, optional
• Avocado slices (optional)
• Orange wedges (optional)

1. Heat oil or veggie broth in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add ginger, chili powder and cumin and stir 2 minutes. Add sweet potatoes, orange juice and garlic and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until sweet potatoes are almost tender, about 10 minutes.

2. Stir beans, jalapenos and bell pepper into sweet potato mixture. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in sour cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Divide stew among 4 bowls. Top with avocado and orange, if desired.

Serves: 4

Per Serving: 676 Calories; 14g Fat (18.2% calories from fat); 26g Protein; 116g Carbohydrate; 21g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 189mg Sodium.

Variations:

Substitute sweet potatoes for the yams.

Butternut Squash Soup with Cheesy Croutons

The croutons make this healthy soup special.

• 1/8 cup non-dairy buttery spread (I like organic Earth Balance)
• 1/2 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 3 1/4 cups butternut squash, peeled, cut into 1-inch dice
• 1/3 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
• 1/3 tablespoon fresh sage, minced
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/8 cup vegan whipped cream topping such as Soyatoo* made with organic soy (can also use coconut milk)
• 1/3 tablespoon Sucanat

Croutons:

• 1/3 Tablespoon non-dairy buttery spread (I like organic Earth Balance)
• 4 1/2" thick baguette slices
• 1/8 cup vegan mozzarella cheese (I like Follow Your Heart), shredded*
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh sage, minced

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add veggie broth, squash and herbs; bring to boil.

2. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Working in batches, puree soup in a blender. Return soup to same pot. Stir in whipped topping and Sucanat; bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Make the croutons: Preheat broiler. Butter one side of each bread slice. Arrange bread, buttered side up, on baking sheet. Broil until golden, about 1 minute. Turn over. Sprinkle cheese, then thyme and sage over the tops. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until cheese melts, about 1 minute. Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with croutons and serve.

Serves: 4.

Per Serving: 237 Calories; 11g Fat (41.0% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 1335mg Sodium.

Caramelized Onion and Portobello Mushroom Soup

Caramelizing adds a sweetness to the onions, and the portobellos are a meaty and hearty addition to this vegetable soup.

• 3 Tablespoons non-dairy butter, divided (I like organic Earth Balance)
• 1 1/2 pounds onions (about 5 cups), halved, thinly sliced
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 1/2 pounds portobello mushroom, stemmed, caps halved and cut into 1/4 inch strips
• 3 Tablespoons cognac or brandy (optional)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups veggie broth
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 18 1 inch thick slices French baguette, toasted
• 8 ounces vegan mozzarella cheese (I like Follow Your Heart - blocks of this soy cheese is non-GMO and the shreds are organic), at room temperature

1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large pot over high heat. Add onions and thyme; sauté until onions begin to soften. Reduce heat to low; cook until onions are caramelized, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Transfer onion mixture to medium bowl.

2. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in same pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until soft, about 12 minutes. Add cognac or brandy and garlic; stir 20 seconds. Stir in onion mixture, then veggie broth and wine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer until onions are very tender, about 45 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs, season with salt and pepper.

3. Preheat broiler. Place baguette slices on large baking sheet. Spread with soy cheese and broil until brown spots begin to appear on cheese, watching carefully so they don't burn.

4. Serve soup, floating croutons on top of each bowl.

Serves: 6

Per Serving: 481 Calories; 20g Fat (39.3% calories from fat); 12g Protein; 58g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 2112mg Sodium.

Sassy's "Chicken" Divan Soup

A rich and delightful mix of broccoli, vegan chicken, and Cream of Mushroom soup, plus more tasty ingredients make this a heartwarming soup your taste buds will love.

Chunky Cauliflower Soup

Big chunks of tender cauliflower floating in a creamy almond broth.

Cream of Cauliflower Soup

Pure unadulterated HEAV-EN! Rich and creamy, and good for you too. If you don't like cauliflower, use any veggie you like such as asparagus or broccoli.

Creamy Red Pepper Soup

Creamy and flavorful.

Easy Spicy Chili

For those who like their chili on the hot and spicy side.

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil (or 1/4 cup veggie broth)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium green, red and yellow pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (see note below)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup beer or vegetable broth
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (32oz)
• 1 can black beans (14oz) drained and rinsed
• 1 can red kidney beans (14 oz) drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin (1 to 1 1/2)
• 1 tablespoon ground chili powder (1 to 1 1/2)
• 6 dashes Red Hot or Tabasco sauce
• Course salt, a few pinches
• 1 cup spicy vegetarian refried beans
• Shredded vegan cheddar cheese* and/or chopped green onions, for garnish

1. Heat oil or veggie broth in deep pot over medium to medium high heat. Add onion and peppers and sauté stirring frequently, 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook one minute more. Add beer or broth and scrape up any good stuff from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the liquid by half, cooking it down for 2 or 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and beans and season with cumin, chili powder, Red Hot sauce, and salt. Simmer 15 minutes. Thicken by stirring in refried beans and cook 5 minutes more.

2. Serve in bowls topped with shredded cheese and/or green onions.

Serves: 6-8

Note: Be careful when adding very spicy ingredients to vegan food since there's no dairy to mellow the heat.

Per Serving: 225 Calories; 1g Fat (5.7% calories from fat); 13g Protein; 40g Carbohydrate; 10g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 152mg Sodium.

Gluten-Free Irish Stew

Yummy gluten-free dumplings float in a flavorful vegetable stew.

• 1-2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil (or 1/4 cup veggie broth)
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 3 Tablespoons chickpea flour
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups water, optional (add more water if it's not soupy enough for you)
• 4 carrots, cut into 1/2" chunks
• 1 parsnip, cut into 1/2" chunks
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 1/3 cup red lentils, rinsed
• 1/4 cup organic Tamari, or soy sauce
• 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tsp nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon organic whole cane sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Dumplings:

• 1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Biscuit Mix
• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk

1. Heat olive oil or veggie broth in a large pot. Add onions and sauté until transparent. Add the flour mixing thoroughly and cook gently for a few minutes.

2. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the dumpling ingredients), mixing well. Bring to a boil.

3. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Salt and pepper, to taste.

4. Make the dumplings: (To be added after above stew is cooked.) Keep stew at a slow boil. Mix ingredients in a bowl. Add additional milk, if needed, to make a very thick and sticky dough. Using a tablespoon, scoop heaping tablespoon amounts and drop them into boiling stew. Cook for 10 minutes uncovered. Cover and reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 more minutes. Stew base will thicken with this mix.

Serves: 4

Per Serving: 249 Calories; 3g Fat (9.7% calories from fat); 12g Protein; 48g Carbohydrate; 13g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 2197mg Sodium.

Hearty Vegetable Soup

This easy soup is everything you want your vegetable soup to be.

Irish Stew

Must be the Irish in me but I love this vegan stew with its tasty combination of green beans, sauerkraut, and dill. Tasty!

Jeff's Vegetable-Bean Soup

Jeff has been making this bean and veggie soup for years. It makes a lot, freezes well, and is perfect when you need a nutritious warming soup that will fill you up for hours. The recipe isn't exact -- he just doesn't cook that way. But you'll get the gist.

Roasted Garlic and Almond Soup

If you like garlic, give this yummy soup a try.

• 6 whole heads garlic
• 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon non-dairy buttery spread (I like organic Earth Balance)
• 2 large onions, sliced thin
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup dry plain breadcrumbs - not seasoned
• 1 cup blanched almonds (no skins)
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350. Slice garlic heads in half width-wise and season with salt and pepper. Place cut sides down in heavy baking dish coated with the olive oil. Roast in oven for 20-25 minutes or until soft. Let cool then squeeze the cloves out of the skins. (Should make about 1 1/2 cups.)

2. Melt butter in a heavy large sauté pan and sauté onions over medium-high heat until they begin to soften and turn translucent, about 7-10 minutes. Reduce heat and continue cooking until they turn golden brown, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

3. Spread breadcrumbs and almonds on a dry baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes. In food processor or blender process almonds and breadcrumbs until very fine. Remove to a mixing bowl.

4. Puree onions and garlic together in food processor (or blender) until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

5. Bring veggie broth to a boil in large saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes. Add 2-3 cups of the hot broth to a blender with the almonds and breadcrumbs and blend until very smooth and creamy, about 4 minutes. Scrape this mixture into a bowl and whisk in the garlic and onion puree, incorporating to make a smooth paste. Add the mixture to the sauce pan of simmering stock and season with sea salt and pepper. Strain if it looks chunky. Keep warm on very low heat til ready to serve.

Serves: 8

Per Serving: 303 Calories; 21g Fat (62.6% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 20g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 987mg Sodium.

Russian Potato Stew w/Sour Cream

My dad found this recipe and veganized it to surprise my mom with one evening. Isn't that sweet? It's one of my all-time favorite soups ev-er. Way to go, Dad!

• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil (or 1/4 cup veggie broth)
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 3 large russet or golden potatoes, unpeeled, cubed
• 1/2 pound green beans, cut into 1" pieces
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 1/3 cup dairy-free sour cream*
• 3/4 cup sauerkraut, with juice
• 1 Tablespoon dried dill weed

1. Heat oil or veggie broth over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently or until onions are soft, but not brown. Add potatoes and green beans and cook, stirring frequently, for several minutes.

2. Add 5 cups veggie broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium, cover and cook, stirring frequently for 1 hour until potatoes are soft and stew is thick.

3. Mix flour and sour cream in a small bowl to make a paste. Add to hot stew by the spoonfuls and stir. Add sauerkraut and dill weed. Cook 20 minutes. Season to taste.

Serves: 6

Per Serving: 120 Calories; 4g Fat (30.4% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 832mg Sodium.

Quick and Easy Split Pea Soup

When we countertop steam batches of small legumes in advance, like the split peas and adzuki beans as used in this recipe, it really helps to get meals on the table fast. (You can certainly freeze them too for future soups.) It makes it very easy to whip up a soup like this in about 30 minutes.

Tofu Noodle Soup

The ultimate comfort-food! Delicious cold-weather soup.

Tortilla Squash Soup

In memory of our sweet friend Janin who made this gorgeous soup at a beautiful and cozy dinner party.

• 2 1/2 pounds butternut squash
• 4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 medium yellow onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1 chili pepper, seeded and cut in 1/2, chopped (keep halves divided)
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Garnish:

• 1 bunch kale, finely sliced & sautéed
• 1 package organic corn tortillas

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and seed squash, cube and coat with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 30-40 minutes or until tender and edges browned.

2. In a large pot, sauté onion and garlic until translucent. Add tomato and 1/2 the chopped chili pepper; let simmer for one minute. Add squash and broth to pot and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the other 1/2 fresh chopped chili pepper and puree. Salt and pepper to taste.

3. Cut tortillas in half then into thin strips. Toast in the oven at 400 degrees until crisp and golden. Garnish soup with sautéed kale and tortilla strips. Serve hot.

Serves: 8

Per Serving: 217 Calories; 9g Fat (35.3% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 32g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 1mg Cholesterol; 829mg Sodium.

Traditional Japanese Miso Soup

Always a big hit with those who love miso soup. It's quite delicious.

• 4 cups water
• 8 tablespoon white miso (more or less to taste)
• 2 teaspoon dried cut wakame
• 1/2 cup chopped daikon (Japanese radish, optional but recommended), sliced into very thin half moons
• 1/2 cup carrots, sliced thin
• 1/2 small onion, sliced thin
• Organic tofu, to taste, chopped into small cubes (optional)
• Chopped green onions

1. Bring the water to a slow boil. Put the wakame in the water and let it slowly simmer for 20 minutes. The longer you simmer it the less sharp its taste will be. After 10 minutes, add the daikon, carrots and onion.

2. When veggies are softened, remove pot from heat. Place a small strainer in the soup, and mash spoonfuls of miso through the strainer into the soup. If using tofu, add to pot now. Cover to keep soup warm until ready to serve.

3. Pour into bowls, and garnish with the chopped green onions.

If you want to have miso soup over a few days, put miso only in the portion of the soup that you wish to eat at that time to retain the nutritional benefits. Never boil miso.

Serves: 6

Note: Wakame is a strong-tasting seaweed. It is too strong for some people. Here is a great way to enjoy it. When rehydrated, wakame expands to many times its dry size. Be very conservative the first time you use it. Most health food and Japanese/Asian stores sell it already cut into little 3/4" squares and dried into tiny "crumbles." This is the best kind to use. If you buy it in "sheet" form you will have to hydrate it and then cut it into squares which is okay but adds time to the recipe.

Per Serving: 57 Calories; 1g Fat (21.7% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 9g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 851mg Sodium.

I hope you have enjoyed this page of vegetable soup recipes. I only add a recipe when I create one I know you'll love. So check back occasionally.

Happy cooking!