This homemade 10-vegetable soup recipe is a hearty, flavor-packed soup. It is loaded with vibrant vegetables, wholesome grains, and a rich, savory broth, making it both nourishing and delicious. Plus, it's naturally vegan, easy to make, and ready in about an hour.
This 10 Vegetable Soup recipe is inspired by Panera's now-retired 10 Vegetable Soup, which always cost way more than it should for a simple bowl of veggies and broth.
As of this writing, Panera retired it from the menu (RIP to the only fully vegan soup they had, along with the Black Bean Soup). But instead of waiting for a comeback, we're making an even better homemade version - cheaper, fresher, and way more delicious!
If you like brothy tomato-based soups like this one, try Vegan Fideo Soup, Vegetable Stew and Dumplings, and Vegan Tortilla Soup With Baked Tortilla Chips.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy cleanup with low effort and a big pot of comfort.
- Enjoy a fresher, cheaper, homemade version that's just as flavorful (if not better, me thinks!).
- Packed with 10 different veggies, protein-rich chickpeas, and whole grains, this soup is as filling as it is nutritious.
- It tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prepping or freezing for later.
- It uses wholesome, plant-based ingredients simmered to perfection.
- This soup is flexible and forgiving, so feel free to make it your own with available veggies.
Ingredients
Fire-Roasted Tomatoes: Regular diced tomatoes won't give you that smoky depth that makes this soup so good. Fire-roasted is the way to go. I like to give them a quick blend before adding it to the soup.
Grains: I use pearl barley and short-grain brown rice for this recipe. They take longer to cook, but they add a hearty, chewy texture and help thicken the broth slightly as they release their starches, making the soup even more satisfying.
Vegetables: Substitute the vegetables with what you have on hand, but try to keep the same volume so the soup remains well-balanced.
See the recipe card for quantities and a full list of ingredients.
Variations
- Sub either grain with farro, wheat berries, red fife, spelt, or freekeh.
- Substitute or add more veggies like zucchini or sweet potatoes.
- In the past, I have omitted the chickpeas and substituted them with diced potatoes.
How To Make a 10 Vegetable Soup
Here are pics of what you'll be doing. See the recipe card for all the details.
Step 1: Combine the spices and set them aside.
Step 2: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, carrots, celery, poblano pepper, and bell peppers. Cook for about 7 minutes.
Step 3: Make room in the center of the veggies for the tomato paste. Stir it around for about a minute to toast and deepen the flavor before mixing it in with the veggies.
Step 4: Add the spices and cook for 2 minutes, then pour in the fire-roasted tomatoes, vegetable broth, and bay leaf and stir.
Step 5: Then add the barley and brown rice. Bring to a gentle boil.
Step 6: Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for ~ 40 minutes or until the grains are tender.
Step 7: Stir in the corn, chickpeas, and spinach. Stir and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Step 8: Remove the bay leaf. Serve and garnish with fresh parsley, lemon juice, and zest.
Top Tips
- Don't be tempted to add more grains. The soup will thicken more as it cools. The pictures show a cooled-down soup with the grains plumped up as it sat.
- If substituting any vegetables, make sure to keep the same volume as the recipe calls for to maintain the best balance of broth, grains, and veggies.
Serving Suggestions
- Nothing beats dunking a warm, crusty slice of sourdough or baguette into this flavorful broth. Garlic bread is a great choice too.
- Pair with a crisp green salad with Classic French Salad Dressing, Easy Lemon Vinaigrette, or enjoy a Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad.
- This soup is perfect for batch cooking! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Just thaw and reheat when you need a quick, cozy meal.
Recipe FAQS
While Panera's version inspires this soup, feel free to swap in zucchini, green beans, sweet potatoes, or whatever veggies you have on hand.
Yes. Let the soup cool completely, then store in airtight containers or freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop.
It stays fresh for 4-5 days in an airtight container. The flavors actually get better as they meld together.
Recipe Card
10 Vegetable Soup Recipe
Ingredients
Spice Blend
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ heaping teaspoon salt adjust salt to taste once the soup is finished
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ heaping teaspoon red pepper flakes or dried Aleppo chili (optional)
For the Soup:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 carrot diced
- 1 celery stalk diced
- 1 bell pepper diced; any color or a mix
- 1 poblano pepper diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 6 cups vegetable broth I recommend using 2 tablespoons of Better Than Boullion Vegetable Base plus 6 cups of water
- 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes blended*
- 1 bay leaf 2 if they are small
- ¼ cup pearl barley
- ¼ cup short grain brown rice
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- ½ cup corn fresh or frozen
- ½ cup chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ½ cup baby spinach chopped
To Serve:
- fresh parsley chopped
- lemon juice
- lemon zest
Instructions
- Make Seasoning Blend: In a small bowl combine the spices. Set aside.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, carrots, celery, poblano pepper, and bell peppers. Cook for about 7 minutes, until softened.
- Build the Flavor: Make room in the center of the veggies for the tomato paste. Stir it around for about a minute to toast and deepen the flavor before mixing it in with the veggies.
- Seasoning: Add the spice blend and let it toast for a minute or two to enhance the flavors.
- Simmer the Soup: Pour in the fire-roasted tomatoes, vegetable broth, and bay leaf and stir. Then add the barley and brown rice. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for about 40-45 minutes or until the grains are tender.
- Final Touches: Stir in the corn, chickpeas, and spinach. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and taste to adjust salt.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and top with fresh parsley. Serve with fresh lemon juice and zest.
Regi Pearce says
I was a huge fan of Panera’s 10 Vegetable Soup, so when they retired it, I knew I had to make my own. I think my homemade version blows the original out of the water! Plus, I can tweak the spice level, pack in extra chickpeas, or even blend the tomatoes (because certain family members refuse to eat chunks). It’s cozy, nutritious, and way cheaper than Panera ever was. RIP to their version, but I’m more than happy with this upgrade!