Creamy Vegetable Soup is bursting with flavor in every bite, with a rich, creamy base and plenty of veggies!
Creamy Vegetable Soup
This Creamy Vegetable Soup is the ultimate comfort food! I love making it on chilly days or when I need to use up leftover veggies. While I love broth-based soups (like Vegetable Soup or Chicken-Vegetable Soup), my boys always go for creamy, cheesy ones—and this is one of their favorites.
I usually pair it with a salad, and if I have time, I’ll whip up some Dinner Rolls. Or I’ll serve this soup is in a crusty bread bowl—it doesn’t get much better than that!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this Creamy Vegetable Soup:
- Butter: Adds richness and helps make the soup creamy.
- Olive oil: Prevents butter from burning and adds flavor.
- Carrots, celery, onion: Chop small for even cooking and a flavorful base.
- Garlic: Fresh or jarred works—use what you have.
- Baby potatoes: Cut small for quick, even cooking.
- Italian seasoning: Brings delicious flavor.
- Chicken or vegetable stock: Use vegetable stock for a vegetarian option.
- Frozen broccoli: Thaw slightly and chop small to blend into the soup.
- Frozen corn: Add straight from the freezer.
- Flour: Helps thicken the soup.
- Milk: Whole milk makes it creamy; skip milk alternatives.
- Heavy cream: Adds a smooth, rich texture.
- Cheddar cheese: Freshly grated melts better; sharp adds the most flavor.
How To Make Creamy Vegetable Soup
- Sauté veggies: Heat butter and oil in a large pot, cook carrots, celery, onion, then add garlic for 30 seconds.
- Cook potatoes: Add potatoes, seasoning, and stock. Boil, then simmer covered until potatoes are tender.
- Add broccoli and corn: Stir in broccoli and corn; cook to heat through.
- Make roux: Melt butter, whisk in flour for 1 minute, then slowly add milk. Stir until thick, mix in cream, and remove from heat.
- Combine soup: Add the roux to the pot, season, stir in cheese, and cook until melted.
- Serve: Dish up with bread or a bread bowl, and enjoy!
Shortcuts
This Creamy Vegetable Soup needs some chopping, but here are a few quick ways to save time:
- Mirepoix: Grab pre-chopped mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery) from the produce section or use frozen mirepoix.
- Garlic: Use jarred garlic or a garlic press for quick and easy minced garlic.
What To Serve With Creamy Vegetable Soup
- No-Knead Bread: Perfect for dipping and soaking up the creamy broth.
- Salad: A light, crisp salad like a simple garden salad or Winter salad.
- Grilled cheese sandwich: A classic pairing that’s always a hit.
- Baked sweet potatoes: A hearty side with natural sweetness to balance the soup.
- Cornbread: Adds a slightly sweet and crumbly texture.
Storage
- Leftovers: Cool soup completely before storing in an airtight container. Refrigerate: Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Store in the freezer for up to 3 months, leaving space in the container for expansion.
- Reheat: Thaw frozen soup in the fridge overnight, then warm on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of broth to thin as needed.
More Delicious Soup Recipes
- White Chicken Chili made in the slow cooker
- Crockpot Chili winner of dozens of chili cook-offs!
- Tortilla Soup in 20 minutes!
- Creamy Tortellini Soup with Italian sausage
- Beef and Barley Soup made in the slow cooker
Creamy Vegetable Soup
Creamy Vegetable Soup combines the best of flavor and ease, featuring a rich, veggie-filled base that’s perfect for any night.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups mirepoix or use 1 cup diced carrots, 1 cup diced celery, and 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1-1/2 pounds baby potatoes gold or red, diced (4 cups)
- 1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups chicken stock or broth, see note 1
- 2 cups frozen broccoli florets thawed and finely chopped
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 6 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- Hearty buttered bread optional, for serving
- Fresh herbs optional, for serving (parsley or thyme)
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon of butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add diced carrots, celery, and onion. Sauté for 5–7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in chopped potatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium. Cover and cook for 10–15 minutes, or until the veggies are crisp-tender. Stir in thawed broccoli and frozen corn. Cook for 2–3 more minutes, until tender and heated through.
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and gently boiling. Stir in the heavy cream and remove from heat.
- Pour the milk mixture into the soup and stir well. Lower the heat, add Cheddar cheese a handful at a time, and stir until melted. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Serve warm, garnished with fresh parsley or thyme, alongside toasted and buttered pieces of bread. Enjoy!
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Or use vegetable broth if you’d like this soup to be vegetarian.
Storage: Cool soup completely before storing. Refrigerate: Keep up to 4 days. Freeze: Store up to 3 months with space for expansion. Reheat: Thaw in the fridge overnight and warm on low, stirring occasionally. Thin with a splash of broth as needed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 604kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 786mg | Potassium: 772mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1397IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 464mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I dont have heavy cream can I make it without it?
Yes, it will be less creamy and thick though
Made this and it is delicious! Would it freeze well?
Because of the dairy in it, I don’t think it would freeze well, but haven’t personally tried on this recipe. Wish I could be of more help!
I used vegetable broth instead of chicken and it came out really good! Perfect for a cold day here in Virginia.
Yay!! I am soo happy to hear this! Thanks for your kind comment! 🙂
Do you think this soup would look appealing if I pureed the veg. after cooking, then added cream.?
I personally don’t think it would taste quite right (or look super appealing) for this soup, but I’ve never tried it so really can’t say for sure what the results would be. Let me know what you end up trying and I hope you love it Eleanor! 🙂
Can you add beans to this? If so what kind would you recommend?
If you do, I’d do white beans!
Can you add rice to this?
It’s not an addition I would make, but you can if you’d like! If you do, I’d recommend adding it already cooked and probably increasing the liquid a bit. Enjoy!
I these recipes with entire life stories before the recipe! Scrolling for hours is so much fun! The pop-ups is also a nice touch!
There is a “jump to recipe” button at the beginning of each post. The pop-ups are what allow me to give you FREE content.
Wow. You just can’t escape snarky comments like these that emerge from the saddest users of the internet. I say THANK YOU for this amazing recipe and subsequent inspiration, which I’m happy to have found.
Thank you so much Joni! It means so much to me to have your support on my site, I appreciate your kindness! 🙂
can you add chicken to this?
Sure! 🙂 I’d stir in some chopped rotisserie chicken at the end 🙂
Made a great soup for a nice fall day.
Glad to hear it! Thanks Jimmy!
Delicious. I added a couple more veggies, okra, green beans, and assorted color small bell peppers. My family said it was a keeper.
Glad to hear it! Thanks Kathy!