This Homemade Vegetable Soup is incredibly flavorful and brimming with vegetables. Leeks, carrots, celery and garlic are sauteed and then simmered in broth with potatoes, green beans, zucchini, corn and tomatoes.
1 1/2 Tablespoons butter or oil
2-3 leeks, thinly sliced, white part only
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
2 celery stalks, sliced or chopped
10 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups fresh green beans, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 small-medium zucchini, chopped
2 large fresh tomatoes (about 1 1/2 cups seeded and chopped) or 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 ears of corn, kernels cut off the cob (or use frozen or canned corn)
salt, ground black pepper, to taste
1-2 Tablespoon fresh herbs, parsley (dill, green onions or cilantro are also nice)
1/2 - 1 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, optional
Since there are potatoes in the soup, I don't recommend freezing this soup. The potatoes will fall apart and get really mushy during the freezing process.
This makes a really large batch of soup. It reheats really well, so that's why I like making a lot so we can enjoy it more than once. However, please feel free to halve the recipe.