Winter Lunch Hearty Soup (Printable)
A warming winter lunch with seasonal vegetables, beans, and herbs for cozy, nourishing meals.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 2 parsnips, peeled and diced
06 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 small leek, cleaned and sliced
09 - 2 cups chopped kale or Swiss chard, stems removed
→ Broth & Legumes
10 - 6 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
12 - 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
→ Spices & Seasoning
13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 bay leaf
16 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Finishing Touch
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
18 - Grated Parmesan cheese (optional for serving)
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, sliced carrots, celery, and parsnips. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in cubed potatoes, minced garlic, and sliced leek. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
03 - Pour in vegetable broth, cannellini beans, diced tomatoes with their juice, dried thyme, dried oregano, and add the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil.
04 - Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
05 - Add chopped kale or Swiss chard to the pot and simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes until greens are wilted.
06 - Remove the bay leaf. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve with grated Parmesan if desired.
# Cooking Tips:
01 -
- It tastes infinitely better than it looks, and somehow feels both hearty and light at the same time.
- You can make it in under an hour and it gets even better the next day.
- Every spoonful feels intentional—no filler, just vegetables and beans that actually matter.
02 -
- Don't skip rinsing the canned beans—the starchy liquid makes the soup look cloudy instead of clean and inviting.
- Add the kale at the very end; if it sits in the hot broth too long, it turns an unappetizing gray-green and loses its texture.
- Taste before you serve, not after—a pinch of salt at the right moment makes the difference between soup and an actual meal.
03 -
- Make a double batch and freeze it in portions—it reheats beautifully and tastes just as comforting when it's Tuesday and you need a quiet lunch.
- Brown the onions and carrots for an extra minute before adding the other vegetables if you want a deeper, more caramelized depth to the broth.