Keto Vegetable Soup (2024)

This keto vegetable soup is super nutritious and so flavorful! It makes a wonderful light yet filling lunch or dinner for the entire family - kids and adults alike. My hearty homemade vegetable soup is ready in just 30 minutes and 7.6g net carbs per generous serving.

There are countless ways of making a really good low carb vegetable soup and this is mine!

This simply, fragrant soup strikes the perfect balance between flavour and simplicity and I make it literally all the time. It is great with keto dinner rolls or keto biscuits.

Some keto soups are firmly for winter and cold days - I'm thinking anything with lots of cream or cheese here, or hearty, thick stews with chunks of meat.

But this soup just straddles the seasons. It will warm you on chilly days like a hug in a bowl, but it also JUST WORKS in spring and even summer.

Many keto vegetable soup recipes are variations on a classic minestrone and use tomato as a base. Whilst I sometimes add 1-2 diced tomatoes to this recipe plus a dash of apple cider vinegar, I'm not a big fan of green veggies in a thick tomato base. I think the tomato flavour overshadows everything else.

The beauty of this low carb veggie soup is the simplicity of flavours that allow the vegetables to shine. Can a soup be elegant? Am I taking it too far?

But that's exactly how I would define the essence of this recipe. Elegant simplicity, my friends!

Carbs in Vegetable Soup

Let's talk carbs. On a low carb diet and a keto diet, root vegetables - which often feature in regular soups - are generally avoided. You'll see that I HAVE added carrot in this keto vegetable soup.

Trust me: carrots are important for flavour and it would be a shame to leave them out.

Even with the carrot (and also the garlic, onions and leek, which are all higher in carbs but just so essential for taste), this soup is keto friendly.

It contains just 7.6g net carbs per serving of 2 cups (480 grams). This is a full soup bowl - a properly filling main meal.

Ingredients

I vary the vegetables depending on what's in season, what's on offer and what I have in my fridge. Here are the vegetables I use in this recipe:

• Onion
• Carrots
• Leek
• Celery
• Zucchini
• Green beans
• Cauliflower
• Kale
• Garlic

You can use more of some and leave out others. Or replace them with alternatives. These veggies will work just as well:

• Broccoli
• Diced tomatoes
• Bell peppers
• Kale
• Spinach
• Cavolo nero
• Savoy or white cabbage
• Celeriac
• Turnips
• Mushrooms

Instructions

This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities

Heat 2 tablespoon of butter or olive oil in a non stick soup pot and sauté on a medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, leek and celery and fry for about 5 minutes until they start to soften.

Add the garlic, zucchini, green beans, chopped thyme and 2 tablespoon of the parsley. Sauté for another 3 minutes and stir regularly.

Add the cauliflower, broth, bay leaves, salt, seasoning and bring to the boil (For a keto vegetarian soup use vegetable stock, otherwise I recommend chicken stock for deeper flavor).

Reduce to a simmer and cook with a lid on for about 15 minutes.

Remove half the mixture and discard the bay leaves. Put into a jug and pulse with stick blender.

Option to place in a high speed blender if you prefer. This thickens the soup and adds flavour.

Add the pureed soup back into the pan along with the greens and simmer until they soften (about 1 minute).

Mix the lemon juice with olive oil and swirl into the soup and top with fresh parsley. Adjust seasoning to taste and enjoy.

Note - of course it's possible to replace the fresh herbs with dried herbs. However, I am a huge fan of everything fresh and implore you to give it a try. It really makes all the difference.

Variations

So many possibilities here!

• add shredded roast chicken
• make a vegetable beef soup: fry beef chunks and add to the broth
• replace ½ cup of the chicken stock with white wine
• grate in the zest of 1 lemon
• for a vegan keto soup, swap out the chicken broth with vegetable broth and use olive oil instead of the butter
• a splash of fish sauce, fried ginger, a squeeze of lime and prawns for a Thai version
• experiment with different seasonings: sage, oregano, basil, marjoram, tarragon, paprika, rosemary, cumin, hot sauce
• for a thicker soup, add 3 tablespoon collagen peptides

Instant Pot And Crock Pot Instructions

To make this soup in the crock pot, saute the onions, carrots, garlic, celery and leeks. Then put the rest of the ingredients in the crock pot or slow cooker and cook for 2 hours.

With the Instant Pot, 10 minutes at high pressure are sufficient.

Storage

Homemade vegetable soup stays fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days.

And even better, it is perfect for freezing. Once the soup has cooled down to room temperature, simply portion it out into ziplock bags.

Stack the bags on top of each other and freeze until solid. If it helps you save space and for better access, store them upright once they are frozen.

Thaw keto vegetable soup the night before you plan to eat it. Defrost in the fridge and always place the zip lock bag in a bowl to avoid any accidental leaks.

Then, reheat it either on the stove or in the microwave.

More Keto Soup Recipes

We have low carb soups at least once a week in our house. Here are a few more recipes to choose from:

Creamy Keto Roasted Cauliflower Soup - Instead of loading this soup up with cheese for flavour, I have opted to roast the cauliflower instead of cooking it. This gives the soup a superb nutty note.

Low Carb Keto Turkey Soup - A creamy soup that uses leftover turkey. This recipe also works well with chicken.

Keto Bacon Cheeseburger Soup Recipe - Some low carb recipes are like a hug in a bowl! A rich soup that's made with ground beef and a tomato base.

Keto Roast Chicken Soup - My remedy when I need a low carb soup recipe that nurtures the body and the soul. This keto chicken vegetable soup recipe consistently gets 5 star reviews. Don't miss it.

Recipe