November 20, 2018
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Looking for an easy meal for the winter? Wanting something perfect for post-holiday kitchen burnout, ‘fridge clean out day’ and those random Thursdays when you need something warm? Soup is the answer!
Vegetable Soup with V8 Juice is one of our favorite fall and winter meals. We make a batch and then we have a good, hearty meal for a few days. It’s one of the best ways to use up leftover frozen summer produce (squash, corn, zucchini, etc) and it’s a good meal to put on for the day– just a few minutes prep work and then it’s into the slow cooker.
Using V8 is a delicious way to add depth and rich flavor to your vegetable soup–it gives a good base without adding a ton of calories. If you already have a family soup recipe you love– try making it with V8 Juice next time! I’m not here to convince you to switch from a beloved recipe—but I hope this recipe gives you some ideas 🙂
This Crockpot Vegetable Soup with V8 is Great For:
- A filling, healthy and veggie loaded meal
- Making ahead (even better on day 2!)
- Feeding a crowd easily or ensuring leftovers for a smaller family (this makes ~ 8 bowls’ worth of soup)
- Using up the last few carrots, celery stalks, potatoes, and an onion
- Cleaning out the freezer: peas, green beans, lima beans, etc.
- Customizing: add in little heat, extra protein, or whatever veggies you love. Try this with roasted veggies for extra flavor!
What’s In Vegetable Soup with V8 Juice?
- V8 or other vegetable juice– adds depth + lots of tomato flavor as a base
- Lots of fresh, frozen and/or canned veggies– healthy ingredients and completely customizable. Use whatever veggies are on hand/most convenient for you.
- A little sugar– cuts the acidity of the tomato juice + diced tomatoes
- A few fragrant spices– basil, parsley and thyme do the trick. Add or use a pinch of what you like
- Salt and pepper– these are to taste but don’t skimp! If you use low sodium juice, you’ll want to add a decent amount of salt to the soup.
I’ve titled it with V8 because that’s a recognizable brand but I’ve made this with other brands of vegetable juice (Knudsen organic and regular store brands) and any of them will work 🙂
Vegetable Soup with V8 Juice
thedachshundmom
Easy vegetable soup made with vegetable juice. Hearty, filling, healthy and completely customizable. Written vegan but can be adapted for meat eaters, too. Recipe for slow-cooker on low (8-10 hours).
4.67 from 9 votes
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Prep Time 25 minutes mins
Cook Time 8 hours hrs
Total Time 8 hours hrs 25 minutes mins
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 190 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 64 ounces V8 or other tomato/vegetable juice
- 2 medium russet potatoes, diced
- 15 ounces canned diced tomatoes do not drain
- 1 to 2 cups corn, fresh, frozen or canned (drained)
- 1 to 2 cups peas, fresh, frozen or canned (drained)
- 1 to 2 cups green beans, fresh, frozen or canned (drained)
- 1 to 2 cups lima beans, fresh, frozen or canned (drained)
- 1 to 2 cups squash, quartered
- 1 to 2 cups zucchini, quartered
- 2 bay leaves, whole
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp dried basil
- 1/8 tsp dried parsley
- 1/8 tsp dried thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 ounces water as needed to thin soup
Instructions
Rinse and prep veggies if using fresh (or drain cans if using canned–do not drain tomatoes). Potatoes can be peeled or left ‘rustic’. You’ll need a skillet and a 6 or 7 quart crockpot/slow cooker.
Heat oil in a skillet on medium.Add in the diced onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until onions are translucent and mixture is fragrant (about 5 minutes)
In a large Crockpot, combine onion/celery/carrot mixture with half of the vegetable juice. Stir in spices and diced tomatoes. Add in all remaining veggies and vegetable juice. Stir mixture and add in 1 cup water (or as needed to nearly fill Crockpot)
Add bay leaves on top and set Crockpot/slow cooker for low, 8 to 10 hours. At the end of cooking, check flavors and add more salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaves before serving.
Refrigerate leftover soup for up to 4 days. Soup can also be frozen for 3 months.
Notes
Customize this soup to your tastes:
- Add and remove what you like: okra, cabbage, bell peppers, edamame, etc.
- Use canned tomatoes with green chiles or add salsa for a little spice
Nutrition
Calories: 190kcal
Keyword V8 Juice, Vegetable Soup
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
I’ve been making this soup for about 6 years now–and the only veggie I’ve found I didn’t prefer in it was broccoli. Otherwise, it’s a very forgiving soup that’s perfect for emptying out the freezer. Give this delicious and easy meal a try and let me know how it works for you!
-Emma
Author: thedachshundmom
Filed Under: Healthy Meals, Plant Based, Recipes, Soup and Salad
Tags: Fall, Fridge Clean Out, frozen, Soup, Vegetable Soup, vegetarian, Veggies, weeknight
