This Italian Roasted Vegetable Soup has deep, caramelized flavors from roasted veggies, sun-dried tomatoes, and herbs. Blended until silky-smooth and topped with optional buttery croutons, it's cozy, nourishing, and simple to make.
What is wonderful about cooking with simple ingredients is the transformation they can make when handled correctly. Making this Roasted Vegetable Soup is about building flavor in a way that brings out the best in each ingredient without overcomplicating things. The veggies, herbs and sundried tomatoes are roasted and caramelized to deepen their natural sweetness and add rich, savory depth, and blended with white beans to give it a creamy (dairy-free) texture. A splash of white wine vinegar at the end adds just enough brightness to balance the richness. Every step contributes to a velvety Italian Roasted Veggie Soup that’s both simple and deeply satisfying.
This recipe is part of my “girl soup” series—soups designed with busy parents in mind. While you can check out that article for all the details, the idea behind it is simple: I needed a satisfying, make-ahead lunch packed with good-for-you ingredients. What started as pantry-friendly blends turned into a few go-to favorites—hearty, veggie-packed soups full of fiber and flavor. Feel free to use this recipe as a guide for your own girl soup, but it's equally as delicious served as an appetizer or a light dinner, especially with the addition of the garlic butter croutons (more on that below).
Ingredients Needed and Substitutions
Here is a brief overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The full recipe with quantities is listed below this text in the recipe card.
- veggies such as bell peppers, cauliflower, celeriac (swap out what veggies available, but this is a really fun blend that helps give it more of an Italian flair)
- garlic + red onion + leek (feel free to just use one aromatic, but the layers these add are nice here)
- fresh rosemary (swap in other herbs as desired, though only hard herbs like thyme or rosemary should be roasted in the oven, add in soft herbs with the step of blending)
- oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (drain the tomatoes, but reserve the oil as it has a ton of flavor in it)
- canned navy beans or white beans
- chicken or vegetable broth/stock (any combination of stock, bone broth or water will do)
- white wine vinegar (or similar acid such as lemon or red wine vinegar)
- coarse kosher salt (This recipe was tested using Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt. If you use Morton's kosher salt or fine salt, decrease by about half for volume)
How to Make It
What is wonderful about cooking with simple ingredients is the transformation they can make when handled correctly. A good soup isn’t just about throwing ingredients into a pot—it’s about thoughtfully layering flavors and cooking it in a way that brings out the best of each ingredient.
Here is an overview of how to make this recipe, with the full recipe and all details listed below this article in the recipe card.
Step 1: Roast the veggies and herbs (adding in the sundried tomatoes halfway through) until well cook and caramelized (but not burnt).
Step 2: Transfer the roasted veggies, rosemary leaves, garlic, beans and broth to the blender.
Step 3: Carefully start the blender on low with the cover slightly ajar (see note on blending hot items), slowly increase the speed and purée.
Step 4: Strain the soup, in batches into a large pot. Heat the soup with an broth, simmmer and taste to adjust the seasoning.
Now, About Those Croutons
I'll admit it, I'll take any excuse there is to add what is essentially little garlic bread cubes to a meal (like in this Panzanella). The soup doesn’t need any enhancement, but if you’re serving it as an appetizer or a light dinner, croutons add additional texture, flavor, and a visually interesting element.
To make them, cube up a loaf of bread (My favorite is a semolina sourdough loaf I make at home, but any rustic bread works well). Melt some garlic butter (I'm obsessed with garlic butter and how it can transform a dinner: I make a large batch of it and freeze it as needed, or you can just as easily purchase it at the store--Kerrygold has a new one I really like) and toast up the bread cubes.
Kelli's Best Tips
- Caramelization is good; burning is bad. Take care when roasting the veggies in the oven because they are the key to good flavor in this recipe. The sundried tomatoes are added in halfway through. Burnt spots usually mean the oven was too hot or the veggies needed more oil, or they needed to be stirred. Keep a close eye on them, and stir when needed. Also, get to know your oven’s hot spots. For example, in my oven the left side runs hotter, so I always pay extra attention to that area of the sheet pan and occasionally rotate it during roasting to keep things even.
- The directions call for blending the soup, then straining it. Straining is optional, but it does give the final soup a really nice velvety texture. Just be careful when blending hot liquids—make sure to keep the lid slightly ajar (and tilted away from your body) to let steam escape. If the steam has nowhere to go, pressure can build up and send hot soup spraying everywhere. (Ask the younger line cook version of me how I know.)
- Using less liquid while blending results in a smoother, silkier soup—but be sure to thin it out after straining to reach your desired consistency. Ultimately, it’s up to you, but a good rule of thumb is that the soup should be pourable without being brothy, and thick enough to coat a spoon without feeling like a purée.
- This soup doesn’t have any added dairy and is delicious as is, but if you’re looking to add a bit more protein or creaminess, blending in some heavy cream, mascarpone, or even cottage cheese are all great options that have turned out well in testing.
- Seasoning your soup properly is the most important part of making this soup. Ultimately, learning how much seasoning you prefer is a personal process and is not something I can instruct in a recipe card. It takes trial and error with your own soup pot at home. The more you practice tasting and adjusting, the better you’ll get at knowing exactly what your soup needs to shine. If your soup tastes bland, it likely needs more salt or more acid (vinegar), or both, to brighten the flavors. That said, seasoning should happen in layers throughout cooking, not just at the end. Season your veggies before roasting, then taste and adjust again once the soup is puréed. This layered approach builds depth and ensures that every ingredient is well-seasoned.
Storage
This soup stores beautifully and holds up well for several days. Keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
If freezing, make sure to leave some space between the soup and the lid of the container—especially if you’re using glass—as the soup will expand as it freezes and could cause cracking. To avoid this all together completely chill in the refrigerator overnight, then transfer to the freezer. To reheat from frozen, it’s best to thaw it in the fridge for 12–24 hours if you can. Then heat it to a simmer either in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave.
More Italian Recipes
- Italian Ground Beef and Rice Skillet
- Pistachio Snack Cake
- Italian Turkey Meatballs
- Italian Sausage and Lentil Soup
More Soup Recipes:
Making this Italian Roasted Vegetable Soup recipe? Be sure to leave a comment with a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on your experience! Have a question? Leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you as quickly as I can!
PrintFull Recipe
Italian Roasted Vegetable Soup
- Prep Time: 00:15
- Cook Time: 00:50
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
- Category: Soup
Description
This Italian Roasted Vegetable Soup is packed with deep, caramelized flavors from oven-roasted veggies and some Italian flair from sun-dried tomatoes. Blended until silky-smooth, this soup is finished with white wine vinegar for a touch of brightness and optional rosemary garlic croutons for a crispy, buttery contrast. A nourishing, cozy meal that’s as satisfying as it is simple to make.
Ingredients
For Soup:
- 2 red or orange bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
- 1 large red onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 fennel bulb, cored and chopped
- 1 medium celeriac, peeled and chopped
- 1 small head cauliflower, cored and chopped
- 1 small leek, cleaned very well and chopped
- 1 small head of garlic, outer papery skin removed and cloves separated, unpeeled
- 3-4 sprigs rosemary
- ⅓ cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes plus 2 tablespoons reserved sun-dried tomato oil
- Coarse kosher salt, to taste
- Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (14-ounce) can navy beans or white beans, rinsed and drained
- 4-6 cups chicken or vegetable broth/stock
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, plus more to taste
For Rosemary Garlic Butter Croutons (optional):
- ¼ cup garlic butter
- 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh rosemary
- 2 ounces sourdough or Italian bread, cut into ¼-inch cubes (1-2 cups)
Instructions
Make the soup:
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF and place an oven rack in the lower part of the oven.
- On a rimmed baking sheet, toss together the bell peppers, onion, fennel, celeriac, cauliflower, leek, garlic, rosemary, the sun-dried tomato oil, a generous sprinkle of salt (about 2 teaspoons), and a sprinkle of pepper. (If you don’t have the sun-dried tomato oil, swap it with olive oil.)
- Roast on the lower rack until the onions are translucent, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven, add on the drained sun-dried tomatoes, and stir them together with the veggies and oil.
- Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the veggies are cooked through and have begun to caramelize, with spots of light browning, 20-25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the rosemary garlic croutons (if using): In a large skillet, heat the garlic butter and rosemary over medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, add the bread cubes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bread is lightly toasted,8-12 minutes. Lower the heat if needed to prevent the bread from burning. When the garlic bread cubes are golden, remove from the heat and let cool in the pan while finishing the soup.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let it cool until the rosemary is cool enough to handle, 5-10 minutes. Remove the rosemary leaves from the stems and discard the stems. Squeeze the roasted garlic from the skins.
- Carefully transfer the roasted vegetables, rosemary leaves, roasted garlic, and any oil on the baking sheet to a blender (see notes for immersion blender alternative). Add in the drained white beans and 1 cup of broth. Carefully start the blender on low with the cover slightly ajar (see note on blending hot items) to let any steam release. Slowly turn the blender up and purée. Add additional broth as needed to get a smooth purée.
- When the mixture is smooth, set a fine-mesh strainer over a large pot.
- Pour half of the blended veggie mixture into the strainer and press the soup through the sieve into the pot, discarding any solids in the strainer. Repeat straining with the remaining soup.
- Turn the heat to medium. Add an additional 3 cups of broth to the soup . Bring the soup up to a simmer. Add the vinegar and taste and adjust the seasoning and thickness as desired, adding in additional salt, pepper,broth, or vinegar as needed.
- Serve the soup hot, topped with rosemary garlic croutons, if using.
Notes
Be careful blending hot liquids—leave the lid slightly ajar to let steam escape. Blending with less liquid makes it smoother; thin it out after straining as needed. Aim for a soup that’s pourable but not brothy, and thick enough to coat a spoon.
Seasoning is the most important part of making this soup, and learning what tastes right to you takes practice. If it tastes bland, it probably needs more salt, more acid, or both. As always, see the article above for more resources and helpful advice.
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