This Homemade Alphabet Vegetable Soup Recipe is better than Campbell’s and much healthier, too!
Did you grow up with Campbell’s Soup? I sure did. We always had a can of Campbell’s in the pantry, ready to be poured into a pan along with some water. It was easy, that’s for sure.
Unfortunately, Campbell’s Alphabet Vegetable soup isn’t as wholesome as a soup should be. Although they don’t list their ingredients on their website (why not??), pick up a can at the grocery store and you’ll see that most of their soups have at least one sketchy ingredient on the list.
Skip the bowl full of MSG (disguised at yeast extract) and make your own Homemade Alphabet Vegetable Soup. This recipe is so easy and is also adaptable. Use whatever vegetables you have on hand. If you don’t have or can’t find alphabet pasta, use a different small shape. I used this alphabet pasta
This gorgeous, healthy, and totally kid-friendly pot of soup can be ready in 40 minutes or less. Move over Campbell’s Alphabet Soup, there’s a homemade version in town.
PrintLook Again: Alphabet Vegetable Soup
This classic recipe for Alphabet Vegetable Soup is so much better than the stuff you buy in a can!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons organic butter or oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 carrots, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced (optional)
- 1 russet potato, diced
- 1 sweet potato, diced
- 1 cup cauliflower florets or 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 2 quarts (8 cups) chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, not drained
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup alphabet pasta (or other small shape)
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- 1 cup frozen sweet corn
Instructions
- In a large stockpot or dutch oven, heat the butter over medium heat.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, and cauliflower/red pepper, and cook about 5 minutes, stirring a few times during that time.
- Add the broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the soup, and cook another 20 minutes.
- Stir in the pasta and cook 5 more minutes. Stir in the peas and corn and cook about five more minutes, until the peas and corn are heated throughly. Enjoy!
Notes
To make this a vegan soup, use oil instead of butter and vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
Any small pasta shape will work, but you can purchase the alphabet pasta here. (aff link)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 237
- Sugar: 9.7g
- Sodium: 858.5mg
- Fat: 4.5g
- Carbohydrates: 43.1g
- Protein: 11g
Keywords: Alphabet soup
I first made this homemade Alphabet Vegetable Soup in 2010. This is basically the same recipe, but I added some celery and used a red pepper instead of cauliflower. I noted that either way is acceptable. Even though this is a kid-friendly recipe for kids who like soup, adults love it just as much. Give it a try when you want to warm up this winter!
Tracy says
December 12, 2014 at 4:30 pmThanks for the recipe! Do you add the pasta uncooked?
Maryea says
December 13, 2014 at 9:54 pmYes, uncooked!
Mattie @ Comfy & Confident says
December 15, 2014 at 1:42 pmI want to go home and make this for dinner. It brings me back to my childhood and I love those memories, especially this time of year!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
December 15, 2014 at 10:47 pmAlphabet soup brings back so many funfilled childhood memories! Thanks for reminding me how delicious it is – I SO have to make this soon!
Maryea says
December 16, 2014 at 6:36 amYou definitely do! 🙂
Tonja says
December 17, 2014 at 11:44 amThis looks like a kids friendly recipe. Can’t wait to try it! And sounds pretty easy too!
Maryea says
December 17, 2014 at 8:55 pmIt is super easy!
Tonja says
December 19, 2014 at 5:19 amI made this last night. Two batches, one with gluten free noodles. So good! I love
Your blog for good dinner ideas that are healthy and fun. Thanks for your time and effort! — tonja
Maryea says
December 19, 2014 at 6:31 amHi Tonja! Thanks for letting me know. I’m so glad you liked this recipe!
Franny says
February 26, 2015 at 8:15 pmThis is simmering on the stove now. Delicious I’m going to freeze it with packages of alphabet pasta on the wise. Great for student suppers. Thank you,
Franny says
February 26, 2015 at 8:17 pmOn the side.
Maryea says
February 27, 2015 at 6:08 amYou’re welcome! Glad you like this one. 🙂
Rhonda H says
January 24, 2016 at 3:40 pmJust found this on Pinterest and can’t wait to try it. Have you ever made in a crockpot?
Maryea says
January 25, 2016 at 6:20 amI haven’t but I bet it would work great! Please let me know if you give it a try.
Justyna says
October 31, 2016 at 5:22 pmThank you for this easy veggie soup! Just making it for my kids… no potatoes in the house but I threw in a can of canneloni beans & small pasta… smells incredible (and I used 28oz of diced tomatoes can)
Super!
Maryea says
October 31, 2016 at 8:57 pmI hope that it was a hit! This is one of my faves. 🙂
KJ says
March 10, 2017 at 9:28 pmMmmm, I loved this recipe so much! I made a few tweaks to the veggies to suit my tastes and what I have, but I’m making this for the third time, and I just love it.
I fried up a bit of sausage (sans casings) then tossed in the onion and some garlic. I used more tomatoes, a large tin of diced and one of crushed, and just 1 liter of broth. Makes a hearty soup/stew loaded with veggies that I can consider a meal.
Maryea says
March 16, 2017 at 8:18 amSo glad you liked this KJ! I think my husband would love it with the sausage, also.
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
September 26, 2017 at 4:25 pmLove this soup and your video!!
Maryea says
September 27, 2017 at 9:58 amThanks so much, Jocelyn! 🙂
Betty A Ashby says
September 27, 2017 at 12:25 amHello!
I can’t wait to make this tomorrow! Do I have to use a russet potato or can I use a red one?
Thank you!
Betty Ashby
Maryea says
September 27, 2017 at 9:58 amA red potato would work just fine! 🙂
Laurinda Owens says
November 1, 2017 at 10:50 pmWhere can I find the ABC pasta? When this recipe was first printed it included a link to the brand of ABC post you could buy but not I don’t see it. Thanks.
Maryea says
November 2, 2017 at 6:40 amYou can get it here: http://amzn.to/2iniWYM
Holli says
November 2, 2017 at 11:28 pmI ran into your blog when searching something regarding my smoothie recipe. I am just in shock as i read through posts and recipes. Been thinking i have got to find recipes. Super healthy. But not crazy and overwhelming recipes, which has been my experience so far in transitioning from our meals now to adding dishes with seafood and ingredients such as butternut squash. I am just so excited because i stumbled onto your sight by accident. And that every recipe i have read so far doesnt scare me off! They r perfect! Cannot wait to start trying. My parents are goint through a very hard time healthwise as of August and the recipes Im planning to try first are perfect for packing up and taking to share w my parents. And will feed my family. God bless!
Maryea says
November 3, 2017 at 7:55 amHolli, your comment makes me so happy! Thank you and I wish you well. 🙂
Laurinda Owens says
November 12, 2017 at 11:02 amLoved this recipe and it makes A LOT of soup! My question is, can leftovers be frozen and does it taste good after being defrosted? Otherwise, I’ll simply halve the recipe next time for two people. Thanks!
Maryea says
November 13, 2017 at 6:58 amI have not frozen this particular recipe (I don’t think…but I may have at one point) but I freeze soups a lot and I do think this one would freeze well. It is a lot of soup! 🙂 I’m glad you liked it.
Sandi B says
February 17, 2018 at 9:52 pmHow can I save the recipe, there is no option for that?
Debra Moore says
March 26, 2018 at 9:03 amThis is a great recipe, really does taste like the soup from my childhood! I also add some Lima beans to it for nostalgia sake 😉
I have just started Weight Watchers and would love to add this soup, do you have a breakdown of the nutritional value so I can figure out the points value. Thanks in advance, and thanks for this recipe 💕
Alex says
January 21, 2019 at 8:49 pmMade a version of this tonight and it was amazing! Tweaks: omitted the potato and added a cup of red lentils, because that’s what we had on hand. And instead of alphabet noodles, we used bug-shaped ones. And topped with feta cheese. My four year old soup-hater devoured three bowls!
Lola says
December 1, 2019 at 11:56 pmHi,
I added whole tomatoes. The texture is a bit too gritty, and I’m afraid my toddler won’t eat it. Any recommendations to make it smoother? I don’t know if the gritty comes from the tomatoes or onions. I don’t know how my toddler will respond to this! 🙂 Otherwise, it has a delicious flavor!
★★★★★
Maryea says
December 2, 2019 at 6:36 amI would just try to serve it and see how your toddler responds! It’s good to offer a variety of textures. I would say you can use an immersion blender to make it more smooth, but that won’t work as well with the pasta already in the soup.