Granbury Garden Soup with Herb Croutons

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-11 · Updated 2026-04-11

A hearty vegetable soup with garden-fresh herbs and crispy homemade croutons for a comforting meal. This american-inspired soups ready in about 50 minutes pairs olive oil, medium diced onion, diced carrots for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 220 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium diced onion
• 2 diced carrots
• 2 stalks diced celery
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup chopped kale
• 1 cup diced zucchini
• 1/2 cup diced yellow squash
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 slices cubed day-old bread
• 1 tbsp olive oil herb crouton oil
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• pinch salt

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 medium diced onion, 2 diced carrots, and 2 diced celery stalks. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened and onions are translucent.
2. Step 2: Add 3 cups vegetable broth, 1 cup chopped kale, 1 cup diced zucchini, 1/2 cup diced yellow squash, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, and 1/4 tsp dried rosemary. Simmer for 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
3. Step 3: While soup simmers, prepare herb croutons: Toss 2 slices day-old bread (cubed) with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, and a pinch of salt. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 10-12 minutes until golden and crisp.
4. Step 4: Season soup with salt to taste. Serve hot topped with 1/2 cup herb croutons.