Layered Herb and Vegetable Soup

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-21 · Updated 2026-04-21

A comforting soup built in layers with aromatic vegetables, herbs, and a creamy finish, simmered to develop deep flavor. This Mediterranean soup recipe, ready in about 50 minutes, pairs olive oil, onion, and carrots for a weeknight-friendly dinner. Each serving lands at about 250 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 "Build a week of meals around this recipe" 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 onion
• 2 carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 cup kale
• 14 oz diced tomatoes
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper
• for garnish fresh basil

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Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 diced onion, 2 diced carrots, and 2 diced celery stalks, and cook for 7-8 minutes until softened and translucent.
2. Step 2: Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Add 1 cup chopped kale and cook for 2 minutes until wilted.
4. Step 4: Stir in 14 oz diced tomatoes, 2 cups vegetable broth, 1 tsp dried thyme, and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
5. Step 5: Discard bay leaf. Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes until heated through.
6. Step 6: Serve hot, garnished with fresh basil.