Zero-Waste Vegetable Soup

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-02 · Updated 2026-04-02

A hearty, comforting soup made from a variety of vegetables including peels and tops to minimize waste while maximizing flavor in every spoonful. This Mediterranean soup recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 50 minutes, pairs carrot, celery, and onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner. Each serving lands at about 180 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 carrot
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 medium potato
• 1 zucchini
• 1 tomato
• 2 cups kale
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• a pinch black pepper

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Wash all vegetables. Finely chop onion, mince garlic, and dice carrots, celery, potato, and zucchini (include peels for extra nutrients). Roughly chop tomato and kale.
2. Step 2: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent (3 minutes), then add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Add carrots, celery, potato, and zucchini to the pot. Stir and cook for 2 minutes to release flavors, then add tomato and kale.
4. Step 4: Pour in vegetable broth, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes until vegetables are very tender and flavors meld.
5. Step 5: Stir in dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Soup should be thick enough to coat a spoon but still broth-like.