One-Pot Creamy Vegetable Soup

One Pot Creamy Vegetable Soup gives you cozy, silky comfort with tender veggies in a rich broth in about 40 minutes using just one pot for easy cleanup. This version is inspired by American pantry soups, not strictly regional, with a simple twist of blending a little potato and cream cheese to create creaminess that stays smooth when reheated.​

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil for sautéing and round flavor​
• 1 small yellow onion diced for sweetness and base​
• 2 ribs celery diced for aromatic backbone and gentle bitterness​
• 2 medium carrots diced for sweetness and color​
• 2 cloves garlic minced for aroma without overpowering​
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste to wake flavors​
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper balanced heat​
• 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme woodsy note that loves vegetables​
• 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika gentle smokiness without meat​
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour or 2 tablespoons masa harina for light thickening and body​
• 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth keep control of salt and simmering foam​
• 1 large Yukon gold potato peeled and diced helps creaminess when partially blended​
• 2 cups chopped cauliflower small florets tender in the same window​
• 1.5 cups chopped broccoli small florets for green bite add late to stay bright​
• 1 cup corn fresh or frozen sweetness and texture pops​
• 1 cup peas frozen added at the end to stay green​
• 4 ounces cream cheese room temp cut in cubes for a smooth finish that does not split when treated gently​
• 0.5 cup milk or half and half rich but still light enough for weeknights​
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice to brighten and balance richness at the end​
• Optional garnish chopped parsley chives grated Parmesan or a drizzle of olive oil for freshness and sheen​

How to Prepare One-Pot Creamy Vegetable Soup

1. Sweat aromatics Heat oil in a large pot over medium, add onion celery and carrots with a pinch of salt, cook 6 to 8 minutes until onions turn translucent and edges take light color, then stir in garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned to avoid bitterness. If anything scorches, deglaze with 2 tablespoons broth and drop heat to medium low to save sweetness.​
2. Bloom and thicken Sprinkle salt pepper thyme and smoked paprika, then stir in flour or masa and cook 60 seconds until it smells toasty which prevents raw flour taste and helps the final body. If pasty, whisk in a few tablespoons of warm broth to smooth before the full pour to avoid lumps.​
3. Build the base Whisk in broth gradually, add potato and cauliflower, bring to a gentle simmer not a rolling boil and cook 12 to 15 minutes until potato is tender and a knife slips in with little resistance. Hard boiling can make dairy break later, so keep the surface with small lazy bubbles for a silky finish.​
4. Add quick cooking veg Stir in broccoli and corn, simmer 5 to 6 minutes until broccoli turns bright green and tender crisp so it stays lively in the creamy soup. If the soup looks too thick, add warm broth in quarter cup splashes to reach a chowder like flow rather than stew.​
5. Make it creamy Reduce heat to low, add cream cheese and milk, stirring until melted and smooth 2 to 3 minutes without boiling to prevent separation and graininess. If tiny dots of cream cheese remain, whisk gently over low heat until glossy and uniform then fold in peas for 1 to 2 minutes to warm through while staying green.​
6. Finish and season Off heat, stir in lemon juice, taste and adjust salt and pepper which brightens the creamy base and keeps it from feeling heavy. Ladle into bowls and top with parsley chives or a little Parmesan for contrast and fresh aroma that lifts each spoonful.​

Storage and reheating

• Chill and store Cool fully then refrigerate in airtight containers up to 4 days where the gentle thickener helps the soup stay emulsified.​
• Freeze Up to 2 months thaw overnight then whisk while reheating as dairy can look separated until hot and smoothed out.​
• Reheat Warm on the stove over medium low until steamy thin with broth or water if thicker than you like and refresh with a squeeze of lemon before serving.​

Nutrition

• Per serving about 6 servings each roughly 1.5 cups approximately 240 calories 7 g protein 12 g fat 28 g carbs 4 g fiber sodium depends on broth and cheese brand which aligns recipe text and schema when using low sodium broth and 4 ounces cream cheese. Re calculate if you swap dairy or add beans so visible copy and structured data stay consistent for rich results.​

Most asked FAQs

• Can this be fully vegan Yes, use olive oil, cashew cream, and plant milk then skip Parmesan and finish with lemon and herbs for brightness.​
• How do I keep it from curdling Keep heat low once milk and cream cheese go in and avoid boiling which is the main trigger for splitting.​
• What if it is too thin Whisk 1 teaspoon masa or flour with 2 tablespoons warm broth then stir in and simmer 2 minutes until slightly thicker and glossy.​
• What if I over thicken it Add 0.5 cup warm broth at a time and whisk then taste for salt and lemon since dilution softens seasoning.​
• Can I blend part of it Yes, scoop 2 cups into a blender and process until smooth then return to the pot for extra creaminess without more dairy work carefully with hot liquids.​
• Can I use only frozen vegetables Yes, add them directly and simmer until tender add peas at the end to keep color and use the potato to maintain body.​
• What to serve with it Warm crusty bread a green salad with lemon vinaigrette or simple grilled cheese which all love a creamy soup.

One-Pot Creamy Vegetable Soup

One Pot Creamy Vegetable Soup gives you cozy, silky comfort with tender veggies in a rich broth in about 40 minutes using just one pot for easy cleanup.

Servings 6 servings

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

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Equipment

• Large Pot
• Whisk

Ingredients

  

• 2 tablespoons olive oil for sautéing and round flavor
• 1 small yellow onion diced for sweetness and base
• 2 ribs celery diced for aromatic backbone and gentle bitterness
• 2 medium carrots diced for sweetness and color
• 2 cloves garlic minced for aroma without overpowering
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste to wake flavors
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper balanced heat
• 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme woodsy note that loves vegetables
• 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika gentle smokiness without meat
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour or masa harina for light thickening and body
• 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth keep control of salt and simmering foam
• 1 large Yukon gold potato peeled and diced helps creaminess when partially blended
• 2 cups chopped cauliflower small florets tender in the same window
• 1.5 cups chopped broccoli small florets for green bite add late to stay bright
• 1 cup corn fresh or frozen sweetness and texture pops
• 1 cup peas frozen added at the end to stay green
• 4 ounces cream cheese room temp cut in cubes for a smooth finish that does not split when treated gently
• 0.5 cup milk or half and half rich but still light enough for weeknights
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice to brighten and balance richness at the end

Optional Garnish

• chopped parsley
• chives
• grated Parmesan
• olive oil for freshness and sheen

Instructions

 

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium, add onion celery and carrots with a pinch of salt, cook 6 to 8 minutes until onions turn translucent and edges take light color, then stir in garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned to avoid bitterness.
• Sprinkle salt pepper thyme and smoked paprika, then stir in flour or masa and cook 60 seconds until it smells toasty which prevents raw flour taste and helps the final body.
• Whisk in broth gradually, add potato and cauliflower, bring to a gentle simmer not a rolling boil and cook 12 to 15 minutes until potato is tender and a knife slips in with little resistance.
• Stir in broccoli and corn, simmer 5 to 6 minutes until broccoli turns bright green and tender crisp so it stays lively in the creamy soup.
• Reduce heat to low, add cream cheese and milk, stirring until melted and smooth 2 to 3 minutes without boiling to prevent separation and graininess. Fold in peas for 1 to 2 minutes to warm through while staying green.
• Off heat, stir in lemon juice, taste and adjust salt and pepper which brightens the creamy base and keeps it from feeling heavy. Ladle into bowls and top with parsley chives or a little Parmesan for contrast and fresh aroma that lifts each spoonful.

Notes

Chill and store: Cool fully then refrigerate in airtight containers up to 4 days where the gentle thickener helps the soup stay emulsified.

Freeze: Up to 2 months thaw overnight then whisk while reheating as dairy can look separated until hot and smoothed out.

Reheat: Warm on the stove over medium low until steamy thin with broth or water if thicker than you like and refresh with a squeeze of lemon before serving.

Calories: 240kcal

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Creamy, One-Pot, Vegetarian