30-Minute Homemade Alphabet Soup — Tender alphabet pasta in a tomato flavored broth with a variety of vegetables including carrots, corn, peas, and green beans. So much BETTER than the canned store bought alternatives that many of us grew up with! A one pot EASY recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknights!
Easy Homemade Alphabet Soup Recipe
I remember having alphabet soup as a kid and trying to find the letters in my name floating in the broth. But the soup was from a can and honestly other than the “fun” factor with the letters, the soup itself was lackluster as many canned soups are.
Fast forward to this homemade 30-minute alphabet soup which has tender alphabet pasta, a tomato flavored broth, and plenty of vegetables include carrots, corn, peas, and green beans.
It’s similar in flavor to my Easy 30-Minute Minestrone Soup (which is an Olive Garden restaurant copycat), minus the beans.
This alphabet soup with vegetables is not only quick to prepare, it’s also easy. This one pot wonder is perfect for busy work and school nights and is something that kids and adults alike enjoy.
Plus it’s healthier than the canned alternatives. This is a vegan soup if you make it with vegetable broth rather than chicken broth. Of course, also check the ingredients in the pasta if you’re concerned with it being vegan or vegetarian.
Ingredients in Alphabet Vegetable Soup
Making alphabet soup at home requires a variety of ingredients but all of these fridge and pantry ingredients are easy to find and inexpensive including the following:
- Olive oil
- Yellow onion
- Celery stalks
- Garlic cloves
- Frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, peas, green beans)
- Tomato paste
- Italian seasoning
- Dried thyme
- Dried oregano
- Dried basil
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Canned diced tomatoes
- Vegetable or chicken broth
- Bay leaf
- Alphabet pasta
- Lemon juice
- Fresh parsley, optional for garnishing
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional for serving
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Alphabet Soup in 30 Minutes
When you’re pressed for time, the thought of making a long and drawn out homemade soup recipe can be daunting. However, this is not one of those types of recipes!
This homemade soup ready is ready from start to finish in 30 minutes. Follow my straightforward steps for the best alphabet soup.
Step 1: To a large Dutch oven, soup pot, or stock pot, add the olive oil, onion, celery (if you’re using fresh carrots add them now), and saute for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
Step 3: Add the frozen vegetables, tomato paste, and all the seasonings, salt, pepper, and stir.
Step 4: Add the tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer for 8 minutes.
Step 5: Add the dry alphabet pasta and cook for 7 to 9 minutes or until tender. Tip – Don’t overcook!
Not Enough Pasta?
It may look like it’s not enough alphabet pasta when you add it and it’s only 1 cup of dry pasta. However, it really expands as it cooks and will continue to absorb the broth. So while initially it may not seem like enough (1 cup), it actually is!
Step 6: Add the lemon juice.
Why Lemon Juice
It really brightens up and balances the flavor of soups and it’s what I do with my Easy Homemade 30-Minute Chicken Noodle Soup.
It’s hard to believe that something so simple can have such a big effect, but it does. So don’t skip it! In a pinch lime juice or apple cider vinegar will also work.
Step 7: Remove the bay leaf, taste for seasoning and salt balance, and optionally garnish with parsley and Parmesan before serving.
Where to Buy Alphabet Soup Pasta
I was unsure if my regular grocery store even carried dry alphabet noodles, but they do.
I used the Goya brand. (Amazon link)
The Ronzoni brand also has alphabet pasta but I can’t find an Amazon link. In person, the Goya and Ronzoni brands look identical.
Can I Use Other Pasta or Noodles?
If for some reason you can’t find alphabet shaped pasta noodles, or you don’t want to use them and want to use another shape of dry pasta or noodles, feel free.
Small-shaped pasta including the following will work:
- Small shells
- Wheels
- Ziti
- Rotoni
- Orzo
Note that different pasta will absorb different quantities of broth so you will need to play it by ear and adjust accordingly, potentially adding more liquid than the recipes calls for.
Serving Suggestions
If you want to be classic, I recommend serving your easy alphabet soup with a Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
Another crave-worthy side are my Stuffed Cheese Rolls.
However, a BLT Chopped Salad would also be a good pairing.
Storage Suggestions for Leftover Soup
Most soups keep very well, in both the refrigerator or freezer. If you have leftover alphabet vegetable soup, it’ll keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Disappearing Broth?
You may be surprised when you go back to your leftovers in the fridge the next day and look in the container that the broth may seem to have disappeared! It just likely was absorbed by the pasta.
Pasta or noodles in soup will always absorb the broth as the soup sits. Some pasta is just more absorbent, or more of a “sponge” than other types. If this is an issue for you, just add more broth to your leftover bowl of soup as desired and then adjust the salt and pepper balance, too.
Homemade Alphabet Vegetable Soup FAQs
Yes you sure! Double all ingredients, and make sure to use a big enough pot, and cook as directed. The cooking time will not double. In fact, it probably will only take 5 minutes longer or so, provided your soup pot is sufficiently sized for the amount of alphabet soup you’re making.
If you have fresh carrots, green beans, zucchini, or tomatoes on hand, you can substitute them for the frozen vegetables. It may not be an “exact” substitution, however the beauty of soup recipes is that they are flexible and forgiving. You may need to adjust the broth or cooking times.
Specifically, if using fresh carrots, saute them with the onions and celery since they are a root vegetable and fresh carrots will take a bit of time to soften.
Adding potatoes is a great and inexpensive way to bulk up the soup. Again though, being that they are a root vegetable, they’ll take more time to soften than say a green bean.
Add the potatoes when you add the bag of frozen vegetables and broth, make sure they are cubed small, increase the simmering time for about 5 minutes or until fork tender, and also consider adding 1 cup additional broth. Use a waxy potato like a baby Yukon gold or fingerling and not a Russet or baking potato.
Fresh herbs are wonderful and add so much color and flavor to any dish. If you have fresh thyme, oregano, or basil on hand, you can use them in the soup. Add a bit more than 1 teaspoon since fresh herbs don’t have the concentrated potency that dried herbs do.
Expert Tips for the Best 30-Minute Homemade Alphabet Soup
Frozen Vegetables
I use a 10-ounce bag of frozen vegetables for the soup. This makes things fast, easy, convenient, and inexpensive.
Specifically, I use a medley of carrots, corn, peas, green beans. However, if come across a medley with slightly different vegetables, I’m sure it will be just fine.
No Need to Thaw
You don’t need to thaw the veggies fully before adding them to the soup. Simply take the bag out from the freezer and set it onto your counter while you’re sautéing the onions and celery and then add the frozen veggies right into your pot.
Broth
I use reduced sodium vegetable broth for this easy alphabet soup recipe. However, you can also use chicken broth.
I recommend using reduced, lower, or no-salt added broth – in either vegetable or chicken broth. That way you can control the sodium more easily.
Adding Protein
If you want to increase the protein content of alphabet soup with vegetables, you can do so easily with the following additions:
- 1 to 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken or shredded poached chicken
- A can of drained and rinsed garbanzo beans or cannellini beans
- 1 cup shelled frozen edamame added when you add the alphabet pasta
Salt to Taste
Before serving the soup, make sure you are happy with the salt balance. Canned soups and soups in restaurants are usually packed with sodium which does help give them lots of flavor.
Don’t be shy with adding more salt, to taste, if your soup tastes at all flat or boring.
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30-Minute Homemade Alphabet Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
- 2 celery stalks, trimmed and diced small
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 10- ounce bag frozen mixed vegetables, carrots, corn, peas, green beans, or similar (thawing not required)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons fresh
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, or 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons fresh
- 1 teaspoon dried basil, or 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons fresh
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste if desired
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 14- ounce can petite diced tomatoes, do not drain
- 32 ounces low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 or 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup dry alphabet pasta
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Fresh parsley, minced; optional for garnishing
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional for serving
Instructions
- To a large Dutch oven or soup pot, add the olive oil, onion, celery, and saute over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are beginning to soften; stir frequently.
- Add the garlic, and cook for 1 minutes; stir constantly.
- Add the frozen vegetables, tomato paste, thyme, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and stir to combine.
- Add the canned tomatoes, broth, bay leaves, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so that the mixture is simmering, and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes.
- Add the pasta and cook for about 7 to 9 minutes; do not overcook.
- Add the lemon juice, remove the bay leaves, and taste the soup. Tips – If it tastes at all flat or boring, I suggest adding more salt, potentially quite a bit more. If the salt balance is fine, but it still needs "something" you can also try adding a bit more of any of the herbs (thyme, oregano, or basil).
- Optionally garnish with fresh parsley, and serve with Parmesan cheese, optionally, or as desired. Leftover soup will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 minutes; reheat gently in the microwave. Tips – The alphabet pasta will continue to absorb broth as leftover soup sits in the fridge so don't be surprised if it looks like the broth "disappeared". You can always add a bit more, if desired, to your leftovers and more salt/pepper/seasonings if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This took me back to my childhood. When we were growing up, my family always started the babies out on alphabet or star shaped pasta as a “first food” to start them eating regular foods. Their bowl was without the larger veggies, but it was always received with much exuberance! The babies loved it! The whole family had soup for dinner with other veggies included, along with some type of meat, usually. This recipe is just delicious! I can’t wait to make it again! I’d forgotten how great the baby soup tasted!!
Thanks for the 5 star review, Roberta, and I’m glad this too you back to your childhood and that this was a nostalgic treat!