Alphabet soup is a childhood favorite! Parents love this healthy tasty (sopa de letras) vegetable soup. Like tomato basil soup, it’s an easy recipe. Kids love ABC soup because the alphabet pasta makes mealtime more fun!
Quick and simple to make, ABC soup is the ideal recipe for busy families. For several generations, including the young at heart, there’s a lot of nostalgia surrounding this delicious vegetable soup recipe.
For me, it’s memories of all the cousins getting together for sleep-overs at Grandma’s house. For lunch, she’d make us grilled cheese sandwiches and pair them with a cup of canned or homemade alphabet soup.
INGREDIENTS
This hearty vegetable noodle soup comes together quickly with just a few basic refrigerator/freezer and pantry items. It’s ideal for the Lenten season and all year round!
Here’s what you’ll need to make ABC soup:
- Olive oil
- Onion (white or yellow)
- Celery
- Garlic cloves
- Dried oregano
- Dried basil
- Dried thyme
- Dried rosemary
- Sea salt
- Freshly-ground black pepper
- Vegetable broth
- Water
- Potatoes
- Kidney beans, canned
- Frozen mixed vegetables (corn, carrots, green beans, peas)
- Diced petite tomatoes with juices, canned
- Tomato paste, canned
- Bay leaves
- Dry alphabet pasta
- OPTIONAL: Serve with saltine crackers
KITCHEN SMARTS: Use recipes as a guide, but have the confidence to piviot as needed. For example, I usually use Russet potatoes for vegetable soup. But today I had tiny yellow potatoes on hand. So that’s what I used here.
INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS
Missing an ingredient? Don’t put on your shoes and head to the store. Instead, head to your pantry to look for these easy ingredient swaps.
- DRIED SPICES: If you’re missing one or more of the dried spices, instead use 3 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, or herbs de Province, plus salt and pepper to taste.
- GARLIC CLOVES: Use 3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic, or just under 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
- OLIVE OIL: Use vegetable oil.
- VEGETABLE BROTH: Substitute with chicken broth or beef broth. Or use a combination of hot water and 2-3 bouillon cubes, to taste.
- FROZEN VEGETABLES: Use any combination of fresh veggies, or canned (drained) veggies.
- POTATOES: Replace with another delicious ingredient like a few handfuls of (hand-torn) kale without the tough stems, or garden zucchini. You can also substitute this ingredient with sweet potatoes.
- ALPHABET PASTA: Substitute stars, orzo, ditalini, or small broken pieces of angel hair pasta. You can also use instant rice or quick-cooking barley.
ALPHABET SOUP RECIPE
RECIPE PREP: Roughly chop fresh veggies on a cutting board.
- STEP 1: In a large deep pot (or Dutch oven), heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onion, celery and garlic until fragrant and tender (about 5 minutes).
- STEP 2: Add all the spices to the pot and stir.
- STEP 3: Add broth, water, veggies, cubed potatoes, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and bay leaves.
- STEP 4: Bring soup to a boil. Cover pot with a lid. Simmer 20 minutes. Remove lid. Add dry pasta. Simmer, uncovered, until pasta is tender and has doubled in size (about 10 minutes). Stir frequently. As kidney beans and pasta soak up a lot of liquid, you may need to add more (hot) water or broth to the pot before serving.
HOW TO SERVE ALPHABET SOUP: Remove bay leaves from the pot. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the surface. Ladle vegetable soup into bowls. Serve with saltine crackers on the side.
EXPERT TIPS & faq
In most large grocery stores there are two aisles where you can look for this product. First check the pasta aisle. Then check the Hispanic foods section. Many Hispanic families make “sopa de letras” with Goya (brand) Alphabet/Letras pasta.
Here are Amazon affiliate links to various brands of ABC pasta: DaVinci Alphabet Pasta (the brand I use for this alphabet soup recipe), Goya Alphabet/Letras, Ronzoni Alphabets, and Tolerant Foods Organic.
No. Do not thaw the frozen veggies before making this recipe. You’ll be pulling them from the freezer to add them straight to the pot.
Yes. ABC vegetable soup freezes really well. For the best taste and texture, use within 1 month. Thaw in the fridge. Reheat on stovetop with extra liquid. Add more broth or water.
When stored in an airtight container, vegetable soup will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Add more broth or water before reheating. The noodles and beans soak up a lot of liquid.
Start by sautéeing the onion, celery and garlic on the stovetop in olive oil. Transfer to a slow cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the noodles. Cook 2 hours on low. Add ABC pasta. Cook an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour on low.
Enjoy ABC vegetable soup with a grilled cheese sandwich, mini cheese quesadillas on corn tortillas, or with saltine crackers.
Give this soup more oomph with the meaty flavor of beef stock. Add a drizzle of Worcestershire sauce or sesame seed oil. Boost umami flavor with granulated bouillon, or by simmering the soup with a rind of Parmesan cheese. To make vegetable soup heartier, add in baked chicken meatballs, or 1 pound (cooked) lean ground beef or turkey.
more recipes to make asap
It’s easy to serve and enjoy healthy meals with these delicious soup recipes. They’re family favorites!
RATE THIS RECIPE⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Parents say this is the best vegetable soup for kids! If you agree, give this kid-friendly recipe a 5-star rating in the comments.
ALPHABET SOUP
- Total Time: 45 Minutes
- Yield: 8 Servings 1x
Description
Alphabet soup is a comforting, nourishing vegetable soup. It’s quick and easy to assemble, and so delicious. Enjoy ABC soup with saltine crackers, a grilled cheese sandwich, or a cheese quesadilla.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (+ a drizzle before serving)
- 3/4 cup chopped onion (yellow or white onion)
- 3/4 cup chopped celery
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups water, or more if needed
- 1 cup potatoes (peeled and cubed)
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups frozen mixed vegetables (corn, carrots, green beans, peas)
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/4 cups dry alphabet pasta
OPTIONAL: Serve with saltine crackers
Instructions
- In a large deep pot (or Dutch oven) heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onion, celery and garlic until fragrant and tender (about 5 minutes).
- Add all the spices to the pot, including salt and pepper, and stir.
- Add broth, water, frozen veggies, cubed potatoes, kidney beans, diced tomatoes with liquid, tomato paste, and bay leaves.
- Bring soup to a boil. Cover pot with a lid. Simmer 20 minutes. Remove lid. Add dry pasta. Simmer, uncovered, until pasta is tender and has doubled in size (about 10 minutes). Stir frequently. As kidney beans and pasta soak up a lot of liquid, you may need to add more (hot) water or broth to the pot before serving.
HOW TO SERVE ALPHABET SOUP: Remove bay leaves from the pot. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the surface. Ladle the soup into bowls. Serve with saltine crackers on the side.
Notes
SHOULD I THAW THE FROZEN VEGGIES? No. Do not thaw the frozen veggies before making this recipe. You’ll be pulling them from the freezer and adding them straight to the pot.
HOW LONG DOES VEGETABLE SOUP LAST IN THE FRIDGE? When stored in an airtight container, vegetable soup will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Add more broth or water before reheating. The noodles and beans soak up a lot of liquid.
CAN I FREEZE ALPHABET SOUP? Yes. ABC vegetable soup freezes really well. For the best taste and texture, use within 1 month. Thaw in the fridge. Reheat on stovetop with extra liquid. Add more broth or water.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 35 Minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Alphabet Soup, ABC Soup, Vegetable Soup
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Do you remember ABC soup ( sopa de letras) from childhood? Below, share your thoughts or memories about this delicious vegetable soup!
I am so going to the store to get some alphabet pasta. Yes, this was a childhood favorite.
★★★★★
I am not a fan of canned soups, so I’m so glad to find this homemade alphabet soup! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
★★★★★
This ABC soup is so hearty and flavorful! It’s a thousand times better than the canned stuff.
★★★★★
My kids love this pasta and your soup looks fantastic. I know they will love it. Making it this week!
★★★★★
I loved alphabet soup as a kid and this recipe brought back all the nostaliga! Great recipe! Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★