Make your own homemade Alphabet Soup from scratch! This copycat soup recipe is both fun and flavorful. It's budget-friendly, easy to make in just 30 minutes, and tastes incredible.
Dive into learning with a spoon! This alphabet soup is a delicious way to get your kids to eat their veggies and have fun too.
The alphabet pasta shapes make it a great learning tool and has the added benefit of being delicious!
This easy copycat soup is made with a tomato-based broth and uses frozen vegetables to save you time and energy.
Add potatoes for heartiness, along with a box of letter-shaped pasta to round out the ingredients.
Serve this soup with a side of grilled cheese or some toasted garlic bread for a well-rounded lunch that the whole family will enjoy! It's also great with Garlic and Herb Cheese Rolls or Fluffy Milk Bread Rolls.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
A super fun way to get kids involved in the kitchen by learning their ABC's.
It's ready in just 30 minutes with simple everyday ingredients.
This copycat of your favorite canned alphabet soup recipe tastes just as good, if not better!
Frozen vegetables make this soup even easier to make while adding key nutrients and fiber. Plus, they're a great budget alternative to fresh, with the nutrients 'locked in' with freezing. Canned works well too.
This alphabet soup can be served as a main meal, hearty lunch, or as a quick flavorful side dish.
Ingredients
- Oil - Used to cook the garlic and onion so they become soft and fragrant. Use your usual cooking oil, such as vegetable or canola.
- Onion & Garlic - Adds a layer of garlic and onion flavor throughout the soup.
- Seasonings - A mix of ground black pepper along with Italian seasoning gives this soup a touch of herb flavor.
- Vegetable Stock - Mix vegetable stock with water to help create the flavor of the broth base.
- Mixed Vegetables - You can use canned or frozen mixed vegetables to add variety and color to the soup.
- Potato - Adds an additional layer of hearty starch to the soup.
- Tomato Paste and Canned Diced Tomatoes - These two ingredients give the soup its red hue along with a rich tomato flavor.
- Alphabet Pasta - You can find this special pasta in most grocery stores or online in different sizes.
Please see the recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions
Wondering how to make this Alphabet Soup recipe? It's easy! Just follow this step-by-step photo tutorial. Then, scroll down for the recipe card for the full ingredients list and recipe method.
Cook the garlic and onion: Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes, stirring often, or until soft. Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, and pepper and cook for a further minute.
Assemble and cook: Add the broth, water, vegetables, potato, tomato paste, and canned tomatoes and bring to a boil.
Simmer: Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add more time if the potatoes or vegetables aren’t yet cooked.
Cook the pasta: Stir in the alphabet pasta and cook for a further 5-10 minutes, or the time indicated on the packet. Serve and enjoy!
Top tips
Do not add the pasta until the end of the cooking time, this will ensure it doesn't become overcooked.
If you want to make this soup ahead of time, cook the soup without the pasta and add it in when reheating.
The time it takes to fully cook the potatoes will depend on their size. Cut them into small pieces to speed up the cooking time.
If you want a thinner soup, add more broth or water. For a thicker soup, simmer for a longer period of time to allow the soup to reduce.
Variations
Change up the vegetables: Use whatever frozen vegetables you have on hand. Try adding green peas, corn, or broccoli for more color and flavor.
Add some beans: For more protein and texture, add in a can of drained and rinsed white beans or chickpeas towards the end of cooking.
Try a different pasta: If you can't find alphabet pasta, use any small-shaped pasta like shells, ditalini, or elbows.
Change the base: Instead of a tomato base, make a clear broth using only vegetable stock.
Storage
Once cooled, any leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To freeze, portion out into freezer-safe bags or containers and store for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
The best way to reheat this soup is on the stovetop over medium heat. You can also reheat in the microwave in 45-second intervals for individual portions.
FAQs
Yes, you can use gluten-free alphabet pasta or any other small-shaped gluten-free pasta.
Yes, you can cook the soup without the pasta and add it in when reheating until the pasta is fully cooked through.
More Easy Soup Recipes
- Lentil Soup
- Tomato Soup
- Easy Healthy Cabbage Soup
- Zucchini Soup with Basil
- Dill Pickle Soup
- Pea Soup
- Tomato White Bean Soup
- Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup
📖 Recipe
Alphabet Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ onion diced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups vegetable stock (1 litre)
- 1 cup water (235ml)
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (or canned or fresh) (160g)
- 1 medium potato peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 14 ounce diced tomatoes canned (undrained) (400g)
- 1 cup alphabet pasta dry (125g)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes, stirring often, or until soft.
- Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, and pepper and cook for a further minute.
- Add the broth, water, vegetables, potato, tomato paste, canned tomatoes and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add more time if the potatoes or vegetables aren’t yet cooked.
- Stir in the alphabet pasta and cook for a further 5-10 minutes, or the time indicated on the packet.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Jen
My kids loved this fun soup!! Thank you for sharing!
Dana
SO much better than canned, but still totally has that nostalgic feeling. Thanks for this recipe! My kiddo loved it, too!
Tayler
My kids LOVE alphabet soup, so I can't wait to make this homemade version for them! A great way to add some veggies to their diet!
Toni
This is so fun!! Such a great idea for picky eaters!
Angela
This soup is so perfect and reminds me of childhood! Making up a batch for my kids. So good!