Late summer just might be my favorite time of year for produce. We’re on the brink of the seasons changing, and so many fruits and veggies are in their prime time right now. Think peaches & stone fruits, fresh berries, tomatoes, sweet crunchy corn, zucchini, squash, hearty greens…the list goes on. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it. I love the colors, I love the flavors, I love the possibilities in the kitchen.

And lately, I’m loving making Late Summer Vegetable Soup as a way to consume as much of that produce as possible.

It’s packed full of all those seasonal goodies, including corn, tomatoes, squash, zucchini and peas. Plus it packs an earthy, flavorful punch thanks to a handful of fresh parsley, dill and thyme. It’s the perfect, light yet comforting dish to enjoy as the seasons start to change.

It also couldn’t be easier to make and it all comes together in one pot. Like a lot of soup recipes I Iove, it’s also super customizable. You can totally replace the veggies, greens or herbs with whatever you’ve got in your kitchen right now that you’re looking to use up. Either way, this soup is such a feel good dish, packed full of vitamins and nutrients. It’s also worth noting that this recipe is made with vegetable broth, and it’s naturally vegan and gluten-free.

Like a big summer harvest in a bowl…

This Late Summer Vegetable soup starts with a classic base of olive oil, onion and garlic. After a few minutes, the comforting smell of the aromatics fills up the kitchen and you know good things are about to happen. Then, fresh corn, zucchini and squash get added to the pot to cook down for a few minutes. At this point, I like to toss in a pinch of salt and pepper, but don’t worry, we’ll also come back to that at the end.

Next, throw in a can of diced tomatoes and a package of frozen peas, along with 6 cups of veggie broth. Stir it all together, pop the lid on, and bring it to a simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

After the flavors have had time to start blending together, it’s time to add the greens. I used fresh rainbow chard that I found at my local produce market for this recipe. I think the color and flavor work so well, and I’m all for some added nutrients. Just make sure to rinse and trim the stems off, as they’re too tough for this soup. The hand-torn leaves get tossed in the pot, along with freshly chopped dill, thyme and parsley.

Lastly, I like to let it all simmer for another 10 minutes, to let the chard wilt down a little, and allow the herbs to release some of their fantastic flavors. And that’s it! Give it a quick taste, and add some more salt and pepper to your taste.

Then serve it up and enjoy the taste of a big summer harvest right in your bowl.

SERVING TIP: I love serving rustic homemade croutons with this dish. They add a fantastic texture and really soak up the flavors of the soup. You can find my recipe for Garlic Parmesan Croutons here.

Easy, healthy & delicious. It really doesn’t get better than that.

Let me know if you give this Late Summer Vegetable Soup a try! I love to hear from you in the comments, or tag me on instagram @eat.think.live and let me see your creation! Plus, you can check out the rest of my recipes HERE.