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When it comes to healthy eating, few recipes can rival the simplicity and nutritional benefits of Bieler’s Blended Vegetable Soup. This vibrant and easy-to-make soup recipe, created by Dr. Henry Bieler in the 1950s, is a fantastic way to enjoy a ton of vegetables while giving your body the nourishment it craves.
The Origins of Bieler’s Broth
Dr. Henry Bieler was a physician and author of Food is Your Best Medicine who advocated for holistic healing through diet. His blended vegetable soup became popular as a gentle detox method and a staple in many health-conscious households. I’ve even included Bieler’s Broth in my Plant-Based Cleanse.
The beauty of this soup lies in its versatility; you can customize it with whatever vegetables you have on hand and season it with your favorite spices, making it an ideal recipe for seasonal eating or using up leftovers.
Blended Vegetable Soup Ingredients
The primary vegetables in Bieler’s blended vegetable soup typically include zucchini, green beans, and celery, but feel free to add other greens like spinach or kale. Bonus points if you have these in your garden! The base of this soup is not only delicious but also packed with essential vitamins and minerals.
- Zucchini: Low in calories but high in antioxidants, zucchini aids digestion and supports heart health.
- Green Beans: Rich in fiber, they help regulate blood sugar levels and are a great source of vitamins A, C, and K.
- Celery: Known for its hydrating properties, celery is rich in electrolytes and has anti-inflammatory benefits. You can use entire celery stalks in this recipe, just wash well.
- Parsley: Parsley is rich in vitamin K, which important because it helps blood to clot in addition to contributing to bone health. It’s also rich in vitamin A and vitamin C (which may help reduce the risk of diabetes, stroke, heart disease and cancer.)
- Coconut oil: The original recipe suggests using olive oil, yet I love the subtle taste the coconut oil brings to this soup. Yet feel free to use avocado or olive oil if you prefer.
- Salt and pepper: These are used to flavor the soup. I recommend Colima Sea Salt, which is an unrefined, coarse, crunchy, moist sea salt.
- Feel free to add additional seasonings, herbs and spices that you typically like in your soups. Garlic powder, nutritional yeast and cumin would all be tasty.
Together, these blended soup ingredients create a nutrient-dense meal that is both satisfying and healing.
How to Make Bieler’s Blended Vegetable Soup
- Wash and chop all the vegetables. They can be roughly chopped, since they will be blended after cooking.
- Add all veggies and water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower to a simmer and cook until all vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Carefully puree soup with coconut oil with an immersion blender until the texture is smoothie and creamy. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a standard blenderโ just be careful when pouring the hot soup into blender (and cover with a towel when blending).
- Pour into a bowl, mug or mason jar and sip a nourishing, tasty blended vegetable soup!
Soup Storage Tip
Bieler’s soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. It also freezes well, making it a great option for meal prep. Just be sure to cool the soup completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers or use Souper Cubes.
Soup Customization Ideas
One of the best aspects of Bieler’s blended vegetable soup is its adaptability. Here are a few ideas to make it your own:
- Sautรฉ an Onion: If youโd like to enhance the flavor and depth of this soup, you can lightly sautรฉ an onion in coconut oil over medium heat until it becomes translucent and add to soup.
- Protein Boost: For a heartier meal, incorporate protein sources like chickpeas, lentils, or even mix in unflavored collagen.
- Spice It Up: Add spices such as cumin, garlic powder or coriander for a touch of warmth, or a pinch of red pepper flakes for some heat.
- Herbs and Greens: Experiment with different herbs and vegetables, like basil, broccoli and cauliflower. You can even throw in a handful of spinach or kale during the last few minutes of cooking for added nutrition.
Common Questions
It’s literally soup that’s been blended. You can puree soup or blend so there are still some chunks left, completely your preference. If you want to take your soup to-go, blend it then pour into a thermos. Super delicious fast food!
Absolutely! Homemade soup is full of veggies + made completely of ingredients you know and can pronounce. Canned soups often contain additives, extra sodium, and chemicals, so make sure you read the ingredients on any store bought soup. My blended vegetable soup is simple, quick, and incredibly delicious + full of healing veggies.
Once you’ve thoroughly cooked your soup ingredients, you can blend them together for easy consumption. Yet not all blenders are made for blending hot ingredients. Make sure you blender is safe for hot ingredients before pouring your piping hot soup mix into it. If your blender can’t handle hot ingredients, let your soup mixture cool to lukewarm temp before blending, or use an immersion blender instead.
More Blended Vegetable Soup Recipes
Try these other delicious, plant-based soup recipes that are blended together:
- Vegan Pumpkin Soup: perfect autumn soup using roasted pumpkin.
- Creamy Carrot Soup: warming spices make this soup a favorite from our Plant-Based Cleanse.
- Gazpacho Soup: tomato lovers will fall in love with this simple Italian soup recipe.
- Roasted Red Pepper Soup: I didn’t realize how tasty a red pepper soup could be until I had this one.
Bieler’s Blended Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 4 zucchini chopped and ends discarded
- 4 cups green beans ends trimmed
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 1 cup fresh parsley tough stems removed
- 4 cups waterโ
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- ยผ tsp sea salt
- ยผ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Place all ingredients (except coconut oil, salt and pepper) in a large pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Carefully puree soup with coconut oil in a blender or with an immersion blender.
- Eat warm and season with salt and pepper.
Equipment
Notes
- If using a standard blender, use caution and make sure to vent the blender lid and cover with a towel and start blending on low speed to prevent the hot soup from splattering.
- Try adding garlic or turmeric to add more flavors and health benefits.
Not really a fan of celery so I replaced it kale instead. Also added some paprika, garlic, and nutritional yeast for flavor.
I also added kale and collard greens to mine. I love the extra zing they added!
I was a little skeptical, but pleasantly surprised. Would make this again.
Excited to try this. Can I add fruit, such as blueberries, pineapple, or avocado to this? I am already a smoothie drinker and would like to combine. Will that present any problems?
Thank you.
Susan
However, I just mixed the plain version in my blender (with olive oil and salt and pepper) and it is delish!
Delicious! I subbed olive oil for coconut oil since Iโm not a fan of coconut. Itโs still delicious!
Making this recipe this week. Can I add in collagen or homemade protein powder to make it a little more substantial?
You very much can, Olivia! Great question! In fact, each scoop of homemade protein powder you add will increase protein by 10g and go toward making this special soup a more complete meal.
I do. I add it after I cook it those into each individual serving of soup I eat. I use vital proteins collagen peptides unflavored mostly. I also like Paleo Protein Powder unflavored.
I had never heard of this soup and was a little skeptical making it (Iโm not a huge fan of parsley and boiled string beans) but made the recipe as is. It was delicious!!! Another recipe to stay in this household!
Me and my friend want to do a cleansing so we look forward
Cleansing with a friend is the way to go, Gilla!
Sounds like an interesting recipe that is like to try. Iโm not familiar with alkaline water though. What is it and where would I get it?
Awesome question Kim! Alkaline water, as well as alkaline foods, can help to balance the pH levels within a body that needs it. You can find alkaline water lots of places these days – the bottled water section of your grocery store, local health food stores or even on Amazon. Also, check out our 18 Alkaline Recipes article for more info!
Recipe will not print out …!
So sorry to hear you’re having trouble printing Jan. All seems to be good on this end, so we’d suggest seeing if there is a pop-up blocker getting in the way of the printable page opening in your browser. Reach out at hello@simplegreensmoothies.com if you’re still having trouble.
Definitely making this for lunch next week. I use everything bagel seasoning to add a flavor boost.
Hi! Sounds delicious! Can I replace all or part of the parsley with fresh cilantro? Or add? Thanks!
Hey Marie-Claude,
Definitely! Cilantro is a great substitute for parsley! You can sub all, part or just add in some cilantro with the recipe!
I love cilantro! Enjoy!
I LOVE this recipe! I remember when you posted it probably 3 years ago?? I’ve been making it ever since. I usually use cilantro instead of parsley, but otherwise make it as is. So delicious, warming, hearty and fresh tasting.
I had never heard of this soup and was a little skeptical making it (Iโm not a huge fan of parsley and boiled string beans) but made the recipe as is. It was delicious!!! Another recipe to stay in this household!
It’s an amazing soup.
One day I came back home from work felt so cold and hungry, as it is winter. As I was sitting down and relaxing for awhile, I came across this recipe, without any hesitation I dump all the engridients inside the pot. After 20 mins I have this soup.
Felt relieve and satisfied. And have my energy back. Highly recommended.
Thank you for sharing.
I recently had gum surgery and am dealing with pretty bad mouth pain as well as no real desire to eat. I made a batch of this soup and included MCT oil and Vital Proteins collagen powder and it’s been a lifesaver. I sprinkled Trader Joe’s Umami Seasoning on top and it was delicious. This recipe surprised me and I’ll be making it again, both with and without the fat + protein additions.
I’m excited to try this! How much collagen powder do you recommend adding? I don’t think I see that listed in the recipe.
Sarah, the recipe serves 6 so I would add 6 servings of collagen powder. That amount will vary, depending on the brand of powder you’re using.
This is one recipe that does not require upgrading with the addition of oil and protein. I have made the original recipe and others in my family have been making Brieler broth for decades. Although it is tempting to alter, there is a reason to keep it vegetable based and bland. The benefits of Bieler Broth are toward restoring the imbalances in the body, and for detoxifying and that is probably why Dr. Bieler did not include oil and protein. Don’t get me wrong, your additions are great to any soup recipe for that matter, just don’t use the name “Bieler Broth” in the title “Upgraded Vegetable Soup Recipe โ Bielerโs Broth”.
Hey Marie,
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this recipe. We love Bieler’s Broth on it’s own as we said in the article. This option is for those who are wanting to make it into a meal so that is why we have you add in the protein and the fats ๐
Right on! Stick with the original. That is what Dr. Bieler had success with. Also, I read on another site where 3 people who knew Dr. Bieler commented on its benefits to their families. One mentioned that he recommended cooking the ingredients in a pressure cooker to be sure the vegetable cell walls were broken down for max absorption. I use my Instant Pot.