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A bowl of caldo de verduras featuring corn on the cob, carrots, zucchini, and potatoes, garnished with cilantro and served with a lime wedge and a piece of bread on a blue patterned table.
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Caldo de Verduras (Mexican Vegetable Soup)

A traditional Mexican vegetable soup made with fresh seasonal vegetables simmered in a light broth. This authentic caldo de verduras is simple, nourishing, and comforting.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 165kcal
Author: Nancy Lopez & MexicanMadeMeatless.com

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ cup white onion chopped
  • 4 large garlic cloves minced
  • 1 large potato cut into 8 pieces
  • 1 large carrot sliced
  • 1 medium chayote roughly chopped
  • 1 whole ear of corn sliced into 4 pieces
  • 1 small calabacita Mexican zucchini, roughly chopped
  • 7 oz white cabbage chopped into medium-size pieces
  • 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper adjust to taste
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • 10 sprigs fresh cilantro
  • 6 cups vegetable broth

Optional Serving Ingredients

  • lime wedges
  • warm corn tortillas
  • homemade salsa or hot sauce of choice

Instructions

Sauté the aromatics

  • Heat the oil, add the chopped onion and celery, and cook for a few minutes until it begins to soften. Stir in garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
    A red pot on a stove with chopped onions and celery being stirred with a wooden spatula. The pot is placed on a burner, and the vegetables are beginning to cook.

Add the vegetables and seasoning

  • Add the potato, carrot, chayote, corn pieces, and cabbage to the pot. Season with salt, black pepper, and the bay leaf.
    A hand pours salt and pepper from a small bowl into a red pot filled with chopped cabbage and corn on the cob, placed on a stovetop.

Pour in the broth

  • Add the vegetable broth and make sure the vegetables are mostly covered with liquid. If needed, add a little more broth or water.
    A close-up of vegetable broth being poured from a measuring container into a red pot on a stove, filled with cabbage, corn, and bay leaves.

Simmer the soup

  • Place the cilantro in the pot. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and cook until the vegetables are tender.
    A red pot sits on a stove, filled with a simmering Mexican vegetable soup featuring corn on the cob pieces, chopped carrots, potatoes, cabbage, and other vegetables in a clear broth.

Add the calabacitas

  • Stir in the chopped calabacitas or zucchini. Cover again and simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are tender.

Taste and adjust seasoning

  • Taste the caldo carefully and adjust the salt or pepper if needed.
    A red pot on a stovetop contains simmering caldo de verduras with corn, carrots, zucchini, and cabbage. A wooden ladle lifts some of the soup out of the pot as steam rises from the hot broth.

Serve

  • Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve with lime wedges, warm corn tortillas, and your favorite salsa.
    A bowl of caldo de verduras featuring corn on the cob, carrots, zucchini, and potatoes, garnished with cilantro and served with a lime wedge and a piece of bread on a blue patterned table.

Video

Notes

Please note that the nutritional information does not include the accompaniments you choose to serve with the caldo. 

Nutrition

Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1444mg | Potassium: 720mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 4245IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg
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