How to make vegetarian minestrone soup

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Vegetarian Minestrone Soup is your ultimate comfort food! Hearty and flavorful, this dish makes for a quick lunch or weeknight dinner for the whole family!

This time, I am doing something Italian! Include this recipe in your regular menu rotation at home along with my other Italian recipes like Penne Alla Vodka, Chicken Alfredo, and Lemon Chicken Piccata!

Minestrone Soup Recipe

Vegetarian Minestrone Soup was exactly the first thing that I thought of when I opened my fridge early this morning. I have a surplus of vegetables waiting to be discarded but I just cannot allow that!

This recipe is perfect in cases like that. This traditional Italian dish is a great solution to cook leftover vegetables and hence, there is no exact recipe for it. People simply use what they already have on hand. Isn’t it practical?

Aside from being practical, this dish is nutritious without being bland. It is full of healthful veggies, grains, and sometimes meat. For this recipe though, we are aiming for the traditional vegetarian version.

And historically, the ancient Romans prepared this with veggies like celery, beans, and carrots, just like what we will use as well. So, with this recipe, you get to have a warm and delicious meal, no food waste, and lots of leftovers.

What is the difference between minestrone and vegetable soup?

Minestrone is a kind of vegetable soup but not all vegetable soups can be considered a minestrone. Minestrone is thick as it could have rice or pasta in it which is not the case for most vegetable soups.

How to make Minestrone Soup

• Sauté: In a Dutch oven, sauté the onions in olive oil.
• Add the veggies: Add the garlic along with the firm vegetables first and season with the herbs and salt. Add the tomato paste, too. When these have softened already after a few minutes of stirring, add in the tomatoes, juice, and broth, beans, peppers, and bay leaves.
• Boil: From medium heat, raise the temperature to medium-high until the soup boils while being partially covered. Then, reduce to a simmer.
• Add the pasta: After a few minutes, uncover and add in the pasta. Let the pasta cook until tender and so are the greens.
• Add the spinach: Add the spinach, and cook for no longer than 5 minutes.
• Season: Turn off the heat, discard the bay leaves, and add some lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve: Garnish with parmesan, then, serve warm.

Recipe Variations

• Meat: You can add meat like sausages, bacon, or pancetta if you like to add protein.
• Broth: Feel free to use beef or chicken broth in place of the vegetable broth if you are not strictly following a vegetarian diet.
• Thickener: While this recipe uses beans and pasta to absorb the liquid, you can use potatoes, too.
• Herbs: Use rosemary, basil, and coriander as alternatives to oregano and thyme.
• Pasta: Any short pasta will do. Even broken spaghetti can be used.
• More options: Other great additions are mushrooms, wine, and your favorite cheeses other than parmesan.

How to Store:

• Refrigerate: This dish lasts for up to 4 days in the fridge. Simply keep it in an airtight container once cooled completely.
• Freeze: This makes for a great freezer meal. Simply put it in freezer bags, squeeze out the air, and lay flat in the freezer. It will keep for up to 6 months.
• To reheat: Thaw it in the fridge overnight then, reheat on the stove.

Recipe Tips:

• Sometimes the veggies get too mushy as you cook the pasta. What you can do is to cook the pasta beforehand to lessen the cooking time of the rest of the ingredients.
• Serve it with your favorite bread or pizza!
• Another option in preparing this sumptuous meal is this Instant Pot Minestrone recipe.

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
• 1 yellow onion (chopped)
• 5 cloves garlic (pressed or minced)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 medium carrots (peeled and chopped)
• 2 ribs celery (chopped)
• 1 medium zucchini (chopped)
• 2 cups butternut squash (chopped)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes (with juice)
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup green beans (or sweet peas)
• 1 can (15 ounces) pink beans (rinsed and drained)
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup small shell pasta (or elbow)
• 2 cups baby spinach (fresh)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated for garnish – optional)
• Chopped parsley (for garnish)

1. Place a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, zucchini, butternut squash, tomato paste, dried oregano, dried thyme and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often for about 10 minutes, or until the veggies softened.
3. Add the diced tomatoes with the juices and the vegetable broth.
4. Add the green beans, pink beans, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and stir.
5. Lastly, add the bay leaves.
6. Increase heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil, then partially cover with the lid, leaving about a 1” gap and reduce heat to low-medium for a gentle simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.
7. Remove the lid and add the pasta and simmer uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente and the veggies are tender. If needed add more broth.
8. Fold in the spinach and cook for 3-5 minutes.
9. Remove the pot from the heat, and discard the bay leaves.
10. Stir in the lemon juice and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
11. Serve warm, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

Make a warming bowl of minestrone soup with plenty of vegetables and pasta. These simple yet versatile recipes are perfect for an easy lunch or filling supper.

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Slow Cooker Vegetarian Minestrone Soup could be your busy weeknight dinner lifesaver! It is healthy, hearty, and the perfect way to use up leftover veggies!

This dish is an easy soup recipe from the Italians. Don’t you just love Italian cuisine? I love their Chicken Alfredo, Penne Alla Vodka, and Lemon Chicken Piccata among others. Try them all, too, and let me know what you think!

Crockpot Vegetarian Minestrone Soup

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Minestrone Soup is highly versatile with its ingredients, but the regular ones in the list are pasta or grains and beans. Using the crockpot for this recipe is just apt for a no-fuss dinner on a cold night!

There is nothing more comfortable than sipping warm soup when the temperature is lowered down. It warms you up and uplifts your mood instantly. And this time of the year is the perfect time to upgrade your regular menu rotation at home to include this minestrone soup recipe.

My family just loves this dish with its rich flavors and colors! It looks appetizing with all the different veggies and the flavors turn out amazing each time.

Depending on the leftovers for the day, you can make variations of this recipe. But the ingredient list I included in this post is the most complete of the key vegetables that an ideal minestrone soup should have.

What is Minestrone Soup?

It is a tomato-based dish that originated in Italy, which includes pasta and beans and vegetables like celery and carrots as the key ingredients. It initially started as a staple food that utilizes leftover veggies and was somehow regarded as a poor man’s food.

But throughout the centuries, it remained to be a favorite not only among the Italians but people all over the world. And you may use fresh vegetables, of course!

What vegetables go into it?

Tomato, carrots, celery, and aromatics like garlic and onion are the typical ones. This recipe calls for an addition of zucchini, butternut squash, and baby spinach. The beans are green and pink. Aside from the diced tomato, tomato paste is also added.

You can vary this line-up as long as you have the basic ones. Then, you can add in any vegetables that you have on hand like potatoes or those in season.

How to make Slow Cooker Vegetarian Minestrone Soup:

• Sauté: Heat up the olive oil and sauté the garlic and onions.
• Combine: In the crockpot, put the rest of the veggies along with the spices and seasonings except for the spinach and parsley.
• Cook: Cook for 6 to 8 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high.
• Add the pasta and other veggies: In the last thirty minutes or so, add in the pasta and spinach and cook on high.
• Serve: Garnish with parsley and parmesan cheese if you like. Then, serve warm!

How to make Olive Garden Copycat Minestrone Soup:

This recipe somehow is already an Olive Garden Copycat of their minestrone soup. It has the same mix of vegetables that Olive Garden uses.

This post may contain affiliate links. We receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using our links. Please see our Privacy Policy for more details.

This Minestrone Soup is an easy vegan homemade soup recipe made with healthy fresh vegetables and hearty beans. It’s easy to make and perfect as a comforting meal for busy weeknights. Can be made gluten free, low carb, keto, Whole30 and paleo friendly.

PIN HERE for later and follow my boards for more recipe ideas

Updated September 2019

Minestrone soup is a classic Italian favorite that we had often when we visited Italy many years ago.

It’s super comforting and still one of the soups we make regularly at our house since my kids are obsessed. Now I know that might not be a surprise since most kids really do love minestrone soup, especially the one from Olive Garden. But my kids actually proclaimed this recipe the best minestrone soup ever.

WHAT IS MINESTRONE SOUP

Ever wondered what goes in Italian minestrone soup? Well, there is no set traditional minestrone soup recipe and each household adds in whatever ingredients they have on hand. The soup is typically thick, hearty and includes a variety of chopped veggies. Some common ingredients include pasta, rice, beans and tomatoes.

3 VARIATIONS OF HOMEMADE MINESTRONE SOUP:

And in case you are looking for something better than Olive Garden’s minestrone soup too, we’ve got three popular fan favorites:

And our favorite part about making this vegan minestrone soup is that it makes the perfect clean out the fridge type of meal.

Just throw in a bunch of your favorite vegetables and you’ve got a simple one pot recipe. So comforting, filling and always hits the spot on a chilly day.

WHAT IS MINESTRONE SOUP MADE OF?

The great thing about any soup recipe is how easy it is to customize. This easy minestrone soup recipe is loaded with tons of healthy vegetables like:

• carrots (leave out for low carb / keto)
• celery
• green beans
• zucchini
• baby spinach
• diced tomatoes
• chopped onions
• bay leaf
• you can use dried or fresh herbs: basil, parsley

And, it’s loaded with plant-based protein like:

• red kidney beans (leave out for low carb / keto)
• cannellini beans to keep you full for hours (leave out for low carb / keto)
• pasta (use gluten free or swap for cauliflower for low carb / keto / paleo)

• Parmesan cheese (leave out for paleo)

HOW TO MAKE MINESTRONE SOUP:

1. CHOP VEGGIES: Start by chopping all of your vegetables. Soup is a great way to get rid of any leftover veggies you have in your fridge as well. Or, if you’re in a pinch, your local grocery store may also sell prechopped vegetables just for soup.
2. COOK VEGETABLES: Heat the olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Saute for about 4 minutes, or until vegetables are slightly softened.
3. ADD FLAVOR AND AROMATICS: Throw in basil, oregano, thyme, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, vegetable broth, zucchini and both of the beans. Add just enough water to cover the vegetables.
4. SIMMER THE SOUP: Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat then simmer for 20-25 minutes. Stir in uncooked pasta and and cook for another 10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente.
5. Toss in spinach & cook until wilted. Season with balsamic vinegar and additional salt and pepper as needed.
6. SERVE: Serve warm with bread and top with Parmesan cheese and garnish with parsley if desired.

CAN MINESTRONE SOUP BE FROZEN?

Yes! If you plan to freeze or serve this soup the next day, leave out the pasta and cook in a separate pot. Then once you’re ready to eat, reheat the soup on the stove on low then add the pasta when you are ready to enjoy. Reheating the pasta before you serve the soup helps the pasta not get soggy.

IS MINESTRONE SOUP HEALTHY?

This soup is packed with a ton of vegetables and legumes and contains tons of vitamins, protein and fiber. It’s also vegan and gluten free if you use a gluten free pasta.

IS MINESTRONE SOUP KETO?

The traditional soup recipe is made with beans and pasta so it is not very keto friendly.

However, if you are following a low carb, keto, Whole30 or paleo diet, simply leave out the pasta, beans and carrots and add cauliflower and green beans instead.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

You can serve this hearty soup with a side salad or some crusty bread and dig in!

This healthy vegetarian soup is especially perfect for those cold nights when you don’t want to go out. Just grab a blanket and curl up with a cozy bowl.

This easy Minestrone Soup is an easy, healthy meal loaded with veggies, beans and pasta. It’s vegetarian, dairy-free and has gluten-free options! Make ahead and freezer friendly.

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Soup lovers rejoice!

It’s soup season here for probably another 6 months in Manitoba and so I’m dusting off all my old favorites to share here with you, including this easy 30 Minute Minestrone Soup.

I’ll be the first to admit I’m not a big veggie eater. I know they’re good for me, I just can’t do it.

(Note that there is no “Salad” category here on The Recipe Rebel).

And so I sneak them in in soup recipes, pastas, and casseroles of all kinds. I shred them, slow cook them, or stir them into soup where they take on all the delicious flavours around them and no one is any wiser.

Which is why this Minestrone Soup is one of my favorites.

I actually like to eat healthy, and I exercise, and it’s important to me that I get a wide variety of foods in my diet. And as a die hard soup lover? This is absolutely my preferred way to get them.

Reasons to love this easy Minestrone Soup:

• Mix and match: swap out the veggies as you wish! Add in green beans, mushrooms or broccoli or your family is into them (ours is not so much!), or add in additional proteins, rice, or even a Parmesan cheese rind if you have one left over for Thee Most Incredible Flavour.
• All the good stuff: this soup is packed with good-for-you vegetables, whole grains and a tomato and broth base, making it a healthy option for a weeknight dinner.
• Budget-friendly: soup is an awesome way to stretch the budget, especially if you’re serving with a good loaf of bread to fill hungry tummies. Vegetables (feel free to use frozen or canned if they’re a less expensive option) and pasta are easy to find and won’t break the bank.
• Make-ahead meal: Soups like this are easily prepped ahead. You can chop all the veggies, add the broth and beans and let it hang out in the fridge up to 24 hours in advance, so you can make dinner when you have time, and not at 5:00 when the kids are hangry and irritable.
• Make it vegetarian: swap out the chicken broth for vegetable broth to make this a vegetarian meal

How to make Crockpot Minestrone Soup:

Soup is one of my favorite things to cook in the crockpot or slow cooker, and this Minestrone is right up there at the top.

You can simply stir all of the ingredients together except for the pasta into the slow cooker, and cook on low for 8-9 hours, or high for 4-5 hours. About 20 minutes before you want to serve, stir in the pasta, cover, and let cook until pasta reaches desired tenderness (this will take anywhere from 10-20 minutes depending on your cut of pasta, so keep an eye on it!).

More recipes with sneaky veggies:

I’m a big fan of getting those veggies if you don’t know you are! Here are a few of my favorite recipes with sneaky vegetables:

My Grandma’s easy minestrone soup recipe is one of the healthiest vegetable-loaded soups you’ll make, and it tastes far better than any of those Olive Garden copycat recipes thanks to the secret ingredient in the savory broth.

Easy Minestrone Soup Recipe

“It is well worth the time and effort.”

But then, isn’t most anything when it’s done with love?

My sweet Grandma Frieda passed away when I was a senior in college and while there are many things that remind me of her, as a recipe maker it’s the cookbooks I inherited from her that I see most often. And this recipe for minestrone soup that graces the pages has always been one of my favorites.

One of my favorite things about her copies of The Joy of Cooking (pub. 1953) and Epicure’s Delight (pub. 1944) are the pages and margins filled with recipes written in my grandma’s elegant handwriting that as a German immigrant shows off the hard work it took to become a part of her new country. Like the quote says above, it is well worth the time and effort.

Nestled within those cookbook pages are recipe cards for recipes from friends like Edith’s Coffee Cake and Loretta’s Zucchini Soufflé, which have both moved to my must-make list. But the recipe that shows up time and time again is this Italian minestrone soup recipe from San Francisco’s Petrini Gourmet Grocery Stores. It was likely cut from the San Mateo Times’ newspaper recipe section to promote more soup bone sales for the homemade beef broth, where either the newspaper editors or Petrini himself lured readers with the headnote It is well worth the time and effort, and even more so because this minestrone recipe is actually really easy to make.

The Key Minestrone Ingredients

Whether you say minestrone soup like the Italians, aka “min eh stron ee” or “min eh stron eh”, this soup is the perfect gateway to woo non-veggie lovers into getting a head start on their five a day. It’s brothy and flavorful with potatoes, pasta, and cheese that makes the veggies more than palatable.

Because this soup has the simplest of ingredients and can be made with ease, the key is starting with the best quality you can find or afford.

While most people think of minestrone as a vegetarian soup, Petrini’s recipe begins with salt pork. Yep, this recipe is from days gone by. I used bacon instead.

Grandma’s newspaper recipe also calls for a super simple stock of bones and water slow-simmered for flavor. But I like a richer, heartier stock so my homemade beef stock fit the bill here. Or if you prefer, use chicken broth (this is my favorite homemade) or a veggie stock instead.

To the stock you’ll be adding diced tomatoes, adding more richness and a bit of acid to balance the flavors.

The other source for this soup’s distinctive minestrone flavor comes from the spunk of Parmesan cheese, and while grandma’s recipe doesn’t call for it I have a secret that I learned of long ago: to cook the broth with a few leftover rinds of Parmesan cheese. This step really imparts that cheesy flavor and takes your broth from a tepid vegetable flavor to minestrone all the way.

How to Make Minestrone Soup

First, I cook the chopped bacon in a Dutch oven over medium high heat until browned. Then, I toss in the onion, carrots, leeks and celery and cook until the veggies have softened.

In goes the beef stock, kosher salt, pepper, and cheese rinds. I bring the mixture to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes before adding in the potatoes, macaroni, and tomatoes. I partially cover the minestrone soup and let it cook for another 20 minutes before adding in the kidney beans and peas.

Just before serving this crazy delicious minestrone soup, I stir in freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Can I Add Other Vegetables to Minestrone?

Absolutely! One of the best things about Italian minestrone soup is it can truly be a clean-out-the-fridge recipe you can fiddle with based on what you have on hand or what’s in season. Traditionally, the are the vegetables that most often show up:

• Tomatoes
• Onion
• Carrots
• Celery
• Potatoes
• Beans (kidney and Great Northern beans are my favorites)
• Peas
• Zucchini
• Cabbage (shred it thin)
• Spinach
• Kale
• Leeks (use the white parts only)
• Green beans (canned works wonders)

Can I Make This Recipe Vegetarian?

To make this minestrone soup vegetarian, skip the bacon and use a rich vegetable stock in lieu of the beef stock instead.

Tips for Making the Best Minestrone Soup

Use a small macaroni or pasta that matches the diced size of your veggies for equal tastes in every bite.

If you don’t have the time or inclination to make your own stock from scratch, always choose a grocery store version that’s high quality with ingredients you can actually read.

Homemade minestrone freezes incredibly well. I recommend freezing it in individual containers (like glass jars) so you can reheat a single serving at a time for quick lunches and dinners.

More Easy Soup Recipes to Make

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.

Minestrone soup. This version is made with cannellini beans, chicken stock, cabbage, potato, zucchini, carrots, plum tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese. This lentil soup is easy to make and tastes incredible! Minestrone (/ˌmɪnɪsˈtroʊni/; Italian: [mineˈstroːne]) is a thick soup of Italian origin made with vegetables, often with the addition of pasta or rice, sometimes both.

My Grandma’s easy minestrone soup recipe is one of the healthiest vegetable-loaded soups you’ll make, and it tastes far better than any of those Olive Garden copycat recipes thanks to the secret. This minestrone soup recipe is special to me because it’s one of the few dinners my entire family loves. And I can feel good about serving it because it’s full of nutrition and low in fat. You can have Minestrone soup using 13 ingredients and 5 steps. Here is how you cook that.

Ingredients of Minestrone soup

1. Prepare 2 tbsp of olive oil.
2. You need 1 of medium onion diced.
3. You need 2 of large carrots peeled and chopped.
4. Prepare 2 stalks of celery chopped.
5. Prepare 1 clove of garlic minced.
6. Prepare 1 bag (5 oz) of fresh baby spinach washed and trimmed.
7. You need 1 of large russet potato peeled and cubed.
8. It’s 1 can (14 oz) of diced tomatoes.
9. You need 1 tablespoon of tomato paste.
10. Prepare 1 can (15 oz) of kidney beans.
11. It’s 4 (14 oz) cans of low sodium chicken stock.
12. Prepare 1 cup of short cut pasta.
13. It’s 6-7 of basil leaves.

The minestrone soup I’ve been serving for years began as Ina Garten’s Winter Minestrone soup, but since I can’t help but tinker with a recipe, it has since morphed into my own. Vegetarian minestrone soup packed with veggies like celery, carrots, green beans and spinach and simmered in a flavorful, Italian seasoned tomato broth. Minestrone Soup is easy, healthy, hearty, comforting, versatile and all made in one pot! Here are minestrone soup recipes for any season – fresh green vegetables in spring or hearty beans in winter.

Minestrone soup instructions

1. In a large heavy bottom soup pot heat the olive oil on medium heat and sauté the pancetta until crispy, just a couple minutes. Once the pancetta is crispy remove from the pan and set aside..
2. Add the chopped onion, carrots and celery and sauté until the vegetables start to cook down and caramelize about 3 minutes, add the potato and garlic and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, you want all the vegetables to get a golden brown color all over..
3. Add the kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato puree and the chicken stock, place a lid on the pan turn the heat to medium high and cook for 30 minutes..
4. When all the vegetables are cooked (mixture should be slightly thicker) season with salt and pepper to taste and add the pasta (cook the pasta according to package instructions) when the pasta is about 2 minutes away from being done add the spinach and basil, cook just until the spinach is wilted . Serve with good crusty Italian bread and add some shredded Parmesan cheese if you’d like.
5. .

This healthy and quick Minestrone Soup is the best! I have been so excited to share my Minestrone Soup recipe with you all. It is a fast and healthy version made with zucchini and fresh basil. Learn how to make a Minestrone Soup Recipe! I hope you enjoy this Minestrone Soup Recipe!

Published: Jan 16, 2019 · by Anne · This post may contain affiliate links · 17 Comments

Vegetable minestrone soup is a thick and hearty soup that is loaded with vegetables, beans and pasta. Serve it with a side of crusty bread and a salad for a comforting and filling meal. It’s vegan/vegetarian and you can make it in an Instant Pot or on your stove top.

Minestrone soup is a type of soup that is typically made with a combination seasonal vegetables, beans and pasta or rice. The broth is vegetable based. When I make this soup, Ilike to use my homemade vegetable broth., but you can use packaged vegetable broth or chicken broth for a non vegan version.

Here is what you will need to make this recipe for minestrone soup: olive oil, onion, garlic,carrots, celery, parsnips or turnips, broth, beans, zucchini, tomatoes, oregano, balsamic vinegar, a heavy soup pot or a pressure cooker.

Click here to pin this recipe for vegetable minestrone soup

Minestrone soup is a very versatile soup. You can use just about any combination of seasonal vegetables or whatever you have on hand in your kitchen. It can be vegetarian or your can add meat to it. I prefer a vegetarian version of minestrone, especially one that’s full of fresh vegetables.

I used to make this all of the time on top of the stove, and I recently tried making it in an instant cooker and the results are amazing! A bowl of piping hot and extremely flavorful soup can be on your table in less than 30 minutes! So I’ve included two methods to prepare this soup.

Whichever version you choose to make vegetarian minestrone soup, it’s easy to make and is very healthy and satisfying on a cold winter day. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up the three days or you can freeze for up to three months.

Here is how to make vegetable minestrone soup on top of the stove

1. Saute the vegetables
2. Add the broth, tomatoes, pasta, beans and seasonings
3. Reduce heat
4. Simmerfor 30 minutes
5. Stir in fresh spinach
6. Simmer for 10 more minutes

Total amount of time to make vegetable minestrone soup on top of the stove: approximately 50 minutes

Here is how to make vegetable minestrone soup in an instant pot

1. Saute vegetables
2. Add broth, pasta tomatoes and seasonings
3. Setpressure to high for 10 minutes
4. Quick release
5. Stirin fresh spinach and beans
6. Serve

Total Amount of Time to make vegetable minestrone soup in an instant pot: approximately 25 minutes

Variations for vegetable minestrone soup

• Change up the vegetables, add any combination of sliced mushrooms, turnips, potatoes
• Substitute spinach with chopped kale or escarole
• Add 1 cup cooked chicken or beef
• Add mini meatballs or Italian sausage
• Substitute pasta with farro, barley or rice

Minestrone Vegetable Soup

5 from 11 reviews

Minestrone vegetable soup is a hearty vegetarian soup that’s full of fresh and seasonal vegetables.

• Author:anne
• Prep Time: 30
• Cook Time: 40
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 4 1 x
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stove Top or Instant Pot
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion diced small
• 3 cloves garlic chopped fine
• 1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 11/2 cups diced parsnips or turnips
• 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 8 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 1/2 cups kidney or white beans or a combination of both use organic canned or dried that have been cooked
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 small to medium zucchini diced
• 1/4 cup small sized whole wheat pasta
• 3 cups packed baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar – optional
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

Stove-Top Method

add the olive oil to a stock pot and heat over medium heat

add the onion and garlic -cook until they become translucent

add the carrots, celery and parsnips – cook until they become crisp tender

stir in the oregano and add the broth, tomatoes and pasta or whole grain

let simmer for 20 minutes

stir in the zucchini and simmer for 10 minutes more

just before serving stir in the balsamic vinegar

garnish with chopped parsley

Instant Pot Method:

Place oil, onions, garlic, celery, carrots, parsnips zucchini into cooker and saute until vegetables are crisp tender

Add the broth, tomatoes, pasta, and spices

Cover and set pressure to high for 10 minutes

Quick release and carefully (it will be hot) stir the beans

Add the balsamic if using and adjust flavor with salt and pepper then serve

Garnish with parsley

Notes

Variations for vegetable minestrone soup

• Change up the vegetables, add any combination of sliced mushrooms, turnips, potatoes
• Substitute spinach with chopped kale or escarole
• Add 1 cup cooked chicken or beef
• Add mini meatballs or Italian sausage
• Substitute pasta with farro, barley or rice

Please note: Nutrition information is provided by Nutrifox, an online calculator and is meant to be used for informational purposes only. Even though I try to provide accurate information, these figures should still be considered as estimates

Keywords: minestrone soup, soup, vegetable soup

This Italian Minestrone Soup is a nutritious vegetable soup with fresh veggies, tomato broth, and short cut pasta. We omitted the beans for this minestrone soup recipe, but the Italian soup flavors are bold, even for the short cooking time in the Instant Pot or on the stove!

Minestrone Soup

A reliable, homemade minestrone soup should be a staple in anyone’s healthy meal rotation.

Classic minestrone typically includes vegetables, vegetable or bone broth, and pasta. It’s versatile enough to add in your favorite plant-based proteins or animal proteins.

You can use fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables, and sky’s the limit with the combination you use. Go crazy…use ALL your favorites!

Beans are another popular ingredient and, although not required, they do add fiber and protein to minestrone. I left them out of this recipe, but you can easily add them! (See recipe below)

What is the difference between minestrone soup and vegetable soup?

Minestrone soup is essentially a vegetable soup with pasta and beans. I didn’t add beans to this recipe. Instead, I added more vegetables! Pasta adds volume and texture to the soup. I think this makes it more exciting to eat, especially for kids…and for me LOL.

What pasta do you use for a Minestrone Soup recipe?

I love these short cut spaghetti noodles, also called fideo. They cook more quickly than most pasta noodles…and kids love them! The pasta is cooked right in the soup, making this a one-pot recipe. So, no need to dirty up more dishes!

You could cook the pasta separately and add it to the soup before serving.

I prefer to cook it together so the noodles soak up the flavors.

How To Make Minestrone Soup In The Instant Pot

1. Select “Sauté” on the Instant Pot and heat the OLIVE OIL.
2. When the display reads “Hot”, add and sauté CARROTS, CELERY, ONION, GARLIC, and ZUCCHINI until tender (about 3 minutes), stirring as needed.
3. Stir in DICED TOMATOES (with juice), VEGETABLE BROTH, OREGANO, PARSLEY, SALT, PEPPER, and PASTA NOODLES.
4. Press the “Cancel” function on the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and turn the pressure release valve to the “Sealing” position.
5. Select “Manual” and set the Instant Pot on “High” pressure for +1 minutes.
6. When the cycle is complete, a Quick Pressure Release (QPR) is needed to prevent overcooking the pasta. This is done by turning the pressure release valve from “sealing” to “venting” position using an oven mitt for protection.
7. CAUTION: The steam shoots upward from the pressure valve during the QPR process. Allow the cooker to fully release all of the pressure until the ‘float valve’ drops before attempting to open the lid.
8. This process can take several minutes.

* See full recipe below

Grab my easy Instant Pot recipes

How To Make Minestrone Soup On The Stove

1. Heat a 3.5-quart soup pot over medium-high heat; sauté CARROT, CELERY, ONION, GARLIC, and ZUCCHINI in OLIVE OIL until tender.
2. Add DICED TOMATOES (with juice), VEGETABLE BROTH, OREGANO, PARSLEY, SALT, and PEPPER.
3. Turn heat to HIGH and bring soup just to a boil, stirring as needed.
4. Add PASTA NOODLES, turn heat to medium-low and simmer 8-10 minutes until pasta is tender; serve warm.

* See full recipe below

How do you add flavor to minestrone soup?

• Oven-roast the vegetables first, to caramelize them, which adds umami flavor.
• Add a splash of wine during the cooking process.
• Use chicken broth or beef broth (instead of vegetable broth).
• Simmer the soup longer to reduce the liquid and build flavor (you decide how long).
• Serve with cayenne pepper, hot sauce, chili sauce, chili oil, etc.
• Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
• Squeeze fresh lemon (or lime) into the soup when serving.
• Add chopped, fresh herbs when serving.

This recipe is scrumptious on its own, but I’ve listed some other ways to add flavor to minestrone soup, or any vegetable soup.

What are the best herbs to use in minestrone soup?

You can use fresh herbs like thyme, basil, oregano, sage, or parsley towards the end of the cooking process. If you use dried herbs, you’ll want to add them to the soup early in the cooking process. You can also garnish with chopped, fresh basil, thyme, oregano, or parsley when serving. I’m personally a fan of chopped parsley!

How to make vegan minestrone soup in an Instant Pot and on the stovetop. Two easy ways of making one of the best soup recipes ever.

Today I want to show you two ways of cooking a vegan minestrone soup recipe. The super quick and easy way (in an Instant Pot, of course) and the still-easy-but-slightly-longer version, on the stovetop.

Regardless of which you may choose, both methods will yield the same result… a super delicious vegan minestrone soup.

Now, as you probably know, I recently received my Instant Pot and fell in love with it (not a sponsored post 🙂 I really think it’s awesome). And that’s because it cuts down the effort and cooking time dramatically.

For this reason, today I made this vegan minestrone soup in an Instant Pot and my recipe video shows just that.

But don’t worry if you don’t have one. The stovetop method (in the recipe below) is very easy too and if you need any help, I am just a short comment away.

Even though cooking in a multicooker is very easy, there are a few good tricks you need to know if you want to make the best Instant Pot minestrone soup recipe.

So as usual, I’ll show you all the aces I’ve got up my sleeve to help you with the process.

But before that, I’d like to start with the basics and explain briefly what a minestrone soup is. That’s because I’ve actually been asked about this a few times and many foodies think they don’t know what it is.

Yet in reality, most of them had vegan minestrone soup so many times without even knowing.

So let’s dive in…

More Soup Recipes:

What is a minestrone soup

Minestrone is a soup made with veggies and pasta or rice. It is usually made with any seasonal veggies, hence, there is no set recipe for it. Minestrone soup has Italian origins which pre-date the expansion of the Roman Empire.

Quite an old soup, isn’t it?

This dish emerged at a time when the local diet was “vegetarian by necessity”, and even though it suffered modifications over time, the main ingredients (veggies) remained the same.

Nowadays, most minestrone soup recipes are vegetarian, but you can also find versions with meat, or meat-based broth (a recipe for some other time).

I don’t want to keep you too long on the fun-facts, but if you want to know more about its history, check out what Wikipedia says about it .

And now that we are food-smarter and know what it is, let’s move on and see how to make minestrone soup easy.

How to make minestrone soup easy – Best Tips & Tricks

As I said above, there are two easy ways of making minestrone soup:

1. In an Instant Pot
2. On the stove top

I’ve included both methods in the recipe below, but I will focus a bit more on the Instant Pot minestrone soup recipe because I think that cooking in an electric pressure cooker requires a bit more attention to details.

1. How to make minestrone soup in an Instant Pot

The first and most important trick for making this Instant Pot minestrone soup recipe is to make sure you don’t add too much water or stock.

You need to fill it up just enough to cover the veggies. Keep in mind that there should be enough liquid to make a thick soup and also cook the pasta.

If you add too much, the pot will take longer to reach the needed pressure and the pasta can get overcooked.

The next important step is to release the pressure manually when cooking pasta in the Instant Pot. Turn the valve to VENT/VENTING as soon as the pot starts beeping.

If you let it release the pressure automatically, it will take about 10-12 minutes until it’s safe to open the lid. During this time, the pasta will continue to cook and it will get overcooked.

Even if the pressure is manually released, some may still find the pasta a bit overcooked.

If this is the case, cook the soup without the pasta and then add it at the end, press the SAUTE button and cook for an additional 6-7 minutes.

The tricks above are specific to the Instant Pot minestrone soup recipe. The following, are useful for both versions.

2. Adapt this vegan minestrone soup recipe to your taste

One of the best features of the vegan minestrone soup recipe is that there is no set recipe for it 🙂 .

Yep, you heard it right. You can get creative and use almost any kind of veggies you want, or have available. Personally, I like making this easy minestrone soup recipe with fresh seasonal veggies.

Another ingredient which can be replaced is pasta. If you want to make the soup low-calorie, you can use chopped potatoes and cauliflower instead of pasta.

Or, if necessary, you can use gluten-free pasta.

3. This easy minestrone soup recipe is perfect for meal-planning

Whether you make it on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot, minestrone soup is perfect for meal-planning. You can freeze it in ovenproof glass containers and reheat it whenever you need a quick bite. You can keep it frozen for up to 2-3 months.

It’s worth noting here that the pasta will get a bit mushy when reheated, so I suggest leaving it out if you want to freeze the soup. You can cook the pasta when you’re ready to serve and add it to the soup after you reheat it.

I believe the two methods outlined above are the best and easiest ways of making this vegan minestrone soup recipe.

Out of them, the Instant Pot minestrone soup recipe is my absolute favorite. Not because it’s any different in terms of taste, but because it’s incredibly easy to make. And that really counts, especially when you need to feed a crowd.

Now tell me something. Which of the two is your favorite and why?
And which one do you think is the best Instant Pot soup recipe?

As I already told you, I just started cooking in the electric pressure cooker and I’m curious to find out more tasty and easy Instant Pot recipes. So bring it on!

And if you like this Instant Pot minestrone soup recipe video and want to see more like it, please Subscribe to my YouTube Channel .

Last Updated: September 25, 2019

You can easily whip up this super easy minestrone soup in just 30 minutes. And as the soup reheats well, it is a great meal to make in advance. Want an added bonus? It also freezes brilliantly, so double the recipe to ensure you always have an emergency meal in the freezer.

TOTAL TIME INVESTMENT: 30 MINUTES

Go away for three weeks and suddenly it’s winter. Which to me means soup! Mr Grumpy and I are very happy to have soup for our evening meal. The Princess not so much. I can pretty much guarantee complaints if soup is on the menu, but the complaints can be muffled somewhat if I serve up soup ‘with bits’.

I think soup is a brilliant meal for those really busy days. The majority of soups can easily be made in advance and reheated, which means that I can make a pot of soup early in the day or even the night before, and walk in right on dinnertime to a nourishing meal. And as most soups also freeze well, I always have some on hand in the freezer for quick lunches or dinners during the colder months.

In fact I freeze soup so often that I have written a whole post about my process, and I’ve also produced a handy guide that you can download so you always have my tips on hand. You can grab your copy of my guide from my Resource Library by clicking the link below, or requesting the password for the library at the end of this post.

Most soups, particularly the heartier variety, make great stand alone meals, needing nothing more than a loaf of fresh bread to finish it off.

The best way to get any soup past The Princess is to turn it into a liquid pasta dish. As such this easy minestrone soup appears regularly on our dinner table during the winter, and is even sometimes requested by The Princess. I think I’ve got her fooled.

Table of contents

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Ingredient Substitutions for Easy Minestrone Soup

Don’t be afraid to make substitutions to this recipe. It can be readily adapted with whatever ingredients you happen to have on hand. Try the following substitutions:

• Smoked pancetta can be used in place of the bacon with great success. I have also used ham in a pinch.
• Use any vegetables you like in this soup. It would be delicious with spinach or silverbeet leaves (chard) stirred in at the end. Silverbeet (chard) stems can be sliced and sauteed off with the other vegetables.
• Use borlotti or pinto beans in place of the cannellini beans. And freshly cooked beans can be readily replaced for the tinned variety of you happen to have some on hand.
• To make this easy minestrone soup vegetarian, omit the bacon and use vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock.
• To make the soup gluten free, use a good gluten free pasta.

Make this super #easy Minestrone #Soup in just 30 minutes. The soup reheats well, so is a quick meal to make in advance, and as an added bonus it can also be #frozen. #freezermeals #dinner #pastaClick To Tweet

Frequently Asked Questions About Italian Minestrone Soup

How do you add flavour to minestrone soup?

The easiest way to add flavour to a minestrone soup is to saute the vegetables well before adding the remainder of the ingredients, and to use a good stock. Sauteing the vegetables concentrates the flavour, which adds additional depth to the soup.

If you use a watery stock, your soup will lack flavour. Use either a good homemade stock or a quality purchased product. If you feel your soup still lacks flavour, stir in a teaspoon or two of chicken or vegetable bouillon powder and make sure the soup is seasoned correctly.

Is minestrone good for you?

Minestrone soup is packed with beans, vegetables and pasta, all in a healthy chicken or vegetable stock. It is highly nutritious, and needs no additional accompaniments. Although a scattering of Parmesan cheese would not go astray.

Why is it called minestrone?

The word ‘minestrone’ means thick vegetable soup, and has its origins in Italian cooking. There is a very good potted history of the origin of minestrone here.

How do you thicken minestrone soup?

There are two ways to thicken minestrone soup:

• Cook the pasta in the stock, rather than cooking it separately and adding it to the soup later. The starch from the cooking pasta helps thicken the broth.
• Once the soup is cooked, remove a quarter of the soup and place it in a blender. Blitz the soup to a puree and stir the puree back into the soup pot.

Is minestrone a clear soup?

Whilst minestrone soup is made with clear stock, it is not a clear soup. The finished soup contains many vegetables, beans and pasta that thicken the stock. A clear soup does not contain thickening ingredients.

Tips and Tricks for Making A Delicious Minestrone Soup

This easy soup recipe is my go-to in the winter months. It takes little time to make, I always have the ingredients on hand, and I know The Princess will eat it. Win win as far as I am concerned. And because I make it so regularly, I can pass on all my little tricks to you:

1. I use a small pasta shape for my minestrone soup. The smaller shapes just seem to work better in soup (in my opinion). They swell to the same size as the cut vegetables, and are easy to pick up with a soup spoon. But any pasta will work well in this recipe. I have even broken spaghetti into the broth on occasion when I have found myself out of small pasta shells.
2. You can actually add as much or as little pasta to the recipe as you like. Just bear in mind that the more pasta you add, the less liquid there will be in the final dish.
3. The soup will thicken on standing, as the pasta will continue to absorb the stock. Simply add a little extra stock or water when reheating to thin the soup out.
4. This easy minestrone soup both freezes and reheats well, and the recipe is easily doubled if you are feeding a crowd or want extras for another meal. I usually make a huge batch, then divide the leftovers into smaller lunch-size portions that I stash in the freezer.
5. Leftovers are fine in the fridge for up to three days, and the flavour will only continue to improve.
6. Serve the soup in warm bowls with grated Parmesan to sprinkle over. Grated cheddar would probably work just as well.
7. Tell your Princess you are having pasta for dinner.

Other Soup Recipes You May Enjoy

Have I mentioned how much I love soup? It is such an easy and nourishing meal, and a great way to get your daily vegetable quota in one hit. You can find all of my soup recipes here, but some of my personal favourites are:

And don’t forget the bread. Or feta muffins if you prefer.

One Pot Vegetarian Minestrone Soup is comforting and delicious. It’s packed with lots of flavors and vegetables!

Of late, we have been on a major Italian food kick! I have always liked Italian good, it’s actually one of the first cuisines that I tried outside my (Indian!) food of course. But the Italian that we get in India is very Indian-ized I should say, just like everything else. You have Chinese food made the Indian way and Italian is no different. While I love that version too, over the years I have come to love the real Italian food. Hey as real as we get here, I have not been to Italy yet!

Few weeks back we were in San Francisco and we ate Italian 4 days in a row! Like at the end of it, even I was surprised. Because it usually happens that when I eat other cuisines for 2 days in a row, I badly begin to crave Indian food. I grew up eating my Indian food everyday so I can’t survive without eating it at least 3-4 times a week. It’s like we eat Thai and Italian for 2 days and then I want my paratha no matter what! So the fact that we ate Italian 4 days in a row without me dying for Indian food was quite strange, to say the least. Anyway so these days we have been visiting this local Italian restaurant a lot. I love their neapolitan pizza crust, so good and what I also love is their vegetarian minestrone soup. There are days when we go there, hubby orders a pizza while I order a big bowl of minestrone. They serve it with traditional ciabatta and it makes such a wonderful meal.

Since I have been eating so much minestrone soup these days, I thought I should make it at home. That way I can eat it to my heart’s content and so I did and it turned out wonderful! Is this the traditional recipe? I don’t know I am not Italian so I don’t claim it to be authentic. Is it delicious, big YES!

This vegetarian minestrone soup is one pot, super easy to make and packed with delicious flavors. You can use a lot of veggies here, I stuck to the traditional ones like onion, carrots, celery, spinach. Here are few things which you should do to get that perfect bowl of vegetarian minestrone soup!

use vegetable broth: yeah plain water won’t cut it. Okay I am not saying you can’t use water, of course you can but broth adds so much flavor

use elbow pasta: of course using any other pasta would also work, but elbow pasta is just so tiny and so perfect in this minestrone soup.

add some parmesan cheese to your broth while cooking the soup: this I actually learnt from the same restaurant that we go to. Once I asked them to not put parmesan on top of my minestrone and the waitress said but the broth has parmesan! I tried that at home, added just around 2 teaspoons of it to the broth and yes it made the soup very flavorful. You may add more!

add spinach or kale: personal preference, but I love these in my minestrone.

Hope you guys give my favorite minestrone soup a try! It’s super comforting and really a complete meal in itself. Let’s see how we make it.

Method

To a pan on medium heat, add olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add chopped garlic. Saute for 30 seconds.

Add chopped onions and celery and saute for 2 minutes or so.

Add diced carrots and some salt. Cook for another 2 minutes, till veggies begin to soften a bit.

Now add the cannelini beans and mix.

Add the can of crushed tomatoes and also add the Italian seasoning.

Add vegetable broth and mix till everything is well combined.

Add elbow pasta, stir and then cover the pan let it simmer for 5-6 minutes.

Open the pan, add chopped spinach, black pepper and grated parmesan cheese. Mix everything and cover the pan again.

Cook for additional 5-6 minutes or till the pasta is cooked.

Ladle your vegetarian minestrone soup into serving bowls and top with some more parmesan cheese. Serve immediately!

* I like using can of fire roasted crushed tomatoes in this recipe. You can use any tomato of your choice.

* You may use kale in place of spinach in this soup.

* I used cannelini beans in this soup which is traditionally used. You may use any beans of your choice, even chickpeas would be great!

Beans, onions, celery, carrots, stock, and tomatoes are brought together to make this hearty soup

The Minestrone soup has been an all time favorite soup at home, packed with nutrition and alot of energy making it a replacement for a wholesome meal and a light dinner. Minestrone (literally big soup) is a thick soup of Italian origin made with vegetables, often with the addition of pasta or rice. Common ingredients include beans, onions, celery, carrots, stock, and tomatoes. Serve Minestrone Soup Recipe with Herb Mushroom Bruschetta Recipe and Pineapple Carpaccio Recipe (Spiced Pineapple Salad with Ginger & Mint) for a weekend dinner.

If you like this recipe, take a look at more soup recipes that you can also try

Ingredients

• 4 Tomatoes , blanched, skin removed and roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup Baked beans , (cannellini white beans, red kidney beans, rajma and the like can be added)
• 1/4 cup Pasta , 1/4 cup pasta, cooked (use a tiny variety or you can chop up the cooked penne pasta as well)
• 1 Carrot (Gajjar) , peeled and diced small
• 1 Green zucchini , diced small
• 200 grams Broccoli , made into small florets
• 1 Stalk Celery , finely chopped
• 1 Onion , finely chopped
• 1 Basil leaves , a few, torn
• 3 cups Vegetable stock
• 1 Bay leaf (tej patta)
• 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon Powder (Dalchini)
• Salt and Pepper , to taste
• Parmesan cheese , for garnishing

How to make Minestrone Soup Recipe

To begin making the Minestrone Soup Recipe, in a heavy bottomed sauce pan or a soup pot, combine all the ingredients except pasta, zucchini, broccoli and cheese and cook on low heat for about 30 minutes.

Towards the end when the soup is done cooking, add pasta, zucchini and broccoli.

Cover and cook 10 more minutes. We do this because, the broccoli and zucchini take very less time to cook and the pasta is already cooked to al-dente.

Remove bay leaf and check the salt and black pepper and add more if required. And thats it, the wholesome soup is ready to be served.

Serve the Minestrone Soup into bowls and sprinkle parmesan cheese over top. Garnish with basil, if desired and serve warm with Herb Mushroom Bruschetta Recipe and Pineapple Carpaccio Recipe (Spiced Pineapple Salad with Ginger & Mint) for a weekend dinner.

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As I have said before, I am not big fan of soups, but I dont hate it. Minestrone soup recipe is always the one I wanted to try for long time, I have seen this in the menu of Pasta mania, but was not comfortable having it there as I was worried if its pure vegetarian or not. Otherwise, I love pasta, and sure it would be nice to have pasta in soups. We can add it to our usual tomato soup as well. It will be nice, but when I saw this authentic minestrone soup recipe in an Italian cook book, I really wanted to try that way. So tried it according to the ingredients availability and my taste. Minestrone soup is supposed to be made with lots of vegetables along with pasta or rice. And its supposed to be an one pot meal that fills your tummy.

Ingredients

Celery – 2 stalks

Black eyed peas – 1/4 cup

Vegetable stock – 3 cups

Salt – As needed

Water – As needed

Olive oil – 2 tblsp

Butter – 2 tblsp

Parmesan grated – 2 tblsp

Method

1. Finely chop garlic, onion and chop other veggies to small cubes. If you are using tinned bean, then drain and use in the recipe. If using dried bean, soak overnight, cook until soft. I pressure cooked for 3 whistles with a pinch of salt. In a large sauce pan (I used my cooker), heat butter and oil together.

Add garlic, onion frying each for a minute in medium flame. Add all the vegetables one by one and frying each for a minute, without changing the colour. Add celery and lastly the bean.

Add cooked bean and mix well. Add vegetable stock, bring to boil and simmer the flame to cook the vegetables.

Once the veggies are cooked (just right, do not over cook) add salt and pasta. Cook until pasta is done and top with water (add water) every now and then if needed or to get desired consistency of the soup. Season generously with pepper.

Notes

• Use tiny pasta varieties like Alphabet, Rosoni, Orzo etc. if not you can use macaroni.
• I used black eyed beans, you can use white or red kidney beans, chickpeas, double beans as per availability.
• My carrot, potato, tomato were small in size, so use accordingly.
• The consistency of the soup is purely your choice, so add water while making the soup accordingly.
• Do not add pasta more than mentioned, otherwise soup may thicken too much.
• Instead of pasta, you can use rice also. Also any shape of pasta can be used, I used alphabet pasta. So I have mentioned as 3 tblsp. If bigger shaped pasta, use more.
• Don’t forget Parmesan cheese.

Serve at room temperature with olive oil and Parmesan for seasoning. Can be served chilled as well. Wholesome!

This vegetarian minestrone soup is the best way to use up winter veggies like butternut squash, kale, beans, carrots etc. Combined with a delicious tomato base and beans, this soup checks all the right boxes – healthy, hearty, filling, flavorful and loaded with veggies!

Hey there! Soup season is still here and I can’t be happier. If you are not a soup person treat this vegetarian minestrone soup as the easiest way to load up on veggies and all good things and go with that.

Traditional Italian minestrone soup has its base in a fresh tomato sauce that’s seasoned with herbs, veggies, some kind of meat and pasta. But I really wanted to keep this light on the stomach but still hearty. So last week for dinner, we opened the refrigerator, rummaged around for all the winter veggies that were stocked in there and made the most delicious stew like soup. And we didn’t miss the pasta one bit!

This is truly a one pot soup because even if you wanted to add veggies, you can just add them right to the pot towards the end and let them cook. The pasta will thicken the soup further so you will need to add more liquid. But if you are like me, and want to skip it, add your favorite beans or even lentils and trust me, this will still fill you up nicely!

There are no rules when it comes to making this vegetarian minestrone soup at home! I used a store bought chunky marinara sauce because it already has herbs and is full of flavor and saved me the time of cooking the tomatoes from scratch. The same applies for what vegetables you use.

Vegetables that go into this Minestrone Soup

A lot of vegetables can be used in this soup. Starting with root vegetables like potato or sweet potato to more seasonal veggies like squash, pumpkin, and greens such as spinach and kale. There are quite a few veggies that go into this version – onions, celery, carrots, butternut squash, french beans and kale. There is added nutrition from kidney beans which can be substituted with any of your favorite cooked beans.

Pasta in Minestrone Soup

Traditionally, Italian minestrone soup uses some form of pasta or rice. You can add pasta to this recipe by adding 1/2 cup dried pasta along with the french beans along with 1 1/2 cups water or stock. The additional liquid is required to cook the pasta, and because the starch in the pasta will thicken the soup considerably.

If you’ve been following along for a while, you know that I’m not one for boring insipid soups. If I’m eating soup, I want it to be hearty, usually thick and full of flavor. And this vegetarian minestrone soup hits all the right notes!

This Stove Top Minestrone recipe is the real deal brimming with seasonal veggies, beans, and pasta in a robust tomato broth.

Whether you forgot to set the slow cooker to cook this morning or haven’t made it to the grocery store in a week, this minestrone soup is the answer.
It’s loaded with all the good things and hits the spot after a long day.

What is Minestrone Soup

My friend, soup doesn’t get much better than a hearty, robust bowl of Minestrone. It’s a combination of vegetables, beans, and pasta simmered in a robust tomato broth. This is what you want on a cold, blustery day.

Okay, time for a tiny backstory on this classic soup:

Minestrone originated in Italy as a way to use leftover odds and ends of pasta and vegetables.

Short, simple, and sweet.

And today, we’re keeping the concept the same with this stove top recipe so you can enjoy it anytime with whatever ingredients you have on hand; such as canned beans, the last cup of macaroni shells, and those lonely veggies in your vegetable bin or fridge.

How to Make Minestrone

After making the Instant Pot Minestrone I wanted to make this stove top version since not everyone owns an Instant Pot, and there’s something special about a simmering pot of homemade soup on the stove. This is also where a dutch oven comes in handy.

Thankfully, from fridge to table, this soup takes less than 30 minutes. More good news, it tastes better the second day. Soup always does that.

So let’s get to it:

1. Chop the veggies
   Onions, garlic, celery, zucchini, and any other vegetable you wish to include. Brownie points if you do this ahead of time.
2. Sauté
   Add the onions and the garlic and saute until fragrant, then comes the celery, tomato paste, basil, oregano, thyme, diced tomatoes, and broth. Stir, bring to a boil and simmer for ten minutes.
3. Add the remaining ingredients
   Now we can add the zucchini, beans, green beans, and pasta. Simmer for another 15 minutes while you finish whatever you were watching on Netflix. Not kidding.
4. Toast the bread
   You will WANT a toasted crust of bread to soak up the juices left in the bowl. This is an important step, so don’t skip it.
5. Add the cheese
   Don’t forget a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan. It’s the “cherry on top”.

Italian Minestrone Soup Ingredients

The concept of Minestrone is to use what you have in the fridge and pantry, and I like to stick to that. For this recipe we use:

Onions
Garlic
Zucchini
Italian green beans
Pasta
White beans

But you can also include whatever veggies prefer or better yet, what’s in season. Other great add-ins would be:

Carrots
Potatoes
Red Kidney Beans
Cabbage
Spinach

When it comes to seasonings, I kept it simple with the classic Italian seasoning blend, but you can’t go wrong Herbs de Provence or making your own blend:

• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons dried rosemary

Combine the ingredients in a small jar, top with lid, seal, shake to combine and use as needed.

Vegetarian Minestrone Soup

Once again, we’re sticking to the original concept of Minestrone which contained no meat, to save money and keep it healthy.

Coming from a family of meat eater’s I can proudly say no one can turn down a bowl of this Minestrone. With all the vegetables, beans, and pasta it’s super hearty and filling. If you want to double up on the protein, add an extra can of beans.

How to thicken Minestrone

The key to an amazing bowl of soup is in the broth! Minestrone should have a rich, thick tomato broth laced with the essence of basil and Parmesan cheese. In fact, think of it more as a chili of pasta and vegetables.

Unfortunately, some versions are a bowl of broth with bits of vegetables and pasta. This should never happen and the good news is, it’s fixable.

Here are a couple of pointers:

• Add more beans and pasta. Both have a higher starch content which creates a nice, thick soup.
• Using the back of a stirring spoon, mash some of the beans and vegetables. This will release the starches and cause the soup to thicken up.

Like this recipe or soup in general? Good! Then you’ve got to check out these easy, homemade recipes you’ll crave year-round:

Which soup will you try next?

Minestrone Soup Recipe

This Stove Top Minestrone recipe is the real deal and brimming with seasonal veggies, beans, and pasta in a robust tomato broth.

• Author: Laura Fuentes
• Yield: 6 servings 1 x

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 32 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 medium zucchini sliced
• 15 ounce can white beans
• 15 ounce can Italian green beans
• 3/4 cup shelled pasta
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

1. In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until translucent. Add the celery and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste, basil, oregano, thyme, diced tomatoes, and broth, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the zucchini, beans, green beans, and pasta. Simmer until the pasta is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bowl
• Calories: 169
• Sugar: 8.8g
• Sodium: 633.9mg
• Fat: 4.3g
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 28.4g
• Fiber: 5.2g
• Protein: 6.8g
• Cholesterol: 2.4mg

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @LauraSFuentes on Instagram and hashtag it #momables