Easy Vegetable Minestrone Soup
Easy Vegetable Minestrone Soup- no one will miss the meat in this simple and satisfying vegetable minestrone soup. Made in just one pot, it’s the perfect cure for a cold winter day!
This might just be my most favorite soup that I have on the blog. I know that’s making a big claim, considering I have over 50 recipes, but there’s something so simple and comforting about this one. I guess they’re kind of like children or dogs, I love them all for different reasons.
Minestrone feels perfect for the holiday season because it’s easy to make and is hearty enough to be a complete meal. You can always serve it with a side salad or sandwich but I find it to be plenty filling on it’s own.
Easy Vegetable Minestrone Soup Ingredients
- Mirepoix- As the base of any good soup or stew, we start with sautéing a combination of finely chopped onion, carrots and celery.
- Garlic, Zucchini and Kale- Garlic is used mainly for flavor and I personally enjoy zucchini and kale, specifically the lacinato variety, finely chopped. However, feel free to play with the veggies and use your favorites here.
- Oregano and Bay Leaf- Our two main seasonings, oregano is my go-to herb. Bay leaf adds a similar herby flavor to the broth as the soup cooks then gets removed prior to serving. Again, these ingredients can be adjusted depending on your preferences.
- Diced Tomatoes and Tomato Paste- Using diced tomatoes adds texture to the soup while tomato paste creates a rich tomato flavor in the broth. If you decide to forgo the tomato paste, just keep in mind you may need to add more seasonings to boost the flavor.
- Vegetable Broth- I like to make my own broth using Better Than Bouillon because I find it to be the most flavorful. But any vegetable broth you like will work.
- Pasta- We’re cooking the pasta in the broth to keep the recipe super simple however, I don’t recommend doing this if you’re using gluten-free pasta. It tends to fall apart in the soup if it sits too long or when it’s reheated so in that case I recommend cooking it separately and adding as you serve it. Cut back the broth in the recipe by 1 cup if you’re cooking the pasta separately.
- Beans- I used cannelini and kidney beans because I find they pair the best with the flavors in the soup but there’s no strict rule on what kind you have to use.
- Lemon Juice- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice really brings the soup together so please don’t skip this one! The vitamin C also helps you absorb all of the iron in the beans and kale so it’s a win-win.
How to Make Easy Vegetable Minestrone Soup
One of the reasons I love this recipe so much is that it’s made in just one pot. You just sauté the veggies, pour in the tomatoes, broth, pasta and beans then cook until the pasta is tender. Squeeze in some fresh lemon juice and boom, you’ve got dinner.
I highly recommend serving this with toasted sourdough (or your favorite bread) and cashew parmesan (or store-bought vegan parmesan) for ultimate cozy bliss. On a cold winter evening, it really doesn’t get more perfect than that!
Looking for more soup recipes? Check these out:
- Dairy-free Potato Soup
- The Best Lentil Soup
- Roasted Acorn Squash and Apple Soup
- 15-Minute Tomato Soup
- Creamy Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
- Tofu ‘Chicken’ Noodle Soup
- Lemony Lentil and Greens Soup
Easy Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 ribs celery, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 zucchini, sliced into quarters
- 2 cups chopped lacinato kale
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup dry pasta of choice
- 2 15-ounce cans of beans, drained and rinsed; I used kidney and cannellini
- juice of 1 lemon
- salt & pepper, to taste
- cashew parmesan and fresh parsley , for serving (see notes)
Instructions
- In a large pot, warm oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic, sprinkle with salt & pepper then cook for 5 minutes.
- Next add the zucchini, kale and oregano. Stir together and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth and bay leaf then bring to a low boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7-10 minutes depending on the pasta you choose.
- Lastly, stir in the beans and cook until heated through. Squeeze in the lemon juice and stir to combine. Add more salt & pepper, if desired. Serve warm with cashew parmesan and fresh parsley (optional), and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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It is definitely a soup time. That minestrone looks very yummy and filling, plus it is so simple to make. I love how you served it. I’m getting warmer just by looking at the color of that soup :). It is not any warmer here in NY area so I would be happy to have it for a dinner.
Wish I could bring you some to warm you up!
Ugh I keep hoping for it to get warmer too but nope – we just keep getting more and more snow! Which makes for perfect soup weather…this soup looks delicious!!
Hopefully it will be the last round of snow for you!
Love these quick and healthy soup recipes! Thanks for sharing.
Aww!! Yay! :) That makes me so happy. This is one of my first recipes too. My pictures are all crappy, lol.
By the way, Brandon applied to a position at Chapel Hill and also at Wakeforest so there’s a chance we might be coming your way soon! It probably won’t be until next year but how cool would it be to live so close?! Assuming you stay in there, of course.
I hope all is well with you! xoxo
That is such awesome news! I’m actually applying to jobs in the area and planning to stay in Chapel Hill for at least another year! And of course my mom is over in the Wake Forest area. I so hope that works out, I’ll keep an eye out for updates!
It’s in the pot cooking as of now, almost done. I didn’t have zucchini so I used a yellow squash and had to replace the kale with spinach due to health reasons but it looks delicious and can’t wait till dinner tonight. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!!
made this soup yesterday and it was absolutely to die for! I won’t be looking for another recipe for minestrone again this is the best. Thank you!
Coming back to write this review, I realized I left out the lemon juice at the end. Even without it I was coming to say that this is great! It will be in our soup rotation (which is robust!) Can’t wait to try with the lemon!
I made this on Sunday and had all the vegetables ready to go the night before. It made for a very quick and hearty winter meal. We all loved it!
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So quick to make and delicious!! My entire family (husband + three boys) devoured this soup.
Your minestrone soup recipe calls for cashew Parmesan to sprinkle on top. Do you have a recipe for making cashew Parmesan? I would appreciate have the recipe if you have one. Thank YOU! The minestrone soups looks delicious and I want to prepare it.
I’m so sorry I didn’t include that! You can find it listed in the notes now but I’ll also post it here for you:
To make your own vegan cashew parmesan, combine 1 cup raw cashews with 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
I hope that helps! :)