Classic Minestrone Soup
A simple but delicious hearty Italian vegetable soup featuring fresh vegetables, pasta, and beans. Serve with rustic Italian bread and garnish with vegan parmesan cheese.
Equipment
- stove
Ingredients
- 1 onion chopped (1 ½ cups)
- 2 large carrots peeled, sliced (1 ½ cups)
- 2-3 celery ribs chopped (1 cup)
- 4-5 cloves garlic minced (1½ Tbsp)
- 2 cups cut green beans
- 1 cup green peas
- 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 1½ cups 1 can white beans, cooked and rinsed*
- 1½ cups 1 can kidney beans, cooked and rinsed*
- 6 cups Umami Vegetable Broth or water
- 2 bay leaves
- 2½ tsp Italian seasoning blend***
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 zucchini halved and sliced
- 1 cup small pasta**
- 2 cups kale or spinach, stems removed and roughly chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, sauté the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic for 8-10 minutes, adding a tablespoon of broth or water to prevent sticking, as needed.
- Add in the green beans, peas, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, broth, bay leaves, seasoning, and red pepper flakes.
- Increase the heat to high and attach a tight-fitting lid. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add in the zucchini and pasta, replace the lid, and cook another 8-10 minutes.
- Remove the lid, remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the chopped kale (or spinach), and cook 1-2 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente and kale is soft. Remove from the heat.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings, salt, and pepper to taste. Add more broth, if needed/desired.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with vegan parmesan and fresh herbs, if desired. Serve with rustic Italian bread and salad.
Notes
* You can use a variety of beans in this recipe, but white northern beans and kidney beans are more traditional. (soak and cook ½ - 1⅓ cup dry each)
** Almost any small pasta works well in this minestrone soup, including mini shells, orecchiette, small elbows, ditalini, etc.
*** To make your own dried Italian Seasoning blend, combine 1½ tsp oregano, 1 tsp marjoram, 1 tsp thyme, ½ tsp basil, ½ tsp rosemary, and ½ tsp sage. Yields 4 teaspoons. Store in an air-tight jar.
** Almost any small pasta works well in this minestrone soup, including mini shells, orecchiette, small elbows, ditalini, etc.
*** To make your own dried Italian Seasoning blend, combine 1½ tsp oregano, 1 tsp marjoram, 1 tsp thyme, ½ tsp basil, ½ tsp rosemary, and ½ tsp sage. Yields 4 teaspoons. Store in an air-tight jar.