A delicious veggie-loaded recipe for vegetable minestrone soup. Easily adapted to use up whatever veg you happen to have in the house. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
I love a recipe that helps you get your five-a-day and this vegetable minestrone soup is certainly one such dish.
It's packed with delicious fresh vegetables, as well as a filling portion of pasta.
Minestrone soup is warming, fresh and delicious. It's a great vegetarian and vegan meal that the whole family can enjoy.
What is minestrone soup?
Minestrone soup originates from Italy. It's a thick soup that contains vegetables and pasta.
Ingredients vary but it usually includes onions, carrots, vegetable stock and tomatoes.
Beans are often used too. In my veg-packed minestrone I’ve used cannellini beans.
What to serve with minestrone soup
Minestrone soup is filling enough to be a meal on its own.
However, to make it even heartier you could serve it with croutons or some fresh bread. In fact bread is essential with soup in our house - the kids insist upon it!
Alternatively you could try these vegan flatbreads from my other site, Cook Veggielicious.
I usually serve my minestrone with some grated vegan parmesan as well. I make my own out of ground almonds, nutritional yeast and salt.
Storing minestrone soup
Minestrone soup is best eaten fresh otherwise the pasta goes very soft.
If you want to cook in advance I would recommend cooking up to the end of stage 3 in the recipe card below, then cooling and storing in the fridge. Reheat and cook the pasta in the soup when you’re ready to eat.
Saying that, if you find yourself with leftover minestrone soup it is totally fine to store in the fridge (once cool) and reheat the next day - you’ll just find the pasta a little soft.
Freezing
As above ideally I would recommend freezing your minestrone soup without the pasta. However, if you have leftovers that you want to freeze they’ll be fine - just bear in mind that the pasta will be soft.
Allow to cool completely then transfer to a freezer box or bag. Don’t forget to label with the name and date.
When ready to eat defrost in the fridge overnight and then reheat until piping hot.
Vegetable minestrone soup ingredients
For full recipe, ingredients and quantities go to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Carrot
- Celery
- Garlic
- Oregano
- Courgette (zucchini)
- Red peppers (capsicum)
- Green beans
- Tinned chopped tomatoes
- Tinned cannellini beans
- Vegetable stock
- Small dried pasta shapes eg macaroni
- Frozen peas
- Salt and pepper to taste
More vegetable soup recipes you might like
If you like this you might also like:
Pin this vegetarian minestrone soup recipe for later
How to make vegetarian minestrone soup
For full recipe, ingredients and quantities go to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Fry the onion, carrot and celery in olive oil until soft.
- Add the garlic, then the peppers, courgette and green beans and dried oregano.
- Pour over the hot vegetable stock, then add the cannellini beans and the tomatoes. Bring to the boil then simmer for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked. Add more stock if needed.
- Add the pasta and the peas and cook until the pasta is soft - usually 10-12 minutes.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
If you have made this recipe I would love it if you’d leave a comment and rating below. Thank you!
Vegetable minestrone soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 2-3 medium carrots diced
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 courgette (zucchini) diced
- 2 red peppers (capsicum) diced
- large handful green beans sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 240 g tinned cannellini beans (one standard tin) drained and rinsed
- 1.5 litres vegetable stock
- 150 g small dried pasta shapes
- 100 g frozen peas
- salt and pepper to taste
To serve
- handful of chopped parsley
- vegan Parmesan cheese alternative optional
- bread or croutons optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over a medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the chopped onion, celery and carrots, cover the pan with a lid and sweat for 10 minutes until softening.
- Add the garlic, stir and cook for a few minutes, then add the chopped courgettes, peppers and green beans. Add a teaspoon of dried oregano and stir well. Cook for five minutes.
- Pour in the tinned tomatoes, beans and 1 litre of the vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Stir occasionally, adding more stock if needed.
- Add the pasta shapes and frozen peas and cook for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is done. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in the chopped parsley and serve with grated vegan parmesan alternative and croutons or bread if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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Dianna Stewart
Can you translate this to USA measurements (ounces/pints etc.) and what is "courgette"???
Mandy Mazliah
Hi Dianna, a courgette is what you would call zucchini. If you click on the US customary measurements underneath the recipe you can change to cups/ounces.
Zoe smith
Could this be done in a slow cooker xx
Mandy Mazliah
Hi Zoe, I have never cooked with a slow cooker but I don't see why not. I guess you'd need to be careful not to over cook the pasta but perhaps you could add this towards the end? Let me know how you get on!
Annie B
I love homemade soup but I have never made minestrone. Thanks for including this recipe on #MakingHome. I reckon at least one of my little Bs will love this!
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks Annie. I know - why is it always only one of them that likes these things!!!
Jac -Tinned Tomatoes
This is one amazing minestrone. I love how thick and wholesome it is, almost a stew. Fabulous! Thanks for submitting it to Meat Free Mondays, is now live. Stumbled and pinned.
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks Jac - glad you liked it!
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks Jac - glad you liked it!
Corina
My 1 year old would love this so it's definitely something I'll have a go at. I have a similar problem with my older one. She refuses most vegetables and pasta and I'm always repeating that she doesn't have to eat it etc!
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks Corina. I wonder how long it'll be before those older kids finally get the message?!!
Hayley @Snap Happy Bakes
I love a one pot meal stuffed full of veg! Especially when the winter months start! #CookBlogShare
Mandy Mazliah
Absolutely- less washing up is always a bonus!
Sarah James @ Tales From The Kitchen Shed
Your minestrone soup looks delicious, perfect for this time of year. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks Sarah! Definitely one I'll be making again x