Celebrate soup season with this one-pot, 30-minute Vegan Minestrone Soup. Jam-packed with veggies, beans, pasta, and a rich broth, it’s a healthy comfort food you can feel good about.
PS: I have plenty of other vegan soup recipes to help warm you up during soup season.
Say hello to this veggie-packed, super easy, and extra satisfying Vegan Minestrone Soup. It’s the comfort food you’ve been dreaming about that doesn’t take hours to make. Simply throw the ingredients in a pot and it’s ready to eat in just 30 minutes!
I’ve tested minestrone soup recipes before that turned out thin and watery; that’s a big ‘no’ from me. Instead, this one is thick, flavorful, and totally delicious. It’s 1000 times better than the Olive Garden minestrone soup!
Minestrone soup vs. vegetable soup
Minestrone soup is a classic, hearty vegetable soup made with a variety of vegetables, beans, and pasta. It’s essentially the extra filling version of a regular vegetable soup (which omits the beans and pasta) and the perfect “clean the fridge out” meal.
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Olive oil – For sauteing the vegetables. Use vegetable broth or water for an oil free soup.
- Sweet onion
- Garlic
- Celery
- Carrots
- Zucchini – Feel free to swap this for yellow squash, white potato, sweet potato, or butternut squash.
- Tomatoes – Use canned diced tomatoes to keep this soup recipe as easy as possible.
- Vegetable broth
- Oregano, thyme, and basil – Dried herbs are fine. Feel free to use a pre-mixed Italian seasoning blend to keep things simple.
- White beans – Cannellini beans, white navy beans, or chickpeas are all great options.
- Kidney beans – Or replace these with black beans or pinto beans.
- Green beans – You can use fresh or frozen green beans, or replace them with frozen green peas.
- Pasta – Keep the pasta small and bite-sized, like ditalini, macaroni, or farfalle. For gluten free minestrone, use your favorite short gluten free pasta instead.
- Baby spinach – Kale, swiss chard, or collard greens would work well as substitutes.
- Fresh parsley – For garnish!
How to make vegan minestrone soup
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot, then add the onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and zucchini. Saute until slightly tender.
Next, add everything but the spinach to the pot and stir to combine. Bring the soup up to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer (uncovered) until the pasta is cooked.
Stir the spinach leaves into the soup and let them wilt. Season with salt and pepper to your liking, then ladle the finished soup into bowls with a sprinkle of vegan parmesan and fresh parsley on top.
Serve with a piece of crusty artisan bread or crackers and enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
- Can you make minestrone soup in the Instant Pot? I haven’t tested this recipe in the Instant Pot, but you could use the Saute function to saute the vegetables, then turn it off and add the rest of the ingredients (except the pasta and spinach). Cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes. When it’s done, add the pasta and use Saute mode again to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until the pasta is cooked. Stir in the spinach and you’re done!
- How long does minestrone soup last? Keep the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. I recommend storing the cooked pasta separately to prevent it from soaking up the liquid and becoming mushy.
- Can you freeze it? Yes, you can freeze minestrone but the pasta will be mushy when reheated.
Want more hearty soups?
Blustery weather calls for a big bowl of loaded, chunky soup, like:
- The Best Lentil Soup
- Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup
- Black Bean Soup
- Easy Vegan Potato Soup
- Vegan Corn Chowder
Vegan Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 15 ounce can small white beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup frozen cut green beans (or fresh)
- 1/2 cup small shell pasta
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
- Optional: Vegan Parmesan
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrots and zucchini and saute for 5-10 minutes, until the vegetables are a bit tender.
- To the pot, add the diced tomatoes and their juices, vegetable broth, dried herbs (oregano, thyme, basil), white beans, kidney beans, green beans and pasta. Stir. Bring to a boil, then lower heat the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the pasta is cooked.
- Stir in the spinach and let it wilt. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with a loaf of crusty bread, if desired, and sprinkle each bowl with a little fresh parsley and vegan parmesan.
Notes
- May substitute the dried herbs for 2 teaspoons of Italian Seasoning.
- Gluten free: Use gluten free pasta.
- The soup can be frozen, though the pasta will be mushy when reheated. Leftover soup will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- You can use other seasonal vegetables as well, such as butternut squash, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, peas, kale, collard greens, swiss chard. Feel free to mix and match based on what you have on hand.
Nutrition
Recipe inspired by Dinner at the Zoo.
Hi there, I’m using your recipes on an almost daily basis and love each and every one of them. I am traveling to Egypt soon so fresh veggies can be questionable, nonetheless, hard to find. I tried to search for frozen spinach ahead of time but they don’t seem to have it in the supermarket nearby. Do you have a recommendation as a substitute that might be canned? I love fresh but I have limited options and I think Minestrone is a great left over (and then some) meal! I will have a hot element plate and a small fridge so I’m trying to be innovative 🙂
Hi Amanda, I’m happy to hear you’re making my recipes on a regular basis! You could use any canned leafy green, it’s not the same as fresh, but it should work. If needed, just leave it out altogether and do your best with what’s available to you.
So easy and delicious. Perfect for a rainy night. I made this along with your kale Caesar salad (also delicious). We will make this again.
Sounds like a cozy and wonderful dinner, Nicole! Thanks for letting me know how much you enjoyed your dinner, and for sharing your positive review! Wishing you happy cooking!
What is a serving???
This was good but it lacked a certain depth of flavour that minestrone with meat and parmesan cheese has. It was just a veggie soup. I took some white beans and pureed them and added to the broth and that helped. I am not sure how you could add that flavour without animal ingredients. In a past life I used a parmesan rind which made a huge difference. I also felt there wasn’t enough pasta but that is an easily solved problem. I always keep the pasta separate from the soup because it gets too soggy left in. Perhaps some of the liquid could be pasta water to add depth? Normally I am crazy about your recipes and this was okay just not the next level I was hoping for
I’m not sure I’ve ever had meat minestrone, but maybe roasting the veggies or using fire-roasted tomatoes would give you the depth you are looking for? Homemade vegan parm usually has nutritional yeast, and that also adds a little something. A tablespoon of red wine vinegar also kicks tomato-based vegan soups up a notch.
Sounds weird, but I have even taken pickling spice wrapped in cheesecloth or a tea ball and tossed it into a vegetable soup to steep for a while. The result is far from a minestrone, but it makes an amazing veggie soup.
Maybe toss in some chopped vegan sausage?
Just made this today (it’s super cold in Denver today). The only edit I’ll make when I make it again is to double the pasta. 1/2c just isn’t enough
Great recipe! I used pre-seasoned Italian diced tomatoes because that is what I had on hand. I also left out the zucchini because I didn’t have one. I was looking forward to having leftovers because it makes a lot but everyone went back for seconds so there are no leftovers!
Haha, what a great problem to have! I’m thrilled the soup was a hit, Heidi. Thanks so much for the feedback and review!
I have made this recipe several times and this soup is so delicious. I love this recipe and I have never made a Nora recipe that wasn’t delicious. I make exactly to the recipe. So quick and easy to make and is great for Christmas/New Year get togethers. I place it in a crockpot and people can serve themselves when opening gifts or celebrating together.
I love your idea of having this soup hot and ready at holiday get togethers! Thanks for sharing your wonderful feedback and review!
I loved your chili recipe and I now live your minestrone soup thanks .di you have a cook book
Thanks Debbie! I don’t have a cookbook yet, but I hope to one day!