Vegan Minestrone Soup
Nothing beats a comforting bowl of soup that’s packed with fresh vegetables and makes your whole kitchen smell amazing! This vegan minestrone soup is perfect for anyone who wants a hearty, filling meal that’s also super healthy. You’ll love how it gives you tons of energy and makes you feel great inside and out.
Recipe Details
Timing & Servings: Prep Time: 30 minutes, Total Time: 30 minutes, Serves: 6 people.
Nutrition Profile: Nut-Free, Dairy-Free, Healthy Aging, Healthy Immunity, Soy-Free, High-Fiber, Vegan, Vegetarian, Egg-Free, Low-Calorie.
Nutrition Facts (per serving): 267 Calories, 9g Fat, 39g Carbs, 10g Protein.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Garlic: You’ll need 5 cloves minced up really small. Fresh garlic makes this soup smell incredible and adds so much flavor!
Extra-virgin olive oil: Get 3 tablespoons total, but you’ll use it in different parts of the recipe. This good quality oil makes everything taste richer.
Whole-grain rustic bread: One cup cubed up into bite-sized pieces. This becomes the most amazing garlic croutons that float on top!
Leek: You’ll want 1 cup chopped from the white and light green parts only. Make sure to rinse it really well since leeks can be sandy.
Carrots: One cup chopped up adds natural sweetness and that beautiful orange color. Plus, they’re so good for you!
Low-sodium vegetable broth: You need 3 cups for the soup base. The low-sodium kind lets you control how salty your soup gets.
Water: Another 3 cups to make the perfect broth consistency. Simple but so important!
Kosher salt: Just ¾ teaspoon brings out all the other flavors beautifully.
Ditalini pasta: One cup of these little tube-shaped noodles, or you can use any small pasta you have. They’re perfect for soup spoons!
Zucchini: About 10 ounces (one medium zucchini) halved lengthwise and sliced thin. It cooks super fast and adds great texture.
Cannellini beans: One 15-ounce can with no salt added, and make sure to rinse them. These creamy white beans make the soup really filling.
Baby kale: Three cups of fresh baby kale or regular chopped kale. It wilts down a lot, so don’t worry about it looking like too much!
Frozen peas: One cup that you’ve thawed out. They add the prettiest pop of green color and sweet flavor.
Ground pepper: Half a teaspoon gives it just the right amount of spice without being too much.
How to Make Vegan Minestrone Soup
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F first. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and stir it constantly for 3 to 4 minutes until it smells amazing and gets soft. Toss in the bread cubes and mix them around until they’re coated with that garlicky oil. Spread everything evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden and crispy.
Step 2: While those croutons are baking, heat the last tablespoon of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add your chopped leek and carrots and cook them for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring now and then until they get nice and soft. Pour in the vegetable broth, water, and salt. Cover the pot and crank the heat up to high to bring it to a rolling boil.
Step 3: Add the pasta and turn the heat down to medium-high. Cook it uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring often so nothing sticks. Then add your sliced zucchini and keep cooking and stirring for about 5 more minutes until the pasta is al dente – you know, still a little firm when you bite it.
Step 4: Stir in the rinsed beans, kale, thawed peas, and pepper. Cook everything together for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until that kale wilts down. Ladle the soup into 6 bowls and top each one with those amazing garlic croutons you made!
Easy and Quick Vegan Minestrone Soup Version
Want to make this even faster? You can totally skip making the croutons and just buy some good store-bought ones! Also, you can use pre-chopped vegetables from the produce section to save tons of prep time. If you have leftover cooked pasta, add 2 cups of it in the last step instead of cooking it from scratch. This cuts your cooking time down to just 15 minutes!
Serving Ideas
This soup is already a complete meal all by itself, but it’s amazing with some crusty bread on the side for dipping. A simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette pairs beautifully too. For something extra special, serve it with some warm focaccia bread or garlic breadsticks.
Storage
Store any leftover soup in the fridge for up to 4 days in a covered container. To reheat, just warm it up on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally. You can also microwave individual portions for 1-2 minutes. The soup might thicken up a bit, so feel free to add a splash of vegetable broth or water when reheating.
Substitutions
No leeks? No problem – use a medium onion instead! You can swap the cannellini beans for any white beans you have, like great northern or navy beans. If you can’t find ditalini pasta, elbow macaroni or small shells work great too. Don’t have kale? Spinach works perfectly and wilts even faster!
Pro Tips
- Perfect Pasta: Don’t overcook the pasta since it keeps cooking a little in the hot broth. Al dente is your friend here!
- Crouton Magic: Make extra croutons – they’re amazing on salads too and keep for a week in an airtight container.
- Veggie Prep: Cut all your vegetables before you start cooking. This soup comes together really fast once you begin!
- Flavor Boost: Add a splash of lemon juice right before serving to brighten up all the flavors.
FAQs
Can I make this soup ahead of time?
You bet! This soup actually tastes even better the next day. Just keep in mind that the pasta will absorb some of the broth, so you might want to add a little extra vegetable broth when you reheat it.
Is this soup really filling enough for a main meal?
Sure is! Between the pasta, beans, and all those vegetables, this soup is super satisfying. The protein from the beans and fiber from all the veggies will keep you full for hours.
Can I freeze this soup?
You can freeze it for up to 3 months, but the pasta might get a little mushy when you thaw it. For best results, you might want to freeze it without the pasta and add fresh cooked pasta when you reheat it.
What if I want to add tomatoes like traditional minestrone?
Go for it! Add a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes along with the broth and water. It’ll give you that classic minestrone flavor and color you might be missing.
I hope you love this cozy, healthy soup as much as I do! Let me know how it turns out for you and if you try any fun variations. There’s nothing better than sharing good food and recipe tips with fellow soup lovers!
