30-Minute Vegetable Minestrone Soup

This 30-minute vegetable minestrone soup is exactly what a weeknight dinner should be. It is warm, filling, and full of tender vegetables, creamy beans, and little pasta shells in a savory tomato broth.

It all comes together in one pot with mostly pantry staples, and you can swap in whatever vegetables are hanging out in your fridge. Leftovers taste even better the next day.

Why This Soup Always Hits the Spot

The broth tastes like it simmered for hours, but a quick soffritto of onion, carrot, and celery does the heavy lifting in just a few minutes. Stirring in tomato paste before the liquid gives it that deep, almost meaty richness without a scrap of meat.

I love that the beans make it hearty, the zucchini and green beans keep it fresh, and the pasta soaks up all that flavor. It is the soup I crave when the weather turns cold and I want something that feels like a proper meal but does not ask much of me.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil: extra virgin is great here
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste: this builds the savory backbone
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes: with their juices
• 4 cups vegetable broth: use a good-tasting one, it matters
• 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans: drained and rinsed, or use cannellini
• 1 cup green beans: trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 small zucchini: diced
• ½ cup small pasta: ditalini, elbows, or small shells
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp dried basil
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and black pepper
• Parmesan rind (optional): adds incredible savory depth
• Fresh parsley or basil: for serving
• Grated Parmesan: for topping

Variations / Substitutions

• Swap the beans: Use cannellini or great northern beans instead of kidney beans for a creamier bite.
• Change the vegetables: Add a couple handfuls of baby spinach at the end, swap zucchini for yellow squash, or toss in chopped broccoli florets.
• Add heat: A pinch of red pepper flakes stirred in with the garlic gives it a gentle kick.
• Go gluten free: Use your favorite small gluten-free pasta and cook just until al dente.
• Make it vegan: Skip the parmesan rind and use a vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast for topping.

If you love this, you might also like my Pasta e Fagioli Soup.

How to Make Vegetable Minestrone Soup

Step 1: Sauté the Aromatics

Heat the 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery with a small pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent.

Stir in the 3 minced garlic cloves and 2 tbsp tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute longer. The tomato paste will darken to a brick red. This step builds the deep savory note that makes the soup taste like it simmered all afternoon.

Step 2: Simmer the Broth

Pour in the can of diced tomatoes with their juices, 4 cups vegetable broth, the drained kidney beans, ½ tsp oregano, ½ tsp basil, bay leaf, and a parmesan rind if you have one. Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes.

The broth will turn a rich orange-red and start to smell wonderful. The beans soften further and the flavors begin to marry.

Step 3: Cook the Pasta and Veggies

Stir in ½ cup pasta, the green beans, and the diced zucchini. Bring the soup back to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes. You want the pasta tender and the vegetables cooked through but still with a little bite.

Taste the broth and add salt and pepper as needed. If the soup seems too thick, splash in a bit more broth or water. The pasta will drink up liquid as it cooks, so do not worry if it looks a touch loose right now.

Step 4: Ladle and Serve

Fish out the bay leaf and the parmesan rind, then ladle the soup into wide bowls. Top with chopped fresh parsley or basil and a shower of grated parmesan. Serve it hot, with something crusty on the side for dipping.

A Few Notes Before You Start

• Dice all the vegetables into similar bite-sized pieces so they cook at the same rate. It makes the soup easier to eat, too.
• Pull the soup off the heat as soon as the pasta is just al dente. It will keep softening in the hot broth and absorb more liquid as it sits.
• Taste and adjust the salt right before serving. Canned beans and store-bought broth vary a lot in saltiness, so your soup might need a pinch more than you think.
• For an even heartier bowl, stir in an extra can of drained white beans along with the kidney beans.

Keeping Leftovers Fresh

• Refrigerate: Store cooled soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The pasta will soak up broth over time, so add a splash of water or broth when reheating.
• Reheating: Warm it gently in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. A lid helps it heat through without steaming off all the liquid.

What to Serve With Vegetable Minestrone Soup

Crusty bread is the classic partner, something sturdy enough to dunk into the broth. A simple green salad with a lemon vinaigrette cuts through the richness and rounds out the plate. If you have a jar of pesto, a small spoonful swirled on top of each bowl adds a bright, garlicky finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Yes. Sauté the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and tomato paste on the stove first, then transfer everything except the pasta, zucchini, and green beans to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 hours. Add the pasta and tender vegetables in the last 20 minutes on high.

Can I add meat?

You can. Brown 8 ounces of crumbled Italian sausage or diced pancetta right in the pot before you add the vegetables, then proceed with the recipe as written. The fat from the meat will make the broth even richer.

Is this minestrone vegan?

It is easily made vegan. Leave out the optional parmesan rind and skip the cheese garnish. The soup still has plenty of deep flavor from the tomato paste and herbs.

Vegetable Minestrone Soup Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 250

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• ½ cup small pasta (ditalini, elbows, or small shells)
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp dried basil
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and black pepper
• Parmesan rind (optional)
• Fresh parsley or basil, for serving
• Grated Parmesan, for topping

Method

 

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, until softened. Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute more.
2. Add diced tomatoes with their juices, broth, kidney beans, oregano, basil, bay leaf, and parmesan rind. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook 15 minutes.
3. Stir in pasta, green beans, and zucchini. Simmer, uncovered, 8 to 10 minutes, until pasta is al dente and veggies are tender. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Remove bay leaf and parmesan rind. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh herbs and grated Parmesan. Serve hot.

Notes

The pasta will continue soaking up broth as it sits, so if you plan to serve the soup later, cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl just before ladling.