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vegan italian minestrone soup recipe

Hearty Vegan Italian Minestrone Soup

This vegan Italian minestrone is a simple, comforting soup made with fresh vegetables, beans, and pasta. It comes together in about 30 minutes using everyday ingredients and delivers a nourishing, satisfying meal perfect for busy weeknights.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean, Vegan / Plant-Based
Calories: 280
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Vegetables
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 2 carrots diced
  • 2 celery stalks diced
  • 1 zucchini diced
  • 1 cup green beans cut into small pieces
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
Beans & Tomatoes
  • 1 can 15 oz kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • or cannellini beans or chickpeas
  • 1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
Pasta
  • 1 cup small pasta ditalini, small shells, or elbow pasta
Liquids
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 cups water plus more as needed
Herbs & Seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 –2 bay leaves
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes optional
  • Salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
Cooking Fat (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • or use water for oil-free cooking
Finishing (optional but recommended)
  • Fresh parsley or basil chopped
  • Lemon juice to taste

Method
 

Prepare the vegetables
  1. Dice the onion, carrots, and celery. Cut the zucchini and green beans. Mince the garlic. Having everything ready makes cooking smooth and stress-free.
Sauté the base (optional but recommended)
  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly fragrant.
Add garlic
  1. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn.
Build the soup
  1. Add diced tomatoes, beans, green beans, zucchini, vegetable broth, water, dried herbs, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, and pasta. Stir well.
Simmer
  1. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add spinach
  1. About 5 minutes before the soup is done, stir in the spinach. It will wilt quickly into the hot broth.
Adjust and finish
  1. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Add more broth or water if the soup is too thick.
Serve
  1. Remove bay leaves. Finish with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice if desired. Serve hot with crusty bread.

Notes

  • For better leftovers, cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl when serving.
  • This soup thickens as it sits because the pasta absorbs liquid. Add broth when reheating.
  • You can easily swap vegetables based on the season or what you have on hand.
  • Freezes best without pasta; add fresh pasta when reheating.