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Bowl of Italian vegan minestrone soup with cannellini beans, ditalini pasta, cavolo nero, and olive oil drizzle

Vegan Minestrone Soup Italian Recipe

A hearty Italian vegan minestrone built on a soffritto base, cannellini beans, and short pasta, cooked in one pot in 40 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 310
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soffritto base
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 celery stalks, finely diced include pale inner leaves if available
  • 2 medium carrots, finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
Vegetables and beans
  • 2 medium zucchini, diced into 1.5 cm cubes or substitute diced butternut squash in winter
  • 200 g waxy potatoes, peeled and diced into 1.5 cm cubes
  • 150 g cavolo nero (Tuscan kale), leaves stripped and torn or savoy cabbage
  • 400 g (1 can) canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 400 g (1 can) canned crushed tomatoes
  • 120 g frozen peas
Broth and pasta
  • 1.5 liters low-sodium vegetable stock approximately 6 cups
  • 150 g ditalini pasta (or small elbow macaroni)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 fresh rosemary sprig
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt adjust to taste
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
To serve
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
  • a small handful fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley leaves optional

Method
 

Build the soffritto
  1. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until the onion is pale, soft, and sweet but not brown.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more, stirring, until fragrant.
Add vegetables and tomatoes
  1. Add the diced potatoes and zucchini to the pot and stir to coat them in the oil for 2 minutes.
  2. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, stir to combine, and cook for 3 minutes until the tomato deepens slightly in color.
  3. Take half the cannellini beans and crush them roughly with a fork. Add both the crushed and whole beans to the pot.
Simmer the soup
  1. Pour in the vegetable stock. Add the bay leaves and rosemary sprig. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer.
  2. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife.
  3. Add the torn cavolo nero and stir it in. Simmer for 3 more minutes until the leaves are wilted but still vivid green.
Cook the pasta and finish
  1. Add the ditalini pasta directly to the pot. Cook for the time stated on the pasta package (usually 8-10 minutes), stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.
  2. Stir in the frozen peas in the last 2 minutes of cooking. They need just enough time to heat through.
  3. Remove and discard the bay leaves and rosemary sprig. Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper.
  4. Ladle into bowls and finish each serving with a drizzle of raw extra-virgin olive oil and a few fresh basil or parsley leaves.

Notes

If you're making this ahead, cook the pasta separately and stir it in just before serving - this keeps the broth from going too thick in the fridge.