Hearty Vegetarian Minestrone Soup starts from first principles — dried cannellini or navy beans simmered with onion, garlic, and bay into the broth itself, then built out with a tomato base of olive oil, carrot, and celery. Two and a half hours, and most of it is gentle simmering.
Minestrone, which literally translates to ‘big soup,’ is the heart and soul of Italian home cooking. It’s more than just a recipe; it’s a beautiful, flexible template for a soup that changes with the seasons. This deeply savory vegetable soup, brimming with beans and pasta, is layered with the Mediterranean flavors of garlic, onion, tomatoes, and a hint of Parmesan. In winter, it’s a cozy hug in a bowl filled with hearty greens like kale. In summer, it transforms with bright green beans and fresh peas. Ready to make the most comforting, vegetable-packed soup you’ve ever had? Let’s get simmering!
Ingredients
• For the Beans
• ½ pound / 225g (7.9 oz) dried white beans (cannellini or navy), soaked
• 2 quarts / 2L water
• 1 medium onion, halved
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt to taste
• For the Tomato Base
• 2 tablespoons / 30ml (1 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 2 tablespoons / 8g (0.28 oz) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts, sliced
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can (14.5-ounce or 28-ounce / 411g / 14.5 oz or 794g / 28 oz) chopped tomatoes with juice
• ½ teaspoon / 1g (0.04 oz) dried thyme or 1 teaspoon (5 ml) fresh
• Salt to taste
• To Finish the Soup
• 2 medium turnips, peeled and diced
• 1 Parmesan rind (optional, for flavor)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup / 75g (2.65 oz) elbow macaroni or other small pasta
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
1. Cook the Beans: Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large pot with 2 quarts / 2L of water, the halved onion, crushed garlic, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons (10 ml / 0.3 fl oz) of salt and continue to simmer for another 30-45 minutes until the beans are just tender. Remove and discard the onion, garlic, and bay leaf. Do not drain the beans; reserve the flavorful broth.
2. Start the Soup Base: While the beans cook, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until they begin to soften.
3. Build the Flavor: Add the parsley and leeks, cooking for another 3 minutes until the leeks wilt. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the canned tomatoes and their juice, add the thyme, and season with salt. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have cooked down.
4. Combine and Simmer: Pour the cooked beans and all of their savory broth into the pot with the tomato base. Add the diced turnips and the Parmesan rind. Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 45-60 minutes until the beans are fully tender and the flavors have melded.
5. Finish and Serve: Remove and discard the Parmesan rind. Season the soup with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir in the pasta and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until al dente. Serve hot, topped with a generous amount of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Nutritional Information
• Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 1/6th of recipe)
• Calories: 350 kcal
• Protein: 15g
• Carbohydrates: 55g
• Fat: 8g
• Note: is an estimate and may vary based on used.
Pro Tips
• for Perfect Minestrone
• Make It Ahead: This soup tastes even better the next day! Store it in the fridge and simply reheat. For the best texture, cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl just before serving.
• Go Vegan: To make this recipe completely vegan, simply omit the Parmesan rind during cooking and skip the cheese topping when serving. The soup is still incredibly flavorful!
• Quick & Easy Version: In a hurry? Substitute two 15-ounce cans of cannellini beans (drained and rinsed) for the dried beans. Add them in Step 4 and reduce the final simmer time to 30 minutes.
• Seasonal Swaps: Clean out your veggie drawer! In winter, add diced butternut squash or chopped kale. For a taste of summer, stir in fresh green beans, peas, or diced zucchini during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
• Pasta or Rice: No small pasta on hand? Substitute ⅓ cup / 65g (2.29 oz) of Arborio rice. Add it in Step 5 and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until tender.
FAQ
Q: How can I make this minestrone soup vegan
A: To make this recipe completely vegan, simply omit the optional Parmesan rind during the simmering process and skip the grated Parmesan cheese for serving. The soup remains incredibly rich and savory from the slow-cooked vegetables and bean broth.
Q: Is this vegetarian minestrone a good source of protein
A: Absolutely. The primary protein source in this soup is the half-pound of dried white beans. Each hearty serving provides approximately 15g (0.53 oz) of plant-based protein, making it a satisfying and complete vegetarian meal.
Q: Can I make this minestrone soup gluten-free
A: Yes, making a gluten-free version is very easy. Simply substitute the elbow macaroni with your favorite gluten-free small pasta. Alternatively, you can use ⅓ cup of Arborio rice or quinoa, adding it in the final step and simmering until tender.
Q: What is the best way to store and reheat this soup for meal prep
A: This minestrone is perfect for meal prep as the flavors deepen overnight. Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For the best texture, we recommend cooking the pasta separately and adding it to individual bowls just before reheating to prevent it from becoming mushy.
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Hearty Vegetarian Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the Beans: Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large pot with 2 quarts / 2L of water, the halved onion, crushed garlic, and bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add 2 teaspoons (10 ml / 0.3 fl oz) of salt and continue to simmer for another 30-45 minutes until the beans are just tender.
- Remove and discard the onion, garlic, and bay leaf.
- Do not drain the beans; reserve the flavorful broth.
- Start the Soup Base: While the beans cook, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt.
- Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until they begin to soften.
- Build the Flavor: Add the parsley and leeks, cooking for another 3 minutes until the leeks wilt.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the canned tomatoes and their juice, add the thyme, and season with salt.
- Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have cooked down.
- Combine and Simmer: Pour the cooked beans and all of their savory broth into the pot with the tomato base.
- Add the diced turnips and the Parmesan rind.
- Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 45-60 minutes until the beans are fully tender and the flavors have melded.
- Finish and Serve: Remove and discard the Parmesan rind.
- Season the soup with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Stir in the pasta and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until al dente.
- Serve hot, topped with a generous amount of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- Seasonal Swaps: Clean out your veggie drawer! In winter, add diced butternut squash or chopped kale. For a taste of summer, stir in fresh green beans, peas, or diced zucchini during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
