Finding a healthy comfort food like this Vegan Minestrone Soup is like hitting the Jackpot. Too often, my comfort foods come in the fried potato category. But something about pasta in a rich wine broth has comfort food written all over it. This vegan classic is incredibly versatile and bursting with familiar Italian flavors. It's one you'll make over and over as a meal or as a side dish.
Served with crusty bread or a rich pasta dish, this soup is perfect for dinner guests. And for some reason, a classic minestrone seems appropriate all year round. This recipe is one-pot and only 30 minutes of cooking time!
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- packed with healthy vegetables
- shell pasta that cradles the beans for the perfect bite
- hearty enough for a meal
- perfect as a main or side dish
- incredibly comforting all year round
You can make it exactly as is or substitute in-season vegetables. Minestrone soup was made for versatility!
What is Minestrone Soup?
Minestrone soup is a classic Italian soup made with vegetables. It is different from a regular vegetable soup because of its thick and hearty texture. Minestrone soup has beans and pasta in addition to vegetables. In contrast to minestrone soup, a typical vegetable soup is usually lighter and more brothy.
How can you add extra flavor?
I've heard people say minestrone soup is bland. But in this recipe, that couldn’t be further from the truth!
You can add flavor to minestrone soup with red wine, tomato paste, and spices. The longer you allow the soup to simmer, the more strongly the flavors will infuse the broth for the most flavorful minestrone.
I made three batches of this recipe to find the perfect flavorful minestrone soup broth. And I am so excited to share it with you!
What makes this soup so healthy?
As part of the Mediterranean diet, minestrone soup is super healthy for you. Fiber from the beans and vegetables keep you full and they are loaded with nutrients. More than half of the soup is vegetable based which satisfies the government guidelines for building a healthy meal. And it is entirely plant-based and vegan.
This recipe is also gluten-free if you use gluten-free pasta shells like I did. For gluten-free, I also recommend double-checking your ingredients for hidden gluten.
If you need help searching for hidden gluten in your ingredients, use our printable list of gluten ingredients to avoid.
Let's make Vegan Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- olive oil
Fresh Veggies
- yellow onion
- zucchini
- celery
- garlic
Broth
- dry red wine
- vegetable broth
- canned diced tomatoes
- tomato paste
Spices
- salt
- ground black pepper
- Italian seasoning
Beans & Pasta
- canned white beans
- canned kidney beans
- frozen cut green beans
- small shell pasta (I used gluten-free)
Finishing Touches
- spinach
- Italian flat leaf parsley
Instructions
Once you see how easy this is, you will never buy canned minestrone soup again! The full instructions are below with step-by-step photos, but these are general guidelines for making minestrone soup from scratch:
- Saute raw vegetables until soft.
- Add garlic and seasonings.
- Then add the wine and allow the alcohol to sizzle out.
- Add broth ingredients and simmer (tomato paste, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes).
- Add beans and simmer until all beans and vegetables are soft.
- Remove from heat and stir in spinach. Garnish with fresh parsley.
That's it -- just 6 very simple steps to the perfect healthy vegan soup!
More healthy soup recipes
- Easy Instant Pot Tomato Soup
- Super Addictive Thai Chicken Soup
- Soothing Golden Beet + Turmeric Soup
- Savory Pumpkin Stew
- Northwest Beef Stew in the Instant Pot
Pairings
Eat this soup as a main with a Gluten-Free Baguette (coming soon) or our amazing Dairy Free Tiramisu!
Or pair it with one of these fan-favorite vegan pasta recipes:
Print
Healthy Vegan Minestrone Soup
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This authentic Vegan Minestrone Soup is bursting with flavor! Serve with crusty bread or a rich pasta for guests. Easy, one-pot, gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Fresh Veggies
- ¾ cup medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced thinly
- ½ cup celery, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Broth
- ⅓ cup dry red wine
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
Spices
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoons ground pepper
- 2 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
Beans & Pasta
- 1 14-ounce can white beans
- 1 14-ounce can kidney beans
- ¾ cup frozen cut green beans
- 1 ½ cups small shell pasta, uncooked (I used gluten-free)
Finishing Touches
- 2 cups spinach, packed
- chopped Italian flat leaf parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium high heat. Then add onion, zucchini, and celery. Cover with a lid and cook, stirring on occasion, until vegetables begin to soften (about 5-7 minutes).
- Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and stir constantly for about 30 seconds. Then add the wine and allow the alcohol to sizzle out (1-2 minutes).
- Add broth, canned diced tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add white beans, kidney beans, green beans, and pasta to the pot. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until all vegetables, beans, and pasta are soft.
- Remove from heat and stir in spinach. Serve hot with fresh chopped parsley to garnish.
Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months. When reheating frozen soup, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight prior to reheating for best texture.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Soup
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: healthy minestrone soup,
This recipe is the perfect dreamy Vegan Minestrone Soup recipe adapted from the Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup recipe I created as a freelancer for Mashed.com.
I know you'll enjoy this house favorite recipe!
xo, Jamie
Robin
I will never eat canned minestrone again! This is so easy, tasty, and I keep wanting more 🙂
★★★★★
Jamie
Awww thank you Robin! We feel exactly the same way in my house!
Candice
I never saw a minestrone soup recipe with wine in it - such a good addition! It really adds some depth to the broth. Thank you for sharing your recipe. This is going to become one of my fall / winter staples!
★★★★★
Brenda B.
This has become my favorite way to pack extra veggies into the week! I had the swedish meatballs on this site and thought this was a great way to balance out with some extra veg. I also like that this soup is thick and filling, almost like a minestrone stew. I hate thin vegetable soups with no veggies!
★★★★★