This easy vegan minestrone soup recipe is perfect for a throw-together, use up whatever is in the fridge type dinner (a.k.a the best kind!).
I love when I can create a balanced meal by just throwing things into a pot, and this fabulous soup (packed with veggies) lets me do just that.
The combination of beans, whole grain pasta, and vegetables makes it balanced and filling. But it’s also the easiest recipe to put together, and it feeds a crowd, too.
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Easy Minestrone Soup
Possibly my favorite thing about this soup is that it uses up leftover pasta (!!!). Seriously, does anyone know how to make an appropriate amount of pasta?
I always cook way too much and then I end up trying to figure out how to eat it for days. So if you’re like me, recipes that use up leftover pasta are a big deal.
Of course, if you don’t have any leftover pasta on hand, you can easily boil up a pot to toss into this soup. It really is a simple, delicious dish that everyone loves.
You might also like this vegetarian tortellini soup recipe! And here are more delicious vegetarian soup recipes to try.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make this tasty soup, you’ll need:
- vegetable broth
- canned tomato sauce
- chopped veggies (I used carrots, celery, zucchini, squash, red pepper, and kale here, but you can use basically any combination of veggies! Green beans are also a popular option for minestrone.)
- fresh basil (This adds amazing flavor, so I highly recommend not skipping this ingredient if possible!).
- canned kidney beans
- cooked pasta (I used whole wheat rotini)
If you don’t have kidney beans, then cannellini (white) beans would be a great substitute.
If you aren’t vegan or vegetarian, try this cozy crockpot chicken noodle soup!
How to Make Minestrone Soup
When I say this minestrone is easy to make, I mean it’s really easy. If you want, you can sauté some garlic and onions in a pan until fragrant, then add the other ingredients.
Or, feel free to skip that and just bring vegetable broth, water, tomato sauce, and whatever veggies you have on hand to a simmer and cook for a few minutes. Next, stir in beans, cooked pasta, and greens. Et voila – you’ve got dinner!
A tip: if you’re not going to eat it all in one sitting, I’d suggest keeping the pasta separate. Just add it right before serving. That way it won’t get soggy!
I love how flexible this recipe is. Just about any veggie will work, so feel free to throw in fresh veggies that are sitting in the back of the fridge, frozen veggies, or anything else you have around. You can never have too many veggies in here!
If you aren’t vegan or vegetarian, you can also add some ground meat in if you want. Just saute it until cooked through, then toss it into the soup. And/or sprinkle on some parmesan cheese when you serve. You do you!
The full vegan minestrone soup recipe is at the bottom of this post. Enjoy!
Looking for more quick and easy dinner recipes? Here are some of my favorites!
- Chicken White Bean Chili Soup
- Raspberry Chipotle Black Bean Chili
- Sweet Potato and Lentil Curry
- Saucy Tomato and Artichoke Chicken
- Healthy Tuna Noodle Casserole
- Chicken Coconut Curry
- Sheet Pan Asian Salmon with Veggies
- Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
- Baked Sesame Tofu with Veggies
- Butternut Squash Turkey Chili
Vegan Minestrone Soup
The combination of beans, whole grain pasta, and veggies in this soup makes it balanced and filling, but it's seriously the easiest recipe to put together, and it feeds a crowd, too.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups veggie broth (1 32-oz container)
- 1 15-oz can tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- about 4 cups chopped veggies (this is flexible - use more or less depending on what you have around! I used carrots, celery, zucchini, squash, red pepper, and kale)
- 8 basil leaves, chopped
- 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups cooked whole wheat pasta
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- Add the veggie broth, tomato sauce, water, veggies, and basil to a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 7-10 minutes, until veggies are tender.
- Add the beans, pasta, and salt and pepper to taste. If you're using greens like kale or spinach, add them in now too. Stir and let heat through, then serve!
