Vegan Minestrone Soup
Vegan Minestrone Soup, a plant-based take on the traditional Italian vegetable, bean, and pasta soup using nutritional yeast instead of cheese. Easy and ready in less than 40 minutes!
Love minestrone soup but not sure how to make it plant-based? This easy peasy vegan take on traditional Italian minestrone is super easy – and the recipe is approved by my Italy born-and-raised husband and mother-in-law (they love it!).
👉 Ready to learn how to make plant-based minestrone? Let’s do it!
🎥 Recipe video
Watch me make this easy soup in this 20-second video!
🫘 Ingredients
- Beans: add protein and fiber to the soup, I’m using kidney beans but white, navy, or other types of beans work as well
- Tomatoes: canned diced tomatoes add a rich, tomato flavor and acidity to the soup, but you can substitute with fresh tomatoes
- Green beans: adds fresh, crisp texture and flavor to the soup
- Celery, onion, carrots, garlic: add sweet, savory, and pungent flavor to the soup
- Pasta: a small pasta noodle is traditional for minestrone; I used cavatappi in this soup, but elbow macaroni or other small pasta work as well
- Olive oil: used to sauté the aromatic vegetables and add flavor, you an substitute with any other cooking oil of your choice
- Herbs and seasonings: salt, pepper, red pepper (optional) and herbs like thyme, oregano, parsley, and bay leaf add a burst of fresh flavor
- Nutritional yeast: replaces the parmesan or pecorino cheese in traditional minestrone and adds a nutty, cheesy flavor without dairy
- Vegetable broth: provides a savory, umami flavor base for the soup
- Recommended tools: large pot, knife, cutting board, measuring cups and spoons
🥣 How to make (step-by-step photos)
1️⃣ Step One: Cook vegetables
To a large pot over medium-high heat, add olive oil and let heat. Then add sliced celery, diced onion, and sliced carrots and let the vegetables cook until they begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes.
Then add minced garlic and a pinch of salt pepper, cooking 2-3 minutes more or until the garlic begins to brown and release it’s aromatic flavor.
2️⃣ Step Two: Add all ingredients and simmer soup
Next, add the beans, green beans, tomatoes, vegetable, bay leaf, thyme, and oregano broth and stir ingredients to combine.
Then bring the soup to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover the pot with a lid. Cook for 15 minutes.
3️⃣ Step Three: Add pasta
Once the soup has simmered, stir in pasta and cook for 7-8 minutes more, or until pasta is cooked to al dente.
Once it’s cooked, stir in the parsley and taste the soup and adjust seasonings, if desired.
4️⃣ Step Four: Garnish and serve the soup
Serve soup in bowls with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast and a pinch of spicy red pepper flakes (optional). Then enjoy!
❓ Recipe questions + quick tips
Common beans used in minestrone soup include kidney beans, cannellini beans, navy beans, and garbanzo beans (chickpeas). These beans all have a similar texture and can be used interchangeably in the soup.
There are several types of pasta that can be used in minestrone soup, including small shapes like elbows, shells, or ditalini, as well as larger shapes like fusilli or penne. The key is to choose a pasta that will hold its shape and texture in the soup without becoming too soft or mushy.
Traditional minestrone soup may contain cheeses like parmesan or pecorino, the broth may be animal based (chicken or beef), and some versions of the classic soup may contain meat like pancetta. A plant-based minestrone soup can be made with vegetable broth and use nutritional yeast or a vegan cheese.
🧊 How to store and reheat
- Refrigerator storage: Store leftover minestrone in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer storage: Freeze in a freezer-friendly bag or container for up to 1 month. To thaw, remove from the freezer into the refrigerator for 24 hours before reheating.
- Reheat instructions: To reheat, cook for 5 minutes on the stove or 2 minutes in the microwave.
👉 More plant-based soup recipes
Want more vegan soup recipes? Try Radish Greens Vegetable Soup, Lemon White Bean Kale Orzo Soup, and White Bean Kale Quinoa Soup.
Vegan Minestrone Soup
Equipment
- 1 large pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 stalks celery sliced thin
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 1 ½ cups kidney beans or white beans cooked, drained, and rinsed (or 1 can)
- 1 cup green beans cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon thyme dried or fresh
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried or fresh
- 1 cup dry small pasta noodle cavatappi, shells, or elbows
- ⅓ cup fresh Italian parsley chopped
- 1 pinch nutritional yeast for garnish
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Cook aromatic vegetables: To a large pot over medium-high heat, add olive oil and let heat. Then add sliced celery, diced onion, and sliced carrots and let the vegetables cook until they begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes. Then add minced garlic and a pinch of salt pepper, cooking 2-3 minutes more or until the garlic begins to brown and release it’s aromatic flavor.
- Simmer soup: Add beans, green beans, tomatoes, vegetable, bay leaf, thyme, and oregano broth and stir ingredients to combine. Bring the soup to a rolling boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover the pot with a lid. Cook for 15 minutes.
- Add pasta: Once soup has simmered, stir in pasta and cook for 7-8 minutes more, or until pasta is cooked to al dente. Once it’s cooked, stir in the parsley and taste the soup and adjust seasonings, if desired.
- Serve soup: Serve soup in bowls with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast and a pinch of spicy red pepper flakes (optional). Then enjoy!
Video