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!
My plant-based take on minestrone
Minestrone is a classic Italian vegetable and borlotti bean (sometimes called “cranberry beans”) soup. While it’s vegetarian, it traditionally uses a parmesan cheese rind to add flavor the soup, which means it’s not vegan.
But if you’re looking for a vegan version, I’ve got you covered with this plant-based take. We’re building flavor with many plants, including nutritional yeast in place of traditional cheese.
It’s an easy soup that’s full of plant-based protein and fiber from the abundance of beans and vegetables. And my born-in-Italy husband approves!
Watch How to Make Minestrone
Watch this quick 40-second video to get an overview of how to make it, then keep scrolling to see more details about ingredients and prep steps.
Ingredient Notes
- Beans: add protein and fiber to the soup, I’m using kidney beans but white, navy, or other types of beans work as well (canned or cook dried beans in the Instant Pot)
- 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
Step-by-step photos
1
Cook veggies + simmer
To a large pot, add sliced celery, diced onion, sliced carrots, and garlic, and let the vegetables cook until they begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes.
Next, add the beans, green beans, tomatoes, vegetable, bay leaf, thyme, and oregano broth and stir ingredients to combine. Bring to a boil, then simmer 15 minutes.
2
Add pasta + season
Once the soup has simmered, stir in pasta and cook for 7-8 minutes more, or until pasta is cooked to al dente. Then stir in the parsley and taste the soup and adjust seasonings.
3
Garnish + serve
Serve soup in bowls with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast and a pinch of spicy red pepper flakes (optional). Then enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Common beans used in minestrone soup include borlotti (cranberry) beans, 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.
More bean-filled plant-based soups
If you love this bean and veggie soup, here’s a few more to try:
Vegan Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 stalks celery, sliced thin
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 1 ½ cups kidney 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 1 tablespoon olive oil and let heat. Then add sliced 3 stalks celery, diced 1 small yellow onion, and sliced 2 medium carrots and let the vegetables cook until they begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes. Then add minced 3 cloves garlic and 1 pinch salt and pepper, cooking 2-3 minutes more or until the garlic begins to brown and release it’s aromatic flavor.
- Simmer soup: Add 1 ½ cups kidney beans*, 1 cup green beans, 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon thyme, and 1 teaspoon oregano 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 1 cup dry small pasta noodle and cook for 7-8 minutes more, or until pasta is cooked to al dente. Once it’s cooked, stir in the ⅓ cup fresh Italian parsley and taste the soup and adjust seasonings, if desired.
- Serve soup: Serve soup in bowls with a sprinkle of 1 pinch nutritional yeast and 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional). Then enjoy!
Equipment
- 1 large pot or Dutch oven
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
UPDATE: This recipe was originally published in May 2023 and was updated in March 2025 for clarity.
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