Vegetarian Minestrone Soup Recipe

Save This Recipe

Just enter your email below and we will send this recipe right to your inbox, plus we will send more yummy recipes and ideas.

This hearty minestrone soup is loaded with vibrant vegetables and cozy bites of pasta. This is a comforting and nourishing dish, perfect for warming up on a chilly evening.

Print Pin

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 50

Servings: -12 Servings

Author: Michelle

Ingredients

4 cups cooked Ditalini pasta 2 cups uncooked
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced yellow onions
2 cups 2-3 carrots, peeled and diced into 1/2" cubes
2 cups 4 stalks celery, diced into 1/2” pieces (see note)
2 tablespoons minced garlic 3-4 cloves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons of fresh minced thyme leaves
2 cans 14.5 ounces each chopped or diced tomatoes, with the juice
8 oz tomato sauce canned. Not marinara or pasta sauce
6 cups vegetable stock or broth
4 cups 3 medium unpeeled yellow squash, diced into 1/2" bite sized pieces (see note)
1 dried bay Leaf
1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cans 15-ounce each cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups 10-12 ounces frozen cut leaf spinach
2 tablespoons of prepared pesto
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar or fresh lemon juice

Instructions

In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the diced onion, celery, and carrots. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the veggies begin to soften.
Add the minced garlic and thyme and cook for one minute.
Add the diced tomatoes with the juice, tomato sauce, vegetable stock, diced yellow squash, bay leaf, and salt and pepper.
Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cook vegetables for 10-15 minutes or until the squash is tender.
Add the drained cannellini beans, frozen spinach, and pesto. Cook for 5 minutes more to warm the spinach and let the flavors blend.
Once the spinach is warmed through, add the cooked ditalini pasta and 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.
Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
Serve with a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese.

Notes

Dicing Celery: slice the thinnest part of the stalk down the middle lengthwise and slice into 1/2" pieces. For the wider part of the stalk, make 3-4 slices lengthwise into sticks. Then dice the celery sticks into 1/2" pieces
Yellow squash is often referred to as summer squash. It's similar to a zucchini.
Dicing the Squash: Slice in half lengthwise and then in half again to make four long squash spears. Then chop the spears into 1/2" pieces from there.
Cutting the vegetables around the same size will ensure even cooking
You can use fresh spinach or kale in place of frozen.

Cuisine Soup Recipes

Course Lunch/Dinner

Nutrition