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A spoonful of pasta vegetable soup held over a white bowl, with a slice of bread on the side.

Vegetarian Minestrone Soup Recipe

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.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 10 -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.
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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

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 883mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 15g