Easy Vegan Minestrone Soup

Are you looking for a super easy and cozy vegetable soup for cold days? This vegan minestrone soup recipe is exactly that, and it’s so easy to make with only 5 minutes of prep work required! We’ve made this classic soup recipe even more perfect for home cooking by using canned beans and cooking the dry pasta all together in one pot.

Soup season is here and I am here for it. Whether I’m chilly from a full day of skiing or just feeling unmotivated on a Sunday night, a warm bowl of soup always hits the spot. I used to reach for cans of soup – minestrone being a common one for me.

Being the nutritionist that I am, I know they are filled with sodium and I knew I could make it better at home but just as easy to reheat. Now, I don’t want to get you too excited – but I crushed this recipe and I am SO excited to show you just how easy it is to make.

Why you’ll love it

• Adaptable with whatever stock or pasta you have on hand. While this is a vegan soup, if you only have chicken or beef broth, you could use that too.
• Meal prep this soup when you have a little bit of time, and then enjoy it throughout the week. It reheats fantastically!
• Shelf-stable ingredients like beans and crushed tomatoes make this a soup that you can make just about any time.

here’s what you’ll need

The right combination of spices is the key to any great soup. This soup uses classic spices and mirepoix to create tons of flavor in a short amount of time! This is just an overview. Jump to the recipe card for the full quantities.

• Mirepoix: This traditional French dish combines onions, celery, and carrots. While the carrots add sweetness, we use yellow onions here for just a touch more.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic is always best, but you can also use pre-minced garlic, which is found in the produce section of the store.
• Crushed Tomatoes: Some swear by fire-roasted tomatoes here, but I found no difference in taste whether I used them or not. With my food science background, I tested this a few times just to be sure.
• Kidney beans: Minestrone is an Italian soup and is believed to date back to Roman times when Roman beans were used for it. I prefer red kidney beans because they add great color, are easy to find in-store, and pack a good amount of fiber and protein. You could swap them out for your favorite type of beans, though, like white beans or cannellini beans.
• Vegetable broth: You can make your own vegetable broth or use store-bought. Either is fine. If you aren’t vegan or vegetarian, chicken or beef broth will work.
• Orecchiette pasta: You can use your favorite small pasta shape like macaroni, cascatelli, elbow, ditalini, etc. I should note that some pastas are not vegan, so just double-check the ingredients.
• Green beans: Fresh green beans are a must for this recipe; just be sure to cut the stems off. Canned green beans will become mushy when cooked for an extended period.
• Fresh spinach: I prefer baby spinach for this because it’s more bite-sized. Standard spinach will work, too, but I don’t recommend frozen spinach. Thinly sliced kale would also be tasty in this soup.
• Spices: Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt combine to create the Italian flavor that minestrone is known for. The red pepper is our little twist that makes this soup extra delicious with a little bit of heat!

How to make Minestrone Soup

This soup recipe is very simple to make as long as you read through the instructions first to understand the general process. For the full steps, with photos, scroll down to the recipe card. Here’s a brief overview to help you get started. Jump to the recipe card for the full instructions.

1. Make the flavor base by sauteing the veggies and spices.
2. Make it a soup by adding the broth, beans, and tomatoes.
3. Add in the fillings like the pasta and green beans.
4. Serve with fresh bread and vegan parmesan!

Storage

This veggie soup stores well in the fridge and can be kept in an airtight container for up to five days. This makes it ideal for reheating throughout the week. Just pop it in the microwave or reheat slowly on the stove. This soup isn’t the best for freezing, as the pasta turns mushy when reheated.

Variations

• Add veggies, like zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, or yellow squash.
• Add herbs like thyme, basil, oregano, or bay leaves.

Souplicious Serving Ideas

Add more vegan deliciousness to your meal by pairing this soup with my other vegan favorites.

• Microwave Baked Potato is so easy to make while the soup is cooking!
• Air Fryer Frozen Spring Rolls are super easy and the perfect crunch to go with cozy soup. It might seem like an odd flavor pairing, but trust me on this one.