Veggie-Packed Minestrone Soup

Last updated on March 1st, 2026

This Veggie-Packed Minestrone Soup is loaded with vegetables, two kinds of beans and pasta in a delicious tomato broth. It’s nourishing, easy to make and the leftovers are even better!

Served with your go-to crusty bread, this classic minestrone soup is light and fresh yet makes a hearty and satisfying vegetarian meal.

Here’s everything you’ll need to make it

• 3 tablespoons (42 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon (15 grams) tomato purée
• 2 medium-sized carrots, trimmed and sliced
• 1 green zucchini, trimmed and roughly chopped
• 1 celery rib, trimmed and sliced
• 1 cup (190 grams) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup (185 grams) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon (1 gram) dried basil
• 1 teaspoon (1 grams) dried oregano
• 1 lb (455 grams) Roma tomatoes diced or 1 280ml (10 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup (100 grams) pasta shells or another small pasta of your choice
• 5 cups (1.5 litres) vegetable stock
• 1 cup (35 grams) baby spinach
• 2/3 cup (70 grams) freshly grated Parmesan
• 4 tablespoons (5 grams) fresh basil, sliced (chiffonade)
• Kosher or fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Quick and easy to make, this homemade Minestrone Soup recipe features loads of brightly coloured seasonal vegetables and affordable pantry staples.

Why you’ll love this Minestrone Soup

Minestrone really is the ultimate vegetable soup. Simple enough to put together on a chilly Sunday afternoon, it’s ideal for meal-prepped lunches through the week. Made with everyday wholesome ingredients like protein-packed cannellini and kidney beans, your favourite pasta and a garlicky, tomato-based broth, this soup is a crowd-pleaser. And it’s on the healthier side too!

Delicious any time of year, this Veggie-Packed Minestrone Soup is even better from spring through fall when freshly harvested produce is readily available. Serve it with your favourite crusty bread!

Try this Fire Roasted Tomato Soup or this Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Soup next.

If you make this recipe, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! 

And of course, feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews. This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you!

Minestrone Soup

Served with your go-to crusty bread, this veggie-packed minestrone soup is light and fresh yet makes a hearty and satisfying vegetarian meal. Made with protein-packed cannellini and kidney beans, your favourite pasta and a garlicky, tomato-based broth, this soup is a crowd-pleaser any time of year. And it's on the healthier side too!

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Total Time:50 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Keyword: basil, beans, minestrone, pasta, soup, vegetables

Servings: 4

Equipment

• Cutting board
• 5.5 Qt Dutch oven
• Deli storage containers

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato purée
• 2 medium-sized carrots trimmed and sliced
• 1 green zucchini trimmed and roughly chopped
• 1 celery rib trimmed and sliced
• 1 cup cannellini beans drained and rinsed
• 1 cup red kidney beans drained and rinsed
• 2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 lb Roma tomatoes diced or 1 280ml (10 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup pasta shells or another small pasta of your choice
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 4 tablespoons fresh basil sliced (chiffonade)
• Kosher or fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

US Customary – Metric

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Instructions

• Heat oil in a large pot on medium-low heat. Add onion and cook gently for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until softened and fragrant.
• Stir in tomato paste, zucchini, carrots, celery, beans, garlic, basil and oregano. Mix well and continue to cook for 10 minutes turning over from time to time to keep the veggies from sticking to the pot.
• Stir in tomatoes, pasta and vegetable stock. Turn up temperature and bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork. If you find the broth to be a little too thick add a bit more stock or water to thin.
• Remove pot from heat and stir in spinach and half the Parmesan – the spinach will wilt quickly with no additional cook time required. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Transfer to serving bowls, top with basil and remaining Parmesan. Serve hot.

Notes

Make ahead: This soup can be made a day in advance or in the morning. Cook all ingredients except the pasta and keep well-covered. When ready to serve, stir in pasta and simmer on medium-low heat until pasta reaches desired texture (about 10 minutes for al dente).

Storage: Minestrone makes great leftovers and is ideal for meal-prepped lunches. Store as individual servings in well-sealed containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. If you know in advance that you will be freezing the minestrone, for best results I recommend that you reserve the pasta until ready to reheat then cook as above.