vegan minestrone soup in a bowl with a spoon

This vegan minestrone is a perfect year-round soup. Warm and comforting enough for the colder months, but brothy and vegetable-forward enough to make a delicious meal any season. It’s packed with tender green beans and pasta, loads of celery and carrots, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a combination of fresh and dried herbs. The result is a satisfying minestrone that maximizes everything I love about this traditional Italian dish. With just a bit of prep before you begin, this recipe comes together in about an hour, most of which is pretty hands off. Perfect for a weeknight dinner and even better as leftovers for lunch the next day.

OVERVIEW FOR MAKING VEGAN MINESTRONE

If I had to guess, you don’t need me to go into detail about how to make soup (LOL!). But for a quick overview, this vegan minestrone uses the classic ingredients like onions, garlic, celery, olive oil, and dried herbs. To put my own spin on things, I like to add fire-roasted tomatoes for an extra boost of flavor, in addition to some tamari and nutritional yeast for added umami. What makes my version extra delicious is the fried garlic and herb topping. This is optional (as it requires fresh herbs) and does require an extra step, but frying some garlic in olive oil with fresh herbs and adding it to the soup right before serving really does make this soup pop.

onions cooking in a pot
carrots and celery cooking with onions and herbs in a pot
canned tomatoes and bay leaves added to a pot with other ingredients
cooked pasta for final vegan minestrone
finished vegan minestrone in a large pot with a ladle scooping the soup

INGREDIENT TIPS FOR THIS VEGAN MINESTRONE

Now that we’ve gone over the gist of things, here are some ingredient highlights with tips, tricks, and substitutions to make this the best minestrone you’ve ever had.

Pasta: When it comes to pasta, ditalini is the more common shape used for minestrone. But why not change it up? I think going for a larger noodle is fun to eat and makes for a more impactful presentation. (I like to use cavatappi.) Also, you need to cook the pasta separately. It makes for a better texture and keeps the soup brothy. Don’t take a shortcut, y’all!

Greens: When I was creating this recipe orginally, I called for fresh greens (like kale, arugula, etc.), but when I made it for the 3rd time, I decided that I like using the classic green bean as well. Go with what you have and what you are craving! If you do go for the greens, I would say add them towards the very end so they don’t get overcooked.

Beans: I love using a variation of both chickpeas and kidney beans for this vegan minestrone soup. That said, it would also be lovely with cannellini or even white lima beans. Use what’s in the pantry, love!

Red Wine Vinegar: This sharp and zippy vinegar is a must! True, the base of the soup has tomatoes which offers some great acidity, but the red wine vinegar really rounds it out, I find. Don’t skip it.

Tomato Paste: When I was a teenager, my friend’s mom taught me to fry the tomato paste in olive oil to make the recipe taste its best. I do that for this recipe and it does work beautifully. You are very welcome! I like to buy the kind that comes in tubes, which you can store in the fridge.

vegan minestrone soup in a bowl

ENJOY THIS VEGAN MINESTRONE!

Once everything is combined and cooked, you will be ready to enjoy a piping hot bowl of vegan minestrone soup! When serving, garnishing with additional fresh herbs and a drizzling of your very best olive oil is always welcome. If you do try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. It greatly helps the health of my site and makes me oh so happy to read. In addition, there are just a few FAQs to help you with this recipe below. Thank you for being here and happy cooking!

-Timothy

Can I make this recipe gluten free?

Sure! Simply use your favorite gluten free pasta or even rice would be fabulous! I love a rice and tomato broth situation.

Can I freeze this recipe?

Yes! I would say, to be safe, you can freeze it for up to 4 months (but you could probably push it to 5 or 6 if you want to be bad). It freezes nicely and is a great way to get a quick meal on the table!

What should I serve this with?

I recommend serving this delicious vegan minestrone with some toasted bread or a crusty baguette, a roasted vegetable side (like my roasted brussels sprouts), and a simple salad.

IF YOU LIKED THIS, CHECK OUT THESE OTHER RECIPES:

Zuppa Toscana
Gumbo
Black Bean Soup

vegan minestrone in a bowl with a spoon
5 from 6 reviews

Minestrone

Servings: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Author: Timothy Pakron
This savory vegan minestrone soup is easy to make and totally delicious. It's loaded with vegetables, serves a crowd, and freezes beautifully.
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Ingredients

Minestrone

  • ¼ cup chopped parsley
  • 4 bay leaves, fresh or dried
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 ½ teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 5 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • ⅓ cup olive oil, 80 mL
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 large celery stalks, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted, chopped tomatoes
  • 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained, or desired bean
  • 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained, or desired bean
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons tamari, or soy sauce
  • 8 ounces trimmed green beans, chopped into bite sized pieces
  • 2 cups cavatappi or ditalini pasta, 5 oz / 140 g

Optional Fried Garlic & Herbs

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more, as needed
  • 3 fat garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme, de-stemmed
  • 1 ½ teaspoons fresh oregano, de-stemmed and chopped

Instructions 

  • Gather the herbs and spices: In a small bowl, combine the parsley, bay leaves, nutritional yeast, salt, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, black pepper, dried thyme, and dried oregano, crushing the dried herbs with your fingers as you add them. Mix to combine and then add the chopped garlic to the bowl. Set aside.
  • Sauté the vegetables: Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onions along with a pinch of sea salt and a few cracks of pepper, and mix well. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly translucent. Then add the carrots, celery, and another pinch of salt and pepper, and continue to cook for 5 additional minutes, stirring every so often, until tender.
  • Toast the garlic and spices: After 5 minutes, reduce the heat to medium and add the bowl of garlic and spices. Toast for 5 minutes, stirring often, then add the tomato paste and toast for an additional 2 minutes, until slightly darkened and fragrant. Then add the red wine vinegar to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom to lift up any browned bits.
  • Add the liquids and beans and boil: After deglazing the pan, add the chopped tomatoes and continue to cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring often. Then add the cooked beans, water, and tamari or soy sauce, stirring to combine. Turn the heat up to high and crack the lid over top. Continue to cook until it comes to a boil.
  • Add the green beans and boil the pasta: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Continue to simmer over low heat while you prepare the pasta. To do so, bring a separate, small pot of salted water over high heat and cover with a lid. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and immediately add to the soup, along with the green beans. Let cook until the green beans are tender.
  • Make the optional topping: To a cold skillet, add the olive oil, thyme, oregano, and a pinch of salt. Turn the heat to slightly above medium and cook until the garlic is just slightly golden, mixing every so often, and adding more olive oil, if desired. Once the garlic is done, pour it directly into the pot of soup.
  • Finish and serve: Before serving, mix well and give it a taste. Add more salt and pepper, if needed. Ladle into desired bowls and serve as is or garnish with a drizzle of cold-pressed olive oil and more fresh herbs, if desired. Enjoy immediately.

Notes

You can store this soup tightly-sealed in the fridge for up to 1 week and freeze for up to 4 months.
Please keep in mind, this recipe is much easier to make if everything is measured out and chopped before starting. Doing this makes for a seamless cooking experience, so I highly recommend it! 
Nutrition Information
Calories: 203kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Sodium: 1072mg, Potassium: 380mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 5535IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 58mg, Iron: 2mg

Food styling, photography, and recipe by Timothy Pakron
Text by Hannah Kearing and Timothy Pakron