Plant Based Minestrone Soup
This hearty plant-based minestrone soup is packed with vegetables, pasta, beans, and rich tomato flavour. It’s an easy one-pot meal that’s perfect for using up leftover veg and tastes even better the next day.
Equipment
- 1 Large saucepan / soup pot (with lid)
- 1 Chopping Board & Sharp Knife
- 1 wooden spoon or spatula
- 1 Can Opener
- 1 Ladle (optional)
Ingredients
- 10.5 oz short pasta 300 g
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 celery stalk finely diced
- 1 large carrot finely diced
- 1 large yellow onion finely diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon tomato purée tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 x 14 oz cans chopped tomatoes 2 x 400 g cans
- 2 ½ cups vegetable stock 600 ml
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 medium potatoes peeled and finely diced
- 1 zucchini roughly diced (1 courgette)
- 3 cups water 700 ml
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 x 14 oz can cannellini beans drained (1 x 400 g can)
- 2 handfuls fresh spinach
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Sauté veg Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery, carrot and onion.
- Add the salt and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetables soften and start to lightly caramelise.
- Stir in the tomato purée, dried oregano, dried basil and chili flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Pour in the chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock and water. Add the bay leaf, diced potatoes and zucchini, then bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the dried pasta, cover with a lid, and cook for 12–15 minutes (or according to package instructions), stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through.
- Stir in the cannellini beans and cook for 2 minutes to heat through. Season with black pepper.
- Add the spinach and stir through. Cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
- Stir through the lemon juice just before serving.
Notes
- Serving suggestion: Delicious with toasted sourdough, garlic bread, or focaccia.
- Starter option: Serve in smaller portions as a starter - this soup works beautifully both ways.
- Make it your own (“odds & sods” style):
Swap courgette/zucchini and potatoes for other veg you’ve got, like green beans, peas, kale, cabbage, sweetcorn, or butternut squash. - Pasta tip: If you’re planning to store leftovers, the pasta can soak up liquid over time. You can:
- add an extra splash of stock/water when reheating, or
- cook pasta separately and add to bowls when serving.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Freezes well for up to 3 months (best if pasta is cooked separately).
- Extra zing: A drizzle of balsamic glaze or extra lemon juice right before serving is amazing.