Easy Vegan Minestrone Soup
This Easy Vegan Minestrone Soup is loaded with vegetables, hearty kidney beans, and pasta in a rich tomato broth. Made with pantry and freezer staples and ready in about 30 minutes!
Servings: 6
Calories: 354kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 package (16 oz) frozen mixed vegetables or 3 cups mixed vegetables like diced carrots, green beans, peas and corn.
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 carton (32 oz) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans rinsed and drained (or 1.5 cups of cooked beans)
- 1 cup chopped kale optional
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast optional
- 2 cups cooked noodles We like macaroni noodles. Ditalini is also a good choice. (Use gluten-free noodles, if desired)
- fresh chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
- In a soup pot over medium heat, sauté the onion in ¼ cup of the veggie broth until soft and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes
- Add the garlic, parsley, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir well and sauté 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the frozen vegetables, crushed tomatoes, the rest of the carton of veggie broth. Stir well to combine.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes to allow the veggies to become tender and the flavors to mingle.
- Add kidney beans, nutritional yeast, and kale, if using. Simmer another 2 to 3 minutes to warm through.
- Serve over cooked noodles with fresh chopped parsley to garnish.
Notes
Use frozen vegetables straight from the bag. No need to thaw first — they go right into the pot and will cook perfectly during the 20-minute simmer. This is what makes this soup so fast.
Drain and rinse the canned beans thoroughly. A good rinse removes excess sodium and any tinny flavor from the can.
Cook the pasta separately. Cook the pasta in a separate pot and add it to individual bowls at serving time. Do not cook the pasta IN the soup — it will continue absorbing liquid, become mushy, and make the soup very thick. If you have leftover cooked pasta in the fridge, even better — just use that.
Store the soup and pasta separately. Same reason as above — if you mix them and refrigerate, the pasta will absorb all the liquid overnight. Keep them in separate containers and combine when reheating.
Make a double batch. This soup is even better the next day and freezes wonderfully.
Serve with crusty bread or vegan garlic bread on the side for an even more substantial meal.
Nutrition
Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 945mg | Potassium: 487mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 4700IU | Vitamin C: 44.6mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 4.1mg