A few simple ingredient swaps turn the classic minestrone into a vegan meal. Vegetable broth and almond milk are the secret weapons that make this a comforting soup for the evening.
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This minestrone is a classic “use up” recipe updated to be an instant vegan favorite. The recipe uses hearty chickpeas, lots of greens and greens to make a soup a delicious, filling meal. It’s not difficult at all to make this comforting soup!
What is minestrone?
I love minestrone soup because the non-vegan version is also very vegetable-heavy. It’s an Italian soup that acts as a catch-all for whatever vegetables you might already have on hand – it’s most commonly made with small pasta/rice, broth, greens and beans.
Best of all, this soup is solidly healthy. It’s packed with veggies, veggies, and beans. It doesn’t get much better.
How to make vegan minestrone
Traditional minestrone doesn’t come very far from being vegan, but there are a few small tweaks you can make to please everyone:
- Drain the chicken broth and use the vegetable broth.
- Omit the parmesan cheese.
If I leave out the cheese, I like to stir in some almond milk cream instead. The cheese usually melts in the soup, adding a creamy layer that I miss in most vegan versions. But almond milk cream can do the same thing — and inject a bit of nuttiness you might miss from cheese, too.
I like to start my vegan minestrone with the classic soffritto, which is made with onions, celery, and carrots cooked in olive oil, just like the traditional minestrone. I also chose chickpeas here because I like the texture of the bean compared to a softer navy or cannellini bean. From then on, I don’t deviate much from the classic elements of veg, veg, tomato, and broth.
The base for this soup is thicker than a traditional minestrone. If you prefer a thinner soup, add broth until you reach your desired consistency.
pasta or rice?
Since traditional minestrone calls for alternating pasta and rice, I like to stick with pasta that’s not much larger than rice. Orzo, cavatelli, mini macaroni, or even pearl couscous would work.
You want the pasta to be smaller than the largest cube of vegetables (either the potatoes or the green beans in this case). If you swap pasta for rice, make it a whole grain meal!
A quick weeknight dinner!
Don’t be afraid of a long list of ingredients. Most of them are dried herbs and staples you probably have on hand, and the soup itself is quick to make.
I also always have canned chickpeas and canned tomatoes in the pantry. I find when I need a meal with little planning, one or both can take me to dinner. Chickpeas are great for soups, seed bowls, and dips, while canned tomatoes can be made into pasta, pizza, and soups.
How to store and freeze leftovers
This soup makes a lot. We tend to make one serving for dinner, then it becomes lunch for the next few days. The minestrone keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days or can be frozen for up to six months.
I like to use Ball’s Freezer Safe glasses for individual small portions – for the perfect lunch! Just remember to leave a little headroom to allow the soup to expand as it freezes.
Looking for more great vegan recipes?
- Smokey vegan lentil stew
- Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowls
- Baked potatoes loaded with curried chickpeas
- BBQ Pulled Jackfruit Tacos
- Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos with Ranch Sauce
Vegan minestrone
ingredients
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2 tablespoon olive oil
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1 big yellow Onionchopped
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2 ribs celerychopped (about 1/2 cup)
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1 big carrotdiced (about 1/2 cup)
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2 cloves garlicchopped
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3 tablespoon tomato paste
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above 1 1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoesdiced (about 1 1/2 cups)
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1 Cup fresh or frozen green beans
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3 cups vegetable broth
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2 cups water
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4 ounces small pastasuch as orzo, cavatelli, small macaroni or pearl couscous
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1 teaspoon dried oregano
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2 teaspoon dried thyme
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1 Bay leaf
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2 teaspoon dried basil
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1 (fifteen Ounce) can crushed tomatoes
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1 (fifteen–ounce) can Chickpeasdrained and rinsed
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1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
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3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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2 cups baby spinach
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1/4 Cup unsweetened almond cream
method
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Cook Vegetables:
Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, followed by the chopped onion, celery, and carrot. Cook until tender and the onions are fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for another minute. Add the diced potatoes and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
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Cook a soup:
Add the green beans, broth, water, pasta, and herbs. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are just tender and pasta is al dente, 8 to 10 minutes.
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Add the rest of the ingredients:
Add the crushed tomatoes and their juice along with the chickpeas, salt and pepper and cook for a further few minutes to heat through. Finally, stir in the spinach and cook for another minute or two, until the spinach has wilted.
Turn off the heater. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the almond cream just before serving.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 355 | calories |
| 10g | Fat |
| 59g | carbohydrates |
| 13g | protein |
