Vegetarian Minestrone Soup Recipe - Peas and Crayons (2024)

This homemade vegetarian minestrone soup is vegetarian comfort food at it's best!

Recipe yields 2 quarts of soup and yields 8 cups or 4 larger bowls of soup.

5 from 10 votes

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Servings: 8 servings

Author: Jenn Laughlin - Peas and Crayons

• 1-2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion (1/2 a large onion)
• 1 cup diced celery (2 large stalks)
• 1 cup diced red bell pepper (1 pepper)
• 2 cups diced carrots
• 2-4 cloves garlic (smashed and minced)
• 2 cups cubed butternut squash
• 5-6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup canned tomato sauce
• 15 oz cannellini beans, 1 can (rinsed and drained)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp parsley
• ½ tsp sea salt or salt to taste
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp dried basil
• ⅛ tsp dried oregano
• 1-1.5 cups ditalini pasta or equivalent

• Heat 1-2 tablespoons of your favorite olive oil over medium heat in a large pot.

• Add the onions, carrots, celery, butternut squash and bell pepper, and cook on medium, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, approx 10 minutes.

• Add the garlic towards the end to prevent burning.

• Next add your tomato sauce and 5 cups of vegetable broth (save the other cup to add later if desired]) along with your bay leaf, garlic powder, basil, and oregano.

• Save the salt for the end and season to taste.

• Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

• While your soup simmers, bring a pot of water to boil and cook your pasta if you . Some recipes swear by adding the raw noodles to the soup towards the end to add to the thickness of the soup but I always find the result to be a bit slimy and the noodles soak up a ridiculous amount of the broth. For best taste and results, I cook my noodles separately. It's an extra step [and pot] but 100% worth it to me for the difference it makes with soups like minestrone that are a perfect combination of brothy and chunky!

• Discard the bay leaf.

• Add the beans and cooked pasta and heat through.

• If the soup is too thick, add an extra cup of vegetable broth.

• Depending on the saltiness of your beans, tomato sauce, and broth, you'll want to salt the soup based on personal preference. That may mean no salt at all, just a pinch, or 1/2 tsp like I used. Let your tastebuds be your guide!

• Serve with slices of crusty baguette spread with your favorite butter.

Feeling fancy? Whip softened butter with your favorite pesto and serve with a crusty french baguettedunked in the soup sandwich-style - YUM!

adapted from Ina Garten

Nutrition facts below are an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and do not include extra additions or swaps.