I find myself on a treadmill at the gym watching Rachel Ray from time to time. Unfortunately, I watched her take a potentially vegan minestrone soup and turn it into a fat-filled pot of unnecessary calories and fat. So, as always, I thought about how I would make a vegan minestrone soup recipe healthier than what I see on TV.
Then, I listened to her rave about the whole rind of parmesan cheese and the full-fat chicken and beef broth she added for flavor.
Although she used many vegetables, she sautéed them in olive oil. I love cooking shows, but I shake my head and say, "I can make that just as good without all that fat." So, I made a fabulous vegan minestrone soup recipe inspired by Rachel Ray.
Rachel's "key" to her minestrone is slowly cooking layer on top of a layer of vegetables in a particular order. So, I did the same without drowning them in oil, with vegetable broth and oil-free for my version of vegan minestrone soup.
Instead of using fatty chicken and beef broth, I used Organic Vegetable Broth, and in place of that nasty cheese rind, I used nutritional yeast.
Additionally, I added a few more vegetables to my vegan minestrone soup recipe because I love veggies, and I'm vegan. And all the ingredients, including the noodles, cook in one pot. That's right; another one-pot meal!
WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE IN THIS AMAZING VEGAN MINESTRONE SOUP?
- White Onion
- Garlic
- Carrots
- Celery stalks
- Yellow Zucchini
- Green Zucchini
- Baking Potatoes
- Dark Red Kidney Beans
- Chickpeas
- Fresh Green Beans
- Organic Spinach
- Organic Fire Roasted Tomatoes
- Orecchiette Pasta, or any pasta (gluten-free, wheat, or whatever you prefer)
- Organic Vegetable Broth
- Nutritional Yeast
- Garlic Powder
- Ground Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Onion Powder
MAKE CHOPPING EASIER BY USING A VEGETABLE CHOPPER
I make chopping more effortless and more uniform using my favorite vegetable chopper. This chopper has two different settings for small and larger-sized cuts, but it also cuts vegetables in identical sizes for uniform cooking.
I used the small chopping size for my vegetables for this recipe.
COOKING VEGAN MINESTRONE SOUP IN STAGES OR LAYERS
For instance, I combined garlic, onions, and celery to cook vegan minestrone.
Then I added the carrots and potatoes and half the vegetable broth. Next, I added the green beans, followed by the partially pureed fire-roasted tomatoes and another can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes.
Next is the yellow and green zucchini, remaining broth, noodles, nutritional yeast, and spices.
Although Rachel suggested light red kidney beans, I used dark red kidney beans and chickpeas. But you can choose any beans you prefer.
As a result of cooking in stages or layers, the flavors meld perfectly, and the vegetables cook ideally based on their nutrient density. The spinach, because it wilts immediately, is added last.
Even though the vegan minestrone cooks in layers, the beauty of this recipe is that it all cooks in one pot.
This vegan minestrone soup recipe is savory, full of vegetables, and easy to make. And it is easily achieved without any of the fat and calories in a typical minestrone soup recipe. Making it clean is always a better option than adding unneeded fat and calories.
I like to make a pot of vegan minestrone on Sunday, and Paul and I eat it all week long. Then, I fill up soup crocks and make other vegan salads for easy packing in the morning.
Cooking and prepping food beforehand makes taking a healthy lunch work easy.
IF YOU LOVE MINESTRONE SOUP, YOU WILL LOVE THESE VEGAN SOUPS
- Vegetable Soup with Beans
- Vegan Potato Soup
- Soup Recipes for the Fall
- Creamy Vegetable Soup
- Cream of Chickpea Soup Recipe
- Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup
- Vegetable Barley Soup
- Quinoa Vegetable Soup
- Cauliflower Potato Soup
- Potato Leek Soup
- Vegan Clam Chowder Oh My!
Vegan Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large White Onion diced
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 3 Carrots diced
- 3 Celery stalks diced
- 1 Yellow Zucchini diced
- 1 Green Zucchini diced
- 2 large Baking Potatoes diced
- 1 can Dark Red Kidney Beans rinsed, drained
- 1 can Chickpeas drained, rinsed
- 2 cups fresh Green Beans ends snapped off; beans snapped in half
- 16 ounces Organic Spinach chopped
- 2 cans Organic Fire Roasted Tomatoes divided (one can lightly blended but not pureed; one can left as is)
- 8 ounces Orecchiette Pasta or any pasta (gluten-free, wheat, or whatever you prefer) (yield 2 ½ cups dry pasta)
- 8 cups Organic Vegetable Broth
- ¾ cup Nutritional Yeast
- 3 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Ground Pepper
- 3 teaspoons Chili Powder
- 2 teaspoons Onion Powder
Instructions
- Rachel Ray cooks her soup in layers: So, follow these instructions by cooking layers, one at a time, adding on top of the first layer.COOKING LAYER #1
- In a large soup pot, saute garlic, onion, and celery until translucent.
COOKING LAYER #2
- Add carrots and potatoes, and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Add 4 cups of vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
COOKING LAYER #3
- Add green beans. Put one can of roasted tomatoes in a food processor and pulse until diced smaller; do not puree.
- Add to pot.
- Add the other can of diced tomatoes, as is, directly to the pot
- Stir
- .Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
SPICES AND DENSE vegetable Layer
- Add spices, nutritional yeast, and an additional 4 cups of broth.
- Add zucchini.
- Add Red Kidney Beans and Chickpeas ( you may use any beans you prefer).
- Stir.
- Add pasta and boil for 11 minutes (the time indicated on the bag of pasta)
- Taste to make sure your pasta, potatoes, and carrots are tender.
- Add spinach right at the end; it wilts immediately.
Notes
- Cooking in layers cooks the vegetables perfectly while using one pot.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Kathleen Allegro
OMG ... DELICIOUS!!!! Planned ahead, bought all the ingredients over the weekend and made it today while the snow fell outside of Philadelphia! Great meal for a snowy night!!!! Never heard of the yeast, but found it at Trader Joe's. A definite make over ... thank YOU!!!! No Oil Rachel Ray Copy Cat Vegan Minestrone Soup
Kathy Carmichael
I'm so glad you liked it!
Anonymous
Priscilla Porton
What vegetable broth can I use? I have not really used but once or twice if that and I don’t think I liked it. Can you give a couple of brand names? Thanks.
Kathy Carmichael
Priscilla, I use a brand call Culinary, but any brand is fine. You can use any brand. For instance, there is a popular brand called Imagine or a basic Kriger/Fry's store brand that works as well. I hope this is helpful.
Brenda
Thanks for the delicious and fat free version!
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Brenda, I hope you enjoy the soup. I appreciate the feedback and thank you! Stay safe and healthy, and let me know how you feel about the recipes you try. It really helps me to know what everyone likes.
Dolly
Made this yesterday. Definitely a keeper. Had enough left over to freeze.
Cheryl Lawrence
Oh my word!!! This soup turned out amazing.
I’d never had minestrone soup before, so wasn’t quite sure what to expect. It was a mouth full of wonderful flavors and textures, even after a few changes. I added a small bag of frozen mixed vegetables instead of the green beans and only had Cajun seasoning instead of chili, so I tossed that in.
My husband and neighbors, who are not vegans, loved the soup. I’ve forwarded the recipe to family and friends.
Thanks for a healthy and great tasting soup.
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Cheryl, I'm so glad you like the Minestrone soup. And it's always a bonus when the non-vegan people like it too. Thank you so much for reaching out. I appreciate the feedback. Happy New Year!
Cary
This is so yummy! I was scared when I added all that Nooch because it tasted so good before that, but I love it! This will be one of my favorite soups for sure! I didn't have fired roasted tomatoes, used regular diced and added a few frozen jalapeños from my garden. I had frozen green beans and corn mixture which adds a nice sweetness to the soup. Also I make homemade veggie broth which is so yummy. Thank you for the recipe!
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Cary, I'm so glad you liked the soup. It's funny how the Nooch gives it such a creamy texture and taste. I have never considered freezing my jalapenos from my garden. Do you deseed and chop them?
Beth Chaput
This soup is my FAVORITE! I recently became a vegan (just a few months) and I seriously can't get enough of this soup. I've made it 4 times already, and I eat it all, morning, noon and night. I don't even want anything else when I have this around. Thank you for an amazing and easy recipe!
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Beth, I'm so glad you like it! I appreciate the feedback. Thank you for taking the time to reach out.