Vegan Minestrone Soup

4.79 from 23 votes

Watch out, Rachel Ray; my vegan minestrone is just as delicious, oil-free, and plant-based. Enjoy the same savory goodness without all the fat and calories and enjoy this delightful vegan minestrone recipe for lunch, dinner, or freeze it for future meals.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Soups

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 196kcal

Author: Kathy Carmichael

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

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.

Cooking Layer 4

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 the soup in layers is the secret to cooking everything perfectly in one pot.
If using canned green beans, add them at the end and heat through. They are already soft and will overcook if added at the beginning of making the soup.
I used a vegetable chopper to cut my vegetables into equal-sized pieces so they cooked evenly. It also reduces food preparation time.
I enjoy this soup as an entree with bread, or I like to serve it with vegan Nicoise salad or blueberry salad.
Because my family enjoys vegan Minestrone soup so much, I usually make two batches and freeze the second batch in Souper Cubes.
The soup will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, and it is possible to freeze it. First, cool and chill the soup as quickly as possible within 2 hours of making it. If the soup is frozen, put it in resealable containers, freeze it for up to 3 months, and thaw the soup overnight in the fridge.
I recommend thawing the soup entirely before reheating it.

Nutrition