Phew! It was so cold outside today. And yesterday we even had some snow. It’s maybe hard to believe, but I’m actually already in some kind of spring mood. I even bought some tulips for our kitchen and it looks so much like spring now. I mean it’s February, so basically it’s almost March and this means it’s almost spriiiing!! So please go away, winter! I’m SO ready for spring. But there’s one really good thing about winter: SOUP! Actually I wasn’t the biggest fan of soup when I grew up, but now I can’t get enough of it. There’s nothing better than a hearty soup on cold days. My new favorite is this vegan minestrone soup with white beans and pasta shells. The recipe is super simple, delicious, and filling. Plus, it’s so healthy with all these fresh veggies.
What You Need For This Vegan Minestrone Soup
As I already said, you’ll need white beans. I usually use canned cannellini beans, because I’m too lazy to cook them myself. Especially during the week I just don’t have enough time to do that. So canned beans and other legumes are a great alternative. Then you’ll need some small pasta shapes, like small shells. You could also use macaroni instead. And then of course a ton of fresh veggies, which will make this vegan minestrone soup a super healthy weeknight dinner! I used carrots, leek, celery, and a zucchini. As always, you can find the full recipe in a separate recipe box beneath the text section. To make it easier for you guys it’s even printable.
I used a special spice blend that helps you digest legumes much better to season this vegetable minestrone. It contains summer savory, sage brush, caraway seeds, and galangal. For my readers from Germany and Austria, it’s the new spice blend “Wieder gut!” from Sonnentor. If you’re a huge fan of legumes like me you should really give this a try. It’s not only super yummy, but it really helps you digest beans and lentils much easier. If you can’t get hold of this spice blend, you can also use herbs de Provence instead or any other Mediterranean spice blend that contains basil, oregano, rosemary etc. The vegan minestrone soup is best served with some fresh oregano and maybe some whole wheat bread.
I hope you like this vegan minestrone soup as much as I do. Let me know if you give it a try.
Sina – xx
Vegan Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 2 carrots, cut into medium-sized chunks
- 4 stalks of celery, cut into rings
- 1 leek, cut into rings
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14,5 oz)
- 1 can white beans (cannellini)
- 2 cups small pasta shapes like small shells
- 2 teaspoons dried herbs de Provence or any other Mediterranean spice blend (like thyme,basil, rosemary, and oregano)
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
Instructions
- Prepare the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Set aside.
- Heat some oil in a large pot and sauté the onion for about 2 minutes. Then add the garlic for another minute.
- After one more minute, first add the leek and then the carrots, the celery, and the zucchini. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, then stir in one teaspoon of the spice blend and deglaze with the vegetable broth and the diced tomatoes.
- Cook on low heat for about 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, fresh oregano, and the remaining spices. Add the cooked pasta and the beans and allow to heat through.
What a beautiful soup!! I love pasta in my soups but I also keep it separate and add it when I eat it because I’m so weird about my pasta staying al dente. I do that with cereal too. LOL!
This soup is gorgeous! It looks so perfect for a chilly evening.
I made minestrone last night for dinner – great minds! I took the easy way out, though, and used a bag of frozen mixed veg. I did add some fresh onion and celery though. :) And YES to pasta with soup!
Love, love minestrone soup! Your version looks so good!
It’s been cold and grey here, too, and this soup looks so warm and comforting!
I love Minestrone Soup. I haven’t made it in ages though. I really need to change that in the next few days. That spice blend that helps you digest legumes sounds so interesting!
Yes to spring, and tulips and daffodils! It’s going to be in the 60s in Chicago for the next four to five days and I’m so ready. :) Your minestrone soup looks so good, it’s one of my favorites. I’m going to have to make some soon.
This soup looks spot on! We’re having cold “soup weather” here, too. Rain today, snow later in the week – this recipe is definitely in the forecast!
Very yummy – even in the summer!!
Just made this with a box of whole wheat spaghetti I had in the cupboard, with the noodles divided into thirds. And half the vegetable broth because I like my soups a little thicker. It’s absolutely delicious, perfectly seasoned, good for the body and soul. Thank you for sharing! I believe the zucchini is missing from your list of ingredients. It didn’t come over when I imported the recipe into AnyList, but the soup is still stellar without it. Cheers!