Vegan Minestrone Soup Simply delicious. Enjoy this delightful vegan minestrone recipe for lunch Or freeze it for dinner, or a future meal.
I find myself on the treadmill at the gym, occasionally watching Rachael Ray. Unfortunately, I watched her take a potentially vegan minestrone soup and turn it into a fat-filled bowl of unnecessary calories and fat. So, as always, I thought about how to make a vegetarian minestrone soup recipe healthier than what I saw on TV.
Jump:
Although Rachel used a lot of vegetables, she still sauteed them in olive oil. I love cooking shows, but I shake my head and say, “I can make this just as good without so much fat.” So, I created a wonderful vegan minestrone soup recipe inspired by Rachael Ray.
Rachel says the “key” to her minestrone is to slowly cook the layers of vegetables in a certain order. So, I did the same without dipping them in oil, for my version of vegan minestrone, vegetable broth and oil-free.
Healthy Making of a Vegan Minestrone Soup Recipe
Instead of using fatty chicken and beef broth, I used organic vegetable broth and replaced that nasty cheese broth with nutritional yeast..
Additionally, I added a few more vegetables to my vegetarian minestrone soup recipe. And cook all the ingredients including the noodles in a pot. That’s right; Another one-pot meal!
Soup ingredients
- white onion: White onion has a strong flavor, yet becomes sweet when cooked.
- garlic: I prefer fresh garlic whenever possible for a deeper flavor.
- the carrot: Fiber in carrots can help control blood sugar levels. And they contain vitamin A and beta-carotene, which there is evidence to lower your risk of diabetes. In addition, they can strengthen your bones. Carrots contain calcium and vitamin K, both of which are important for bone health.
- Celery: Celery is a low calorie vegetable. It consists mainly of water, but also provides antioxidants and fiber.
- Yellow Zucchini: Unlike yellow squash, yellow zucchini (sometimes called “golden zucchini”) does not taper at the throat. The difference between yellow zucchini and green zucchini (besides the noticeable difference in color) is that yellow zucchini tastes slightly sweeter.
- Zucchini: Zucchini is a long, slender, cucumber-like green vegetable called squash. The green variant has firmer flesh and a milder flavor.
- Baking Potatoes: A type of potato, such as a russet or white potato, that has brown skin and white flesh and is usually used for baking
- Dark Red Kidney Beans: Dark red kidney beans, like chickpeas, hold their texture in soups and stews.
- Chickpeas: Chickpeas are lovely in soups and stews as they retain their firmness.
- Fresh green beans: I used fresh green beans from Mark T.
- Organic Spinach: I always buy organic spinach because it’s on the dirty dozen list.
- Organic Fire Roasted Tomatoes: Fire-roasted tomatoes are canned tomatoes that are roasted over an open flame to intensify their flavor. They taste sweet and subtly smoky right out of the can, rather than bitter and acidic like most typical canned tomatoes.
- Orecchiette pasta: Orecchiette pastaor any pasta (gluten-free, wheat, or whatever you prefer)
- Organic Vegetable Broth: I buy a lot of organic vegetable broth from Costco because I use vegetable broth often.
- Nutritional Scream: Nutritional Scream Vegan cheese in powder form. So, I use nutritional yeast instead of Rachel Roy’s Parmesan Cheese Rind.
- garlic powder: Garlic powder enhances the flavor of soup ingredients.
- Ground Pepper: I like best fresh chilies for soups.
- Chili Powder: Chilli powder gives the soup a slightly spicy deep flavor.
- Onion powder: Onion powder enhances the taste of the soup.
Substitute soup ingredients
- Choose any small pasta.
- Any vegetable works well in minestrone soup. There are no rules other than trying to cut the vegetables to the same size so they cook evenly.
- Canned and frozen vegetables work well, but add soft vegetables, such as canned green beans, so they don’t overcook.
I use my favorite vegetable chopper to make the cuts easier and more uniform. This chopper has two settings for small and large size cuts, but it also cuts vegetables of uniform size for consistent cooking.
I used smaller cut sizes for my vegetables for this recipe.
cooking soup
For example, I combined garlic, onion and celery to cook vegan minestrone.
Then I added the carrots and potatoes and half the vegetable broth. Next, I added green beans, partially pureed roasted tomatoes, and another can of roasted tomatoes.
Next is yellow and green zucchini, leftover 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 like.
By cooking in stages or layers, the flavors blend perfectly and the vegetables cook ideally based on their nutrient density. Spinach, because it wilts immediately, is added last.
Although vegan minestrone cooks in layers, the beauty of this recipe is that it cooks all in one pot.
This vegan minestrone soup recipe is delicious, full of vegetables, and easy to make. And it’s easily achieved without the fat and calories in a simple minestrone soup recipe. It’s always better to clean it than add unnecessary fat and calories.
I like to make a vegetarian minestrone soup recipe on Sunday and Paul and I eat it all week. Then, I fill soup crocks and make other vegetarian salads for easy packing in the morning.
Cooking and preparing meals in advance makes healthy lunches easier.
Recipe FAQs
What is the difference between minestrone and vegetable soup? Minestrone soup is a heartier version of vegetable soup. Most vegetable soups contain vegetables, whereas a minestrone consists of beans and pasta.
Minestrone is a thick pasta- and vegetable-based soup. You can add any number of vegetables and carbs to make this pasty heartier. But the main ingredients are often celery, onion, garlic, carrots, tomatoes, and pasta, and it can often be topped with shredded parmesan.
The dish was made in a huge pot in the town square, and each family contributed the ingredients (they had and then) that came up with this “thick vegetable soup”. A variety of vegetables like potatoes, carrots, pasta and rice can be used to make it.
advice
- Cooking soup in layers is the secret to cooking everything perfectly in one pot.
- If using canned green beans, add them last and heat through. They are already soft and will overcook if added to the beginning of the soup.
- I used a vegetable chopper Cut my vegetables into even sized pieces so they cook evenly. It also reduces cooking time.
- I enjoy this soup as an entree with bread or I like to serve it with a vegan nicoise salad or blueberry salad.
- Since my family enjoys vegetarian minestrone soup recipes, I usually make two batches and freeze the second batch in soup cubes.
- The soup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be frozen. Refrigerate and chill the soup as soon as possible within 2 hours of making it. If the soup is frozen, place it in a resealable container, freeze it for up to 3 months, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- I recommend thawing the soup completely before reheating.
Enjoy this healthy version of Minestrone Soup! You will love the taste and combination of vegetables, pasta and beans.
Try this vegan soup recipe
If you like this vegetarian minestrone soup recipe, please leave a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Minestrone Soup
Watch out Rachel Ray; My vegan minestrone is just as delicious, oil-free and plant-based. Enjoy the same delicious goodness without all the fat and calories and enjoy this delightful vegan minestrone recipe for lunch, dinner, or freeze it for future meals.
instructions
Cooking level 1
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In a large soup pot, saute garlic, onion and celery until translucent.
Cooking level 2
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Add carrots and potatoes and cook for another 10 minutes.
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Add 4 cups vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
Cooking level 3
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Add the green beans. Place one can of roasted tomatoes in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped; No puree
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Add to pot.
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Add the other can of diced tomatoes directly to the pot
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stirring
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Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cooking level 4
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Add spices, nutritional yeast, and additional 4 cups broth.
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Add the zucchini.
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Add red kidney beans and chickpeas (you can use any beans you like).
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Stir.
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Add the pasta and boil for 11 minutes (time indicated on the bag of pasta).
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Taste to make sure your pasta, potatoes and carrots are tender.
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Add the spinach right at the end; It wilts instantly.
Comment
- Cooking soup in layers is the secret to cooking everything perfectly in one pot.
- If using canned green beans, add them last and heat through. They are already soft and will overcook if added at the beginning of making the soup.
- I used a vegetable chopper Cut my vegetables into even sized pieces so they cook evenly. It also reduces cooking time.
- I enjoy this soup as an entree with bread or I like to serve it with a vegan nicoise salad or blueberry salad.
- Since my family enjoys vegetarian minestrone soup so much, I usually make two batches and freeze the second batch in soup cubes.
- The soup will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be frozen. First, cool and refrigerate the soup as soon as possible within 2 hours of making it. If the soup is frozen, place it in a resealable container, freeze it for up to 3 months, and thaw the soup overnight in the refrigerator.
- I recommend thawing the soup completely before reheating.
nutrition
Calories: 196kcalSugars: 39gProtein: 9gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fats: 0.4gMonounsaturated fats: 0.1gSodium: 790mgPotassium: 760mgFiber: 7gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 7048IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 99mgIron: 3mg
Oh! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher and vegetarian and blogger. My entire blog is completely plant-based vegan. I truly believe that what we eat and how we live determines our health and the preservation of our planet! 🙂