Meatless Italian Minestrone

Warm up your table with this hearty and nourishing Meatless Italian Minestrone, a vibrant vegetable soup packed with wholesome ingredients and classic Italian flavors. This plant-based recipe combines tender zucchini, carrots, celery, and potatoes with creamy cannellini and red kidney beans, all simmered in a fragrant broth infused with oregano, basil, and thyme. Earning its signature heartiness, ditalini pasta and fresh baby spinach add texture and color, making this dish a complete and satisfying meal. Ready in under an hour, this easy-to-make minestrone is perfect for weeknight dinners or meal prepping ahead. Serve it hot, garnished with fresh parsley and a sprinkle of Parmesan, alongside crusty bread for a cozy, comforting bite of Italy.

Nutriscore Rating: 83/100

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:40 mins

Total Time:55 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrot, diced
• 2 medium celery stalks, diced
• 3 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
• 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 15 ounces canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 15 ounces canned red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup uncooked ditalini pasta
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 leaf bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional for garnish)
• 0 grated Parmesan cheese (optional for serving)

Directions

Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Step 2

Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are softened.

Step 3

Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.

Step 4

Add the diced zucchini and potato to the pot. Stir to combine with the other vegetables.

Step 5

Pour in the canned diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and water. Stir well.

Step 6

Add the cannellini beans and red kidney beans to the pot. Mix to combine.

Step 7

Stir in the dried oregano, basil, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper.

Step 8

Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 20 minutes, partially covered.

Step 9

After simmering, add the ditalini pasta to the pot. Cook for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente.

Step 10

Once the pasta is cooked, stir in the baby spinach leaves and let them wilt for 1-2 minutes.

Step 11

Remove the bay leaf from the pot and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper to taste if needed.

Step 12

Ladle the minestrone into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Step 13

Serve hot with a side of crusty bread or garlic toast for a complete meal.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(3953.3g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2863.7

Total Fat 62.0g	0%
Saturated Fat 12.2g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 10.3g
Cholesterol 10.9mg	0%
Sodium 7643.7mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 479.4g	0%
Dietary Fiber 83.9g	0%
Total Sugars 57.0g
Protein 115.8g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 1015.6mg	0%
Iron 34.1mg	0%
Potassium 8689.4mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 19.0%

Protein: 15.8%

Carbs: 65.3%