This vegan minestrone soup is the ultimate one pot meal based on the classic Italian vegetable soup! It’s thick, chunky, and uber flavorful without being heavy. Perfect for cooler days and cozy evenings!

Have you ever heard of the folk tale “Stone Soup”? It’s a European bedtime story about a hungry man who wanders into a village during a famine. None of villagers are willing to share a morsel, so he cleverly fills a large cooking pot with lake water, lights a fire under it, and throws in a stone. As the water begins to boil, he takes a sip and exclaims that it is the most delicious stone soup he’d ever tasted. Curious, the villages begin to gather around the pot, wanting a taste too. The man exclaims the soup is nearly finished but needs a few more ingredients to make it perfect. Eager to fill their hungry bellies, each villager adds a single item from their kitchen to the pot, transforming it into a tasty meal. The man removes the stone, and everyone gratefully shares a nutritious and hearty bowl.

Vegan minestrone soup reminds me of stone soup, with a wide variety of seasonal vegetables and pantry staples that’s hearty enough to feed a crowd. I first made this soup during harvest season and was able to buy all of the vegetables from my farmer’s market, even the tomatoes! Of course, you can buy vegetables from your local grocer which is what I do off season. This soup recipe is also helpful when you need to use up leftover veggies after a holiday gathering. With added beans, pasta, and a generous swirl of pesto, it’s freaking delicious! No stone required!

Isn’t vegetable soup bland?

If you’ve ever been underwhelmed by minestrone soup, you’re in for a flavorful surprise. Even with simple salt and pepper as the spices, this plant-based soup is *incredibly tasty* thanks to the secret ingredient, pesto. Yup! A ¼ cup of pesto lends a whisper of basil and just the right amount of velvety oil. Added to the veggies is protein-rich beans and fiber filled pasta. Can you feel those cozy vibes?

minestrone soup served with bread and wine

I love making a big pot and letting it sit on the back of the stove for dipping into all day long. The flavors intensify as it sits which makes excellent left overs too. It’s insanely yummy paired with Vegan Cornbread or Socca Bread, and followed by Classic Gluten-Free Vegan & Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

The specific amounts of each ingredient are listed below and on the recipe card. But here’s a close look at each one and some variations as well.

Onion, carrot, and celery- Known as soffritto in Italian cuisine (mirepoix in French cuisine), this holy trinity of flavors is the savory base for a multitude of recipes.
Garlic and red wine- adds depth of savory flavor and brightness. If wine is off your list, use a tablespoon of good quality balsamic vinegar. We add these after the soffritto so the garlic doesn’t burn.
Golden potatoes and zucchini- I enjoy golden potatoes for their rich, buttery, and slightly nutty taste but feel free to use what you have on hand. Zucchini is a Pacific Northwest staple and I love tucking it into as many recipes as possible. Classic minestrone calls for green beans which I feel would be equally delicious.
White beans- to make it protein rich and filling. Use cannellini, Great Northern, or navy beans.
Diced tomatoes- for umami tang.
Vegetable broth- Use store-bought or homemade.
Kale- This sturdy green will hold up in hot soup without turning to mush. It’s highly nutritious too.
Ditalini Pasta- These little guys cook right in the soup and soak up the flavorful broth. Other small pasta like elbow macaroni or little shells will work just fine too.
Basil Pesto- This ingredient is a must! Rich and oily pesto marries all the flavors together with a bright herby pop. Choose a dairy-free pesto for this plant-based recipe.

I have every confidence you will make minestrone soup that’s absolutely swoon worthy. Here’s a few simple pointers to get you started:

Tips for making the best vegan minestrone soup

Buy seasonal veggies - for maximum nutrition and flavor. This could be broccoli in spring, green beans in summer, and zucchini in autumn. Choose your own culinary adventure!
Be patient with your soffritto - Cook the onions, carrots, and celery for a full 15 minutes until tender and just beginning to brown. Your tastebuds with thank you!
Use small pasta - It mixes into the rest of the ingredients without adding extra bulk or soaking up all the cooking liquid.
Don’t skip the pesto! - This adds a ton of fresh herby flavor and rich oil.
Cut the produce up a head of time - for low effort cooking.

Here’s everything you need to make this recipe:

Ingredients / Makes 6 hearty servings

3 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion (1½ cups), diced
3 medium carrots (1 cup), diced
2-3 medium celery stalks (2/3 cup), diced
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
¼ cup (60 ml) of dry red wine
3 small golden potatoes (2 cups), cubed with skin on
1 medium zucchini (2 cups), cut into half moons
1 can (15 oz. / 425g) of white beans such as Great Northern or cannellini, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz. / 411g) of diced tomatoes with juices
4 cups (946 ml) of low-sodium vegetable broth (store-bought or homemade)
4 cups (65g) of torn kale leaves (about 4 large leaves, de-stemmed)
½ cup (70g) of uncooked small pasta like ditalini, shells, or elbow macaroni
¼ cup (60 ml) of vegan basil pesto, homemade or store-bought

How to make Vegan Minestrone Soup

Step 1

Step 2

1. Sauté the mirepoix- Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once it’s shimmery flick in a splash of water and see if it creates a sizzle. When it does, tumble in the onions, carrots, and celery. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and a few twists of black pepper. Turn the heat down to medium and cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until soft and just beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Add water, a tablespoon at a time, if they begin to dry out.

2. Add the garlic and deglaze with wine- Make a well in the center of the veggies and pour in 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Plop the garlic in the hole. Let it sizzle gently for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not brown. Pour in the wine and stir it all together. Cook until it no longer smells like alcohol and the liquid is mostly absorbed, about 3 minutes.

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

3. Sauté the vegetables- Tumble the potatoes and the zucchini into the pot. Stir and cook for a few minutes to soften.

4. Add the beans, tomatoes, and vegetable broth- Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender and the flavors have come together, 20-30 minutes in total.

5. Add the pasta and kale- Pour in the pasta followed by the kale. Stir so that the pasta and kale are submerged in the liquid. Cook for 8 more minutes until the pasta is al dente and the kale is wilted.

6. Stir in the pesto- Give it a taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Ladle into soup bowls and serve with a sprinkling of Easy Vegan Parmesan Cheese!

Storage:

Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Vegan Minestrone Soup