This garden minestrone soup is hearty, packed with veggies, and warming on a chilly soon-to-be-fall day. Family approved!
This garden minestrone soup is the answer to two of my favorite things: (1) easy recipes that the whole family can love, and (2) soup. I love soup. I make it throughout the fall and winter and I find it fills me up, warms me up when it’s cold. Additionally, I love the added bonus that you just combine things together and let it do its own thing, with minimal babysitting time! And lastly, it’s very forgiving, which makes cooking low-stress for me (and hopefully for you too). You can add any veggies you enjoy, and make it yours.
Minestrone
Classic minestrone is a tomato-based soup of veggies, tomatoes, and pasta. Often there are also white beans thrown into the mix. The staple veggies are: onions, garlic, celery. But I’m not really after the classic variety here, I’m after something that works for me (leave the pasta out) and my family (they can add in any amendments later, like rice, beans, even the pasta made on the side, etc).
Seasonal Eating
I especially love that I can use whatever is in the garden seasonal to add to this group: red peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, squash, onions, garlic, potatoes if you have them, and so much more. I also love adding green beans to this soup. Have cauliflower in the fall? Add it in. Have cabbage in the winter? Add it in. It’s absolutely divine no matter which way you spin it.
Pairings
This soup goes really well with the following:
- Smoky Chickpeas (adjust the spices to your taste)
- Any kind of bean, especially cannellini
- A dollop of almond ricotta on top (yum!)
- A slice of Ezekiel or Buckwheat bread
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Garden Minestrone Soup
Equipment
- A soup pot
Ingredients
Veggies
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1-2 celery sticks, diced
- 1 medium-sized zucchini, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 28-oz water
- handful of your favorite greens (kale, spinach, collard greens), torn
- optional: green beans, cauliflower, cabbage, any seasonal veggies
- 1 tbsp tomato paste, optional
Flavorings
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- salt, chili flakes, black pepper, to taste
Fat
- 1 tsp grapeseed oil, or a spray of oil
Proteins
- Your choice, such as chickpeas, cannellini, bean pasta, etc.
Instructions
First, sauté the aromatics
- You want to bring out the natural sweetness of the veggies first before adding in any liquid. Bring a heavy soup pot (I love enameld cast iron like this one) over high heat. Add in 1 tsp oil, if using, or a spray. Next, add in the onion, and a pinch of salt. Sauté for about a minute, then lower the heat. Let it change to a nice golden color just a little bit, but stir it often so it doesn’t burn. Add in the carrots, celery, and garlic, and saute for another 3-5 minutes until they show a little color change and get very aromatic.
Next add in the extra veggies
- Add in the zucchini, red pepper, tomatoes, water, and oregano, and bring to a simmer. Partially cover, and cook simmering for about 20 minutes, or until the veggies are the desired texture to your taste.
Wilt the greens
- At the end, turn off the heat and throw in the greens to let them wilt and get vibrant green.
Protein/Grain
- When serving, feel free to add in your favorite protein and/or grain, if using (see options in the ingredient list above).
To finish
- Lastly, season with salt, pepper, and finish with chili flakes.
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