Spring Minestrone Soup (Printable Version)
Vibrant, light minestrone of spring vegetables, tender pasta and aromatic herbs, ready in about 50 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 small zucchini, diced
07 - 1 cup fresh or frozen shelled peas
08 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
09 - 2 cups baby spinach
10 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
→ Broth & Pasta
11 - 6 cups vegetable broth
12 - 1 cup small pasta such as ditalini or orzo
→ Seasonings & Herbs
13 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
14 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
15 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
17 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
18 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped, optional
→ Garnishes
19 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional
20 - Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
# How-To Steps:
01 - Warm olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic and cook until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
02 - Incorporate diced carrots and celery into the pot. Sauté for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften.
03 - Add diced zucchini, prepared green beans, and halved cherry tomatoes. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly tender.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
05 - Add pasta and peas to the simmering broth. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente and vegetables are tender.
06 - Stir in baby spinach, chopped basil, parsley, and dill. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until spinach has wilted. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
07 - Ladle hot soup into bowls. Top each serving with grated Parmesan cheese if desired and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with additional fresh herbs to taste.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The flavors taste like you shopped straight from a bustling farmers market, and every spoonful is fresh and light.
- I keep returning to this soup because it’s endlessly adaptable and always manages to brighten up my weeknight routine.
02 -
- If you toss in the pasta too early, it can get mushy and soak up all the broth—wait until the soup is boiling gently, then add.
- Switching to a homemade vegetable broth with herb stems took my soup from comforting to complex in a way store-bought never could.
03 -
- Hold off on adding spinach and herbs until the last possible minute—overcooking can dull their color and flavor.
- That drizzle of good olive oil at the end isn’t just for looks; it makes every spoonful taste like spring sunshine.