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    Home Β» Recipes Β» Vegetable Minestrone Soup (Gluten-Free)

    Vegetable Minestrone Soup (Gluten-Free)

    Jan 2, 2023 by The Pesky Vegan | 2 Comments

    5 shares
    Jump to Recipe >
    Vegetarian Minestrone Soup Recipe Vegan Pin

    This hearty vegan minestrone soup offers up a plant-based take on the classic Italian dish. Packed full of healthy veg, beans, and pasta shapes, you'll have yourself a filling meal that's also gluten-free.

    Vegan Gluten-Free Minestrone Soup in Bowl

    The soup is a celebration of veg and colour, so feel free to throw in any seasonal ingredients that you have to hand. Think squash, cabbage, broccoli, or cauliflower, as well as any fresh herbs you fancy adding.

    If you're interested in trying out more hearty plant-based soups, check out these recipes for vegan Scotch broth, smoky butter bean soup, and pumpkin and sweet potato soup.

    I create new content every single week. Subscribe to keep in touch and get a free download of The Vegan Kitchen – My Top 10 Tips.

    Vegetable Minestrone Soup Close-Up

    Jump to:

    • What is it? πŸ₯£
    • Is it vegan? 🌱
    • Nutrition βœ…
    • Pasta 🍝
    • Beans 🌿
    • Ingredients πŸ“‹
    • Step by step πŸ“·
    • To serve 🍽️
    • FAQ ❓
    • Variations πŸ”€
    • Recipe πŸ‘¨β€πŸ³

    What is minestrone?

    Minestrone is a hearty soup of Italian origin that can be traced back to the early Roman period several thousand years ago.

    Usually consisting of vegetables, beans, and pasta (or rice), you're likely to find a wide range of different variants and twists.

    Is it usually vegan?

    Some minestrone recipes include a meat-based stock or additions such as cheese, but apart from that it's often entirely plant-based. Needless to say, it's easy to create a vegan version by using a vegetable stock and seasonings such as herbs and nutritional yeast.

    If you're not sure what nutritional yeast is, learn about it (and more) in this list of unusual vegan ingredients.

    Nutritional Yeast, Bay Leaf, Dried Italian Herbs

    Is this recipe healthy?

    This soup makes for a healthy meal that's low in calories, low in fat, and high in fibre and vitamins. One serving of this recipe provides:

    • Calories: 241 kcal
    • Protein: 11 grams (22% of RDA)
    • Fibre: 9 grams (38% of RDA)
    • Iron: 5 mg (28% of RDA)

    (Amounts based on a third-party nutrition calculator)

    For more healthy vegan and gluten-free pasta dishes, see these recipes for 15-minute tomato tahini pasta, vegan cashew alfredo, and tempeh bolognese.

    Which pasta is best?

    I've gone with dried macaroni (small tubes), but you could use any pasta shape you like. You can even take spaghetti and break it into smaller pieces when adding to the pan.

    Since this recipe is gluten-free, I've used GF pasta. Another option would be to add a similar amount of rice and adjust the cooking time accordingly until the grains are tender.

    Dried Gluten-Free Pasta Shapes in Bowl

    Which beans should I use?

    Although borlotti beans are supposedly the authentic choice, I've gone with cannellini beans (a.k.a. white kidney beans). You could use a similar creamy white variety such as haricot beans (a.k.a. navy beans) or stick to the traditional borlotti.

    If you don't have these, try something like chickpeas or butter beans (or simply leave them out).

    For more recipes that use cannellini beans, check out this vegan white pudding and white bean soup with lemon and parsley.

    White Cannellini Beans in Bowl

    What you'll need

    To make this hearty vegetable minestrone soup, you'll need:

    • Mixed veg and tinned tomatoes
    • White beans such as cannellini beans
    • Dried pasta shapes to make it a more filling meal
    • Seasoning in the form of dried mixed herbs, bay, and nutritional yeast
    List of Ingredients to Make Minestrone Soup Gluten-Free

    How to make vegan minestrone soup

    Heat the oil in a large saucepan on medium heat and add the onion, carrot, and celery.

    Season with salt and pepper and cook for 6-8 minutes until starting to soften, stirring regularly.

    Process Shot – Onion, Carrot, Celery Frying in Pan

    Stir in the garlic, yellow pepper, and courgette and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

    Process Shot – Zucchini and Peppers Frying with Soffritto

    Add the dried herbs, bay leaf, tinned tomatoes, vegan stock, and nutritional yeast. Break any whole tomatoes apart with a spoon.

    Add a splash of water to the empty tomato cans and swirl around before adding to the pan. Mix well and bring to a simmer.

    Process Shot – Minestrone Soup Cooking in Pan

    Once simmering, add the pasta shapes and cook on a gentle heat for 10-15 minutes or until cooked through, checking and stirring every now and then.

    When the pasta shapes are nearly done, stir in the drained cannellini beans and spinach.

    Process Shot – Adding Spinach and Cannellini Beans to Pan

    Cook for the final few minutes until the greens have wilted, then adjust the seasoning to taste and serve.

    Hearty Minestrone Soup in Bowl with Fresh Basil

    Serving suggestions

    Enjoy this soup as it is, or with fresh bread (gluten-free if necessary). You could also serve with fresh basil or parsley, a squeeze of lemon juice, or a sprinkle of homemade cashew parmesan.

    Recipe FAQ

    Is this recipe gluten-free?

    This recipe will be gluten-free provided you use a pasta and vegan stock that are certified or labelled as such. You could also use rice in place of the pasta.

    How long will it keep?

    This should keep well in the fridge for up to four days.

    Can I freeze minestrone soup?

    Store in the freezer for up to six months (note that the pasta may lose some of its texture after freezing).

    Variations and tips for minestrone soup

    • Herbs: If you don't have a herb mix, simply combine a few dried herbs such as sage, oregano, basil, thyme, or marjoram. You could also include any fresh herbs you have to hand.
    • Greens: These could be anything from spinach to kale or beet greens (including frozen versions).
    • Tomatoes: If using canned whole tomatoes, break these up thoroughly in the pan.
    Vegetarian Minestrone Soup Overhead

    Hey you – let me know what you think

    If you made this recipe and enjoyed it – or did anything differently – I'd love to hear from you down below in the comments πŸ‘‡

    You can also find me and let me know on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook @thepeskyvegan πŸŒΏ

    Keep in touch

    Subscribe below to receive a weekly newsletter with my latest recipes. Nice and simple. No pesky pestering. No spam (which wouldn’t be very vegan anyway).

    More vegan recipe ideas

    If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:

    • Red Pepper and Lentil Soup
    • Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
    • Tofu Cream Cheese
    • Celeriac and Apple Soup
    • Mushroom and Tarragon Soup
    • Simple Cashew Cream
    • Vegan Pasta Puttanesca

    You can also check out my full list of vegan soup recipes.

    Vegan Gluten-Free Minestrone Soup in Bowl

    Vegan Minestrone Soup (Gluten-Free)

    The Pesky Vegan
    Packed full of healthy veg, beans, and pasta shapes, this hearty vegan minestrone soup provides a filling meal that's also gluten-free.
    5 from 1 vote
    Rate this Recipe Print Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Soup
    Cuisine Gluten-free, Italian, Vegan
    Servings 6
    Calories 241 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 onion, diced
    • 2 medium carrots, diced
    • 2 celery ribs, chopped
    • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
    • 1 yellow bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
    • 1 medium courgette, diced
    • 1Β½ tablespoons dried mixed herbs (see notes)
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2x 14 oz (400 g) tins tomatoes
    • 5-6 cups (1.2-1.4 litres) vegan stock
    • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
    • 5 oz (150 g) gluten-free pasta shapes such as macaroni (see notes)
    • 1x 14 oz (400 g) tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
    • 3 oz (100 g) leafy greens such as spinach
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Heat the oil in a large saucepan on medium heat and add the onion, carrot, and celery. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 6-8 minutes until starting to soften, stirring regularly.
    • Stir in the garlic, yellow pepper, and courgette and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
    • Add the dried herbs, bay leaf, tinned tomatoes, vegan stock, and nutritional yeast. Break any whole tomatoes apart with a spoon. Add a splash of water to the empty tomato cans and swirl around before adding to the pan. Mix well and bring to a simmer.
    • Once simmering, add the pasta shapes and cook on a gentle heat for 10-15 minutes or until cooked through, checking and stirring every now and then.
    • When the pasta shapes are nearly done, stir in the drained cannellini beans and spinach and cook for the final few minutes until the greens have wilted.
    • Adjust the seasoning to taste and serve with fresh basil or parsley, cashew parmesan, or a squeeze of lemon juice.
      πŸ“Έ See recipe steps >
      πŸ“– Table of contents >
    Rate this recipe πŸ‘‡

    Notes

    Herbs: If you don't have a herb mix, simply combine a few dried herbs such as sage, oregano, basil, thyme, or marjoram. You could also include any fresh herbs you have to hand.
    Pasta: You could use any pasta shape you like, or even spaghetti that's been broken into smaller pieces. If it doesn't need to be gluten-free, simply use regular dried pasta.
    Rice: You can also use rice in place of (or as well as) the pasta. Adjust the cooking time accordingly until the grains are tender.
    Beans: If you don't have cannellini beans, you could use another variety such as haricot beans, borlotti beans, or chickpeas.
    Veg: Feel free to throw in any seasonal ingredients that you have to hand – think squash, cabbage, broccoli, or cauliflower.
    Gluten-free: This recipe will be gluten-free provided you use a pasta and vegan stock that are certified or labelled as such. You could also use rice instead of pasta.
    Storage: Store in the fridge for up to four days or freezer for up to six months (note that the pasta may lose some of its texture after freezing).
    If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy:
    • Vegan Scotch Broth
    • 15-Minute Tomato and Basil Soup
    • Smoky Butter Bean Soup
    • 15-Minute Tomato Tahini Pasta
    • Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Soup
    • Broccoli and Potato Soup
    • Vegan and Gluten-Free Lasagne
    Β 
    * The nutrition info below is for one serving, based on a total of six servings.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 241kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 11gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 1111mgPotassium: 791mgFiber: 9gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 5564IUVitamin C: 62mgCalcium: 132mgIron: 5mg
    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Minestrone Soup (Gluten-Free)
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 241 Calories from Fat 36
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 4g6%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g
    Monounsaturated Fat 2g
    Sodium 1111mg48%
    Potassium 791mg23%
    Carbohydrates 47g16%
    Fiber 9g38%
    Sugar 10g11%
    Protein 11g22%
    Vitamin A 5564IU111%
    Vitamin C 62mg75%
    Calcium 132mg13%
    Iron 5mg28%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Keyword gluten-free minestrone, vegan pasta soup, vegetable minestrone soup
    Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment down below or tag me on Instagram @thepeskyvegan along with the hashtag #thepeskyvegan

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Rebecca Kaye

      January 04, 2023 at 9:24 am

      5 stars
      Yum. Thanks. We had this for dinner tonight. Even the kids loved it! πŸ‡¦πŸ‡Ί

      Reply
      • The Pesky Vegan

        January 04, 2023 at 7:34 pm

        You know it's a hit when the kids enjoy it – cheers for the review!

        Reply

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