Spring Minestrone Soup
This spring vegetable soup recipe is packed with seasonal veggies, small bites of pasta, hearty white beans, fresh herbs and bright, fresh lemon in a soup broth that is over-the-top delicious and nutritious. Truth be told, it’s guzzle-worthy.
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Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large leek cleaned and sliced, white parts only
- 2 medium celery stalks diced
- 2 large carrots diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 small spring onions sliced, white parts only (optional)
- 2 medium-sized zucchini diced
- 8 cups of vegetable broth
- 1 cup fresh English peas
- 1 ½ cups white beans or 14.5-ounce canned white beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup small pasta such as ditalini, orzo or acini de pepe
- 1 lemon halved, plus several slices for garnish
- ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs of choice divided
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large soup pot over medium heat, sauté the leeks, celery and carrots in 1 tsp of extra-virgin olive oil until slightly softened, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add garlic, spring onion (optional) and zucchini, plus a dash of salt and pepper, and sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add 8 cups of vegetable broth, cover, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.
- Add the white beans, English peas and pasta and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until the pasta is al dente, approximately 10 minutes. Midway through, add the juice of half a lemon and about most of the fresh herbs. Reserve slices of lemon and a sprinkle of fresh herbs for garnish.
- When the pasta and vegetables are cooked to your liking, divide the soup among four bowls and garnish with remaining lemon and fresh herbs.. Other garnishes may include a drizzle of olive oil, grated parmesan and crushed red pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
- Ingredients may be prepared a day in advance to save time on the day of cooking.
- Frozen vegetables may be used in place of fresh vegetables, as needed.
- Dried herbs may be used if fresh herbs are not available. Herbs de Provence is a beautiful choice, as are dill, rosemary, thyme and oregano.
- The cooking time on this recipe lends itself to a bit of crunch to the vegetables. That is a personal preference. If you prefer softer vegetables, add a few minutes of cook time to Steps 1 and 2.
- This soup freezes and reheats well for up to three months.
- If making this soup for weekly meal prep or in advance of serving it, cook and store the pasta separately until you're ready to reheat to ensure it doesn't soak up all of that beautiful broth.
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