Easy to make and oh so cozy, this vegetarian one-pot White Bean Minestrone Soup is a must make! It's loaded with heart-healthy beans and veggies and tastes absolutley amazing the next day! (yield is 12 cups or 6 bowls)
Peel and dice onion and carrots. Finely chop celery. Smash and peel garlic, then finely mince.
Open cans all at once to save time. Drain and rinse beans. Use entire can of tomatoes with juices.
Heat a large dutch oven (or heavy duty pot) to medium-high heat with oil and butter. Once oil is hot, add onion, carrot, and celery and saute until vegetables are tender, approx 7 minutes.
Next add minced garlic, Italian seasoning, parsley, basil, and oregano. Cook an additional minute, stirring constantly.
Add broth, tomato sauce, and tomatoes (juices and all) and bay leaves and bring pot to a boil. Add beans and reduce heat to a low and cover while the soup simmers. for 10-15 minutes.
See pasta note below. If cooking pasta in soup, uncover and simmer for 6-8 minutes to cook the pasta until tender. Stir often to prevent sticking.
PASTA NOTE: If using a different pasta shape or using GF pasta or rice instead, simply adjust cook times as needed. Since ditalini are super small I boil them right into the soup but larger shapes and/or rice can easily be cooked in a separate pot while the soup cooks, this way nothing sticks. If you like a very broth-y soup or want to freeze some for later, cooking the grains seperate will come in handy here as well.
Give the soup a taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Additional basil, oregano, and/or Italian seasoning blend may also be added to taste.
Ladle into bowls, top with your choice of toppings (parsley and parmesan are my favorites), and enjoy!
FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS
If you would like to freeze some for later, simply make the pasta on the side in a separate pot (making just what you need for however much soup you plan on eating within a few days) and freeze the un-pastafied soup (totally technical term here lol!) in an airtight container. It'll be good for up to 3 months, possibly longer. When ready to eat, heat up your soup and boil some pasta to swirl into the minestrone.
Notes
Chicken broth works in place of vegetable broth if you're not veg/vegan and need to make a swap.See blog post for all the optional veggie, pasta, and bean options you can mix and match for this minestrone.Recipe yield is approx. 12 cups or 6 bowls. Nutrition Facts below are estimated per cup using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed based on extras/swaps and enjoy!