Vegetarian Minestrone with White Beans and Pesto

Total time1 hr

Prep time20 min

Cook time40 min

Vegetarian Minestrone with White Beans and Pesto

This hearty pot of minestrone is loaded with tender carrots, celery, and zucchini, plus creamy cannellini beans and wilted kale for a soup that's as filling as it is comforting. Little ditalini noodles soak up all that tomato-rich broth, while a swirl of fragrant basil pesto stirred in at the end brightens every spoonful. Garlic and tomato paste build a deep, savory base before the vegetables and beans simmer together into something that tastes like it's been on the stove all day. It's a one-pot meal that comes together easily and reheats beautifully, making it a great option for a vegetarian weeknight dinner. Serve it with a hunk of crusty bread for dipping and you've got a complete, satisfying bowl that hits every note you want from a classic minestrone.

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the soup

3 tbsp olive oil
Filippo Berio Olive Oil 25.3 fl oz Filippo Berio Olive Oil 50.7 fl oz Bertolli Cooking Olive Oil 50.72 oz Pompeian Olive Oil Classic Mediterranean - 16 Fl. Oz.Vigo® 100% Pure Olive Oil
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1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
Chef's tip
Use the same amount of low-sodium vegetable broth. The dish will be a little lighter in flavor than with chicken broth.
1 parmesan rind (about 2–3 inches) (optional)
Omit this
This ingredient likely doesn’t work for the diet.
2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium zucchini, diced
2 cups green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups lacinato kale or savoy cabbage, roughly chopped
1 cup ditalini or small elbow pasta, dry
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp black pepper, plus more to taste

For serving

⅓ cup basil pesto, store-bought or homemade
parmesan cheese, freshly grated, for serving (optional)
Omit this
This ingredient likely doesn’t work for the diet.
crusty bread, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.
2
Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and the tomato paste has darkened slightly, about 2 minutes. Watch closely so the garlic does not brown.

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