Spring Minestrone Soup (Printable Version)
A light spring minestrone with peas, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and tender pasta—herbed and comforting.
# 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 shelled fresh or frozen 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 chopped fresh basil
17 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
18 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, optional
→ Garnishes
19 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, omit for vegan
20 - Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the yellow onion and garlic, sauté until fragrant and translucent, approximately 3 minutes.
02 - Add the diced carrots and celery to the pot. Continue to sauté for 5 minutes until slightly softened.
03 - Stir in the diced zucchini, green beans, and halved cherry tomatoes. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a gentle boil.
05 - Add the small pasta and peas to the pot. Simmer 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 1 to 2 minutes, just until spinach wilts. Season with salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.
07 - Ladle into bowls. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Garnish with additional fresh herbs if desired. Serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- This soup is like a warm hug—light, satisfying, and brimming with farmers market flavors.
- You can tweak the veggies endlessly, which means every batch becomes your own happy signature.
02 -
- Once I left the pasta in too long and ended up with mushy soup—always taste it before turning off the heat.
- A handful of chopped basil right before serving absolutely transforms the flavor—don’t skip the fresh herbs.
03 -
- Cooking the pasta in the broth rather than separately saves time but remember to eat the soup soon after so the pasta doesn’t absorb too much liquid.
- Finishing each bowl with a swirl of high-quality olive oil makes every spoonful taste special.