Veggie-Packed White Bean Minestrone

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Bowls of veggie white bean minestrone topped with vegan parmesan cheese and parsley and served with toasted bread

Fall is near, but summer veggies are still here. Enter: A cozy soup with a mix of fall and summer produce! This easy, flavorful, 1-pot minestrone is LOADED with veggies and white beans for a fiber- and nutrient-packed dish. 

It’s light yet satisfying, comes together with simple ingredients and methods, and is perfect for the seasonal transition. Grab your bread because soup is on!

Green beans, onion, fennel, carrot, zucchini, white beans, crushed tomatoes, garlic, water, olive oil, potatoes, salt, red pepper flakes, and dried basil

We’ve shared a minestrone recipe before and this one is similar…but with a twist: potatoes instead of pasta! If you’re questioning whether we just broke some unwritten international food-naming rules by taking out the pasta, rest assured we did not.

Part of the beauty of minestrone is that it doesn’t really have rules, and the ingredients have traditionally been based on season and region. For example, in rice-growing regions of Northern Italy, rice was commonly used instead of pasta. Other variations included farro or serving with a slice of bread.

Sautéing chopped onion, carrot and fennel

This veggie-packed, gluten-free minestrone begins with sautéing onion, carrots, and your choice of fennel or celery.

Dried basil and red pepper flakes over chopped green beans, zucchini, potatoes, and sautéed veggies

Then we add lots of garlic plus hearty potatoes and two summer veggies: zucchini and green beans. Red pepper flakes add heat, while salt, dried basil, and crushed tomatoes build flavor.

Pouring water over crushed tomatoes in a pot with sautéed veggies

The final ingredients are white beans for fiber and water (or vegetable broth) to turn it into a soup. Cook until the veggies are tender, and it’s ready to serve. Option to garnish with fresh herbs and vegan parmesan cheese if desired!

Holding a ladle in a pot of veggie white bean minestrone

We hope you LOVE this white bean minestrone. It’s:

Cozy
Vibrant
Flavorful
Light yet satisfying
Veggie-packed
Easy to make
Versatile
& SO delicious!

This soup can be served with toasted crusty bread (whole grain or gluten-free) or croutons for a light meal, or as a side paired with other dishes. Delicious pairings include our Vegan Italian Sausage Crumbles (15 Minutes!), Crispy Baked Pesto Tofu (5 Ingredients!), or Pesto Baked Chicken Thighs.

More White Bean Recipes

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Hand holding the side of a bowl of veggie white bean minestrone soup

Veggie-Packed White Bean Minestrone

1-pot white bean minestrone packed with veggies and potatoes. A simple, comforting, plant-based meal paired with your favorite bread or croutons!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Overhead photo of a bowl of veggie white bean minestrone served with a slice of bread
5 from 7 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6 (Bowls)
Course Entrée, Soup
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Italian-Inspired, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 3-4 Days

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced (1 small onion yields ~1 ½ cups or 180 g)
  • 3 medium carrots, sliced into ~1/8 inch circles (3 carrots yield ~1 ½ cups or 165 g)
  • 1 bulb fennel, chopped (1 bulb fennel yields ~2 cups or 230 g // or sub celery)
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced (5 cloves garlic yield ~2 ½ Tbsp or 20 g)
  • 2 medium yellow potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (2 potatoes yield ~2 ½ cups or 340 g)
  • 1 medium zucchini (or yellow summer squash), quartered and sliced into ~1/8 inch slices (1 zucchini yields ~2 cups or 200 g)
  • 2 cups green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2-3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp dried basil (optional)
  • 1-1 ½ tsp sea salt
  • 1 (15 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
  • 4 cups water (or vegetable broth)
  • 2 (15 oz.) cans white beans, drained and rinsed (we like cannellini or butter beans // or sub ~3 cups homemade in place of 2 cans)

FOR SERVING optional

Instructions

  • Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil, diced onion, carrots, and chopped fennel or celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 1 more minute until fragrant.
  • Add cubed potatoes, zucchini, green beans, red pepper flakes, dried basil (optional), and the lesser amount of sea salt. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are slightly softened.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Add the white beans and cook for another 5-10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Taste and adjust as needed, adding more salt for overall flavor or red pepper flakes for heat.
  • Transfer to serving bowls and enjoy warm with vegan parmesan cheese, freshly chopped basil or parsley, and toasted crusty bread (whole grain or gluten-free) or croutons (all optional, but recommended!).
  • Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for 1 month or longer. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a little water if needed.

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with fennel, the lesser amounts where ranges are provided, and without optional ingredients.

Nutrition (1 of 6 servings)

Serving: 1 bowl Calories: 230 Carbohydrates: 35.4 g Protein: 7.6 g Fat: 7.9 g Saturated Fat: 1.1 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 599 mg Potassium: 1047 mg Fiber: 8.5 g Sugar: 10.2 g Vitamin A: 906 IU Vitamin C: 30 mg Calcium: 107 mg Iron: 3.2 mg

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  1. Shannon E says

    Hi there! I’m hoping to try this recipe this weekend, but am curious if you have any thoughts on making it with frozen green beans rather than fresh? Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Shannon, we’re excited for you to try the recipe! Fresh greens will have a better flavor and texture, but you can use frozen in a pinch. Just add them later (in the last 5-10 minutes) because they’re already partially cooked. Hope that helps!

  2. Cindy Goodwyn says

    Minestrone has always been one of my favorite soups. This recipe does not disappoint. It made a huge amount, so I will be sharing with family and enjoying it myself, all week. It’s so GOOD!!! You guys always have the BEST recipes!

  3. Matt says

    I’ve now made this about 5 times. Its really good! Considering the ingredients are basically just vegetables I’m kinda surprised how good it is. One minor tweak I make is adding msg for a bit more body and umami.

  4. Alissa says

    This is a really great versatile soup. I added extra veggies (broccoli, mushrooms, greens) and therefore more broth and a bit more spices to compensate. So good! I had made it on Sunday to have as a quick lunch every day. It did not disappoint!

  5. Melinda says

    I haven’t made this one yet (Minestrone) but last week, I had just dug out my old Minestrone recipe, which I had always thought was a 5-star. However, THIS one is going to be better! The differences are the fennel, the potatoes and the white beans instead of kidney beans plus the reduced amount of tomato! I’ll just have to adjust my grocery list and dig out my crock pot! Thank you for the recipe!

  6. Sandra says

    Wonderful taste and easy to make.
    I tried it also with sweeet potato instead of the regular potato, it was delicious!

  7. MiMiB says

    So yummy! I used a quart of my homemade bone broth to make a rich and delicious soup. One thing to note on the timing of adding the tomatoes, if your potatoes are not tender before the addition of the tomatoes, they may never soften. I added the broth first, made sure the potatoes and green beans were tender, and added tomatoes at the end before serving. So delicious with fresh sourdough bread!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi John, Yes, that would work! Probably ~6-8 hours on low or ~3-4 hours on high. For best flavor, we’d recommend sautéing the veggies in step 1 on the stovetop so they get a little caramelized. Let us know if you try it!

  8. Susan Ottwell says

    This sounds so delicious – but thanks to the cancer treatments, while my mouth says “Yes! Yes! Yes!” my stomach says “Don’t even think about it.” So it will go in my collection of your most exxcellent soup recipes that I can (and do) eat, and be sure that this will be one of the first things I make once this is all over with and I can actually eat again…mossaka, tamale pie, I actually dream of such foods. I hope many of your followers make this and enjoy it for me.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, sorry you can’t enjoy this one yet, Susan! We hope you love it so much when you’re able to! xoxo