Description
Spring Minestrone Soup is a vibrant and hearty dish featuring fresh spring vegetables, beans, and small pasta in a savory vegetable broth. This soup is perfect for welcoming the season with its bright flavors, nourishing ingredients, and quick preparation time, making it a comforting meal for chilly spring days.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 leeks (white & pale-green parts only)
- 2 carrots (chopped)
- 2 celery stalks (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 to 3 medium red potatoes (2-3 cups diced)
- 1 bunch asparagus cut into 1-inch pieces (1-2 cups)
- 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
- 2 cups greens (spinach, kale, mustard greens, arugula or swiss chard)
Herbs and Seasonings
- 2 to 3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Other Ingredients
- 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup ditalini or other small shaped pasta
- 1 15-ounce can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Sauté the base vegetables: In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the leeks, chopped carrots, and celery, sautéing for 5-6 minutes until they start to soften. Season lightly with a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor.
- Add garlic, potatoes, and liquids: Stir in the minced garlic, diced red potatoes, thyme sprigs (or dried thyme), salt, vegetable broth, and the undrained can of diced tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook for 8-10 minutes until the potatoes are just tender.
- Prepare asparagus while soup simmers: While the soup simmers, trim the asparagus and cut the stalks into 1-inch pieces, preparing them to be added later.
- Add pasta, vegetables, and beans: Once the potatoes are tender, stir in the pasta, asparagus pieces, peas, rinsed Great Northern beans, and fresh parsley. Return the soup to a simmer and cook for an additional 3 minutes until the asparagus is tender and the pasta is fully cooked.
- Add greens and finish: Stir in your choice of chopped greens (such as spinach) and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove the soup from heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice to brighten the final flavor before serving.
Notes
- This Spring Minestrone Soup is packed with healthy spring vegetables and bright flavors.
- Perfect for the sometimes still-chilly days of the season.
- A nourishing, in-season bowl of delicious, flavorful broth, seasonal vegetables, beans, and herbs that’s ready in about 30 minutes.
- Use fresh or frozen peas depending on availability.
- Feel free to substitute the pasta with gluten-free pasta if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
- Calories: 300 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 1258 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 12 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
