Spring Vegetable Minestrone Pesto (Printable)

A nourishing Italian soup featuring spring vegetables and a fragrant basil pesto swirl.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 small zucchini, diced
07 - 1 small yellow squash, diced
08 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
09 - 1 cup shelled fresh or frozen peas
10 - 4 cups baby spinach or chopped Swiss chard
11 - 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice

→ Broth & Seasoning

12 - 6 cups vegetable broth
13 - 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
14 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
15 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
17 - 1 bay leaf

→ Pasta & Beans

18 - 3/4 cup small pasta (such as ditalini or elbow macaroni)
19 - 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini or navy beans, drained and rinsed

→ Pesto Swirl

20 - 1/2 cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
21 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional, omit for vegan)

# How-to Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until slightly softened.
02 - Stir in zucchini, yellow squash, and green beans. Cook for another 3 minutes.
03 - Add diced tomatoes with juice, vegetable broth, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
04 - Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.
05 - Stir in pasta and cook for 6–8 minutes, or until just al dente.
06 - Add peas, spinach or chard, and beans. Simmer for 3–4 minutes until greens are wilted and peas are tender.
07 - Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls. Swirl 1 tablespoon of pesto into each serving and sprinkle with Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • It transforms whatever vegetables look good at the market into something that tastes like it simmered all day
  • The pesto swirl makes each bowl feel fancy enough for dinner guests but casual enough for a Tuesday
02 -
  • The pasta will absorb broth as the soup sits, so add a splash more water or broth when reheating leftovers
  • Don't skip the pesto swirl at the end, it transforms the soup from good to restaurant quality
03 -
  • Make a double batch of pesto and freeze half in ice cube trays for future soups
  • Let the soup cool completely before refrigerating, and it will taste even better the next day

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