A thick slice of crusty, grilled sourdough is the perfect companion for dipping into this savory broth. The soup’s lightness also pairs beautifully with a simple arugula salad dressed in lemon vinaigrette. This is the kind of meal that feels like a gentle reset, a way to welcome the new season right at your kitchen table. After months of hearty stews and rich roasts, there’s something so refreshing about a pot of soup that celebrates what’s just starting to peek through the soil.
This Spring Minestrone Soup is my annual ritual. It’s a light soup that sings with the flavors of the season—tender asparagus, sweet peas, and a generous handful of fresh herbs. It’s not the heavy, tomato-based minestrone of winter, but a brighter, brothier cousin. It’s the ideal Sunday soup project that leaves you with a pot of sunshine for the week ahead. Simple ingredients, warm memories. Let’s make a bowl that tastes like spring.
Table of Contents
Spring Minestrone Soup
A light and bright vegetable soup celebrating spring produce. Tender asparagus, sweet peas, and fresh herbs simmer in a savory broth with beans and pasta. It's a refreshing, one-pot meal perfect for the season.
- Prep Time: 20min
- Cook Time: 30min
- Total Time: 50min
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: dinner
- Method: simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juices
- 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup small pasta, like ditalini or small shells, uncooked
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 cup fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or chives
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 8-10 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in vegetable broth and diced tomatoes with juices. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the cannellini beans and uncooked pasta. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, until pasta is just shy of al dente.
- Add the diced zucchini and asparagus pieces. Simmer for 4-5 minutes until asparagus is tender-crisp.
- Stir in the peas and cook for 1-2 more minutes to heat through.
- Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the fresh parsley, basil, dill, and lemon juice. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Ladle into bowls and serve topped with grated cheese.
Notes
Add delicate green vegetables last to preserve their color and texture. For a gluten-free version, use GF pasta. For a vegan version, omit the cheese garnish. Soup thickens as it sits; add a splash of broth or water when reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 5
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 3
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 8
- Protein: 10
- Cholesterol: 0
Ingredients List
Spring Minestrone Soup begins with a vibrant collection of fresh and pantry staples. The beauty is in its flexibility; use what looks best at the market.
- For the Aromatic Base:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- For the Broth & Hearty Elements:
- 6 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, with their juices
- 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup small pasta, like ditalini or small shells (uncooked)
- For the Spring Vegetables:
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 cup fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
- For the Fresh Finish:
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or chives
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, for serving
Smart Swaps: No asparagus? Try chopped green beans. Swap cannellini for great northern or kidney beans. For a gluten-free version, use your favorite GF pasta or substitute with 1 cup of diced potato. Want it vegan? Skip the cheese or use a nutritional yeast sprinkle.
Timing
This Spring Minestrone Soup comes together in about the time it takes to unwind from your day.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
It’s about 30% quicker than a long-simmered winter soup, making it a fantastic weeknight option among spring soup recipes.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making this soup is a joyful, straightforward process. We’ll build layers of flavor, then let the spring vegetables shine at the end.
1. Sauté the Aromatics. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8-10 minutes, until the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for just one more minute, until fragrant.
2. Build the Broth. Pour in the vegetable broth and the canned diced tomatoes with their juices. Bring the pot to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to a steady simmer. Let it bubble happily for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to start marrying.
3. Add Beans & Pasta. Stir in the rinsed cannellini beans and the uncooked pasta. Continue simmering for the time recommended on your pasta package, usually 8-10 minutes. The pasta should be just shy of al dente, as it will continue to cook a bit with the veggies.
4. Welcome the Spring Veggies. Now for the star players! Add the diced zucchini and asparagus pieces to the pot. Simmer for 4-5 minutes, just until the asparagus is bright green and tender-crisp. Finally, stir in the peas (if frozen, no need to thaw) and cook for 1-2 more minutes to heat through. Pro Tip: Adding the delicate vegetables last preserves their fresh color, texture, and flavor—the key to a great spring minestrone soup.
5. The Fresh Finish. Remove the pot from the heat. This is crucial! Stir in the chopped fresh parsley, basil, dill, and the lemon juice. The residual heat will wilt the herbs perfectly without turning them dull. Season generously with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust—the lemon should make the broth taste alive and bright.
Nutritional Information
A serving of this light soup is nourishing and satisfying. Per serving (approximately 1.5 cups), you can expect roughly: 250 calories, 10g protein, 45g carbohydrates (including fiber from all those veggies and beans), and 5g fat. It’s a fantastic source of vitamins A and C from the carrots and greens, fiber from the beans and vegetables, and plant-based protein. Comfort food, made easy and good for you.
Equipment Needed
You don’t need anything fancy for this Spring Minestrone Soup. A reliable large Dutch oven or soup pot is your main workhorse. A good chef’s knife and cutting board for prepping all those beautiful vegetables, a wooden spoon for stirring, and a measuring cup are all you need. Regular kitchen, regular time, great results.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This spring minestrone soup recipe earns a permanent spot in my seasonal rotation for so many reasons.
- Celebrates the Season: It’s a delicious way to use the first tender produce of the year.
- Flexible & Forgiving: The recipe is a guideline, not a rulebook. Swap veggies based on what you have.
- Perfect for Leftovers: The flavors meld and improve overnight, making it a brilliant make-ahead lunch.
- Family-Friendly Comfort: It’s a wholesome, veggie-packed meal that even picky eaters often enjoy, especially with a little extra cheese on top.
- Feels Fancy, Isn’t Fussy: It looks and tastes like something from a cozy café but comes together in one pot with simple steps.
Healthier Alternatives for the Recipe
This Spring Minestrone Soup is already quite healthy, but you can easily tweak it to fit specific needs.
- Gluten-Free: Use a certified gluten-free pasta like brown rice pasta or chickpea pasta. Jovial and Banza make great options.
- Lower-Carb / Keto: Omit the pasta and beans entirely. Increase the volume of low-carb vegetables like zucchini, asparagus, and spinach. You could also add some shredded rotisserie chicken for more protein.
- Higher-Protein: Add a can of rinsed chickpeas along with the cannellini beans, or stir in 1-2 cups of shredded cooked chicken at the end with the peas.
- Dairy-Free / Vegan: Simply omit the Parmesan cheese garnish. For a creamy, cheesy flavor, stir in a tablespoon of nutritional yeast or a splash of unsweetened almond milk at the very end.
Serving Suggestions
This soup is a complete meal in a bowl, but a few additions can make it a feast.
- The Essential: A generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese and a crack of black pepper.
- For More Substance: Serve with a thick slice of the aforementioned crusty bread, garlic toast, or a warm, buttery biscuit.
- For a Lighter Meal: Pair it with a simple side salad, like my favorite arugula with lemon vinaigrette, or a classic Caesar.
- For a Heartier Spread: It makes a wonderful starter before a main course like a simple herb-roasted chicken or a piece of pan-seared fish. If you love bean-based soups, you might also enjoy my hearty Ham Bean Soup for a different, smoky flavor profile.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
A few small missteps can dull the bright magic of this spring minestrone soup. Here’s how to avoid them.
- Overcooking the Green Veggies: Adding the zucchini, asparagus, and peas too early will turn them mushy and dull their color. They should go in at the very end for a perfect tender-crisp bite.
- Skipping the Fresh Herbs & Lemon: The dried herbs in your pantry won’t cut it here. The handfuls of fresh parsley, basil, and dill, along with the lemon juice, are non-negotiable for that signature spring flavor. They transform the broth.
- Underseasoning: Because we’re using a lot of vegetables and broth, you need to be generous with salt and pepper. Season in layers—a pinch when sautéing the onions, and then definitely at the end after you’ve added the lemon and herbs. Taste and adjust!
- Using the Wrong Pasta Shape: Large pasta like rigatoni or fettuccine will overwhelm the soup. Stick with small shapes like ditalini, small shells, or orzo that fit nicely on a spoon. For another soup that uses orzo beautifully, try my Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup.
Storing Tips for the Recipe
This soup is arguably even better the next day, making it a meal prep superstar.
- Refrigerating: Let the soup cool completely, then transfer to airtight containers. It will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Freezing: You can freeze this Spring Minestrone Soup, but with one caveat: the pasta may become a bit soft upon reheating. For best results, freeze the soup before adding the pasta. When ready to eat, thaw, reheat, and cook fresh pasta directly in the simmering soup. Frozen soup (without pasta) will keep for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Gently reheat in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. If the soup has thickened in the fridge, add a splash of broth or water to loosen it up. The microwave works too—just heat in intervals, stirring in between.
Conclusion
This Spring Minestrone Soup is more than just a recipe; it’s a welcome shift in the kitchen. It’s about cooking with the windows open, celebrating simple, bright flavors, and filling your home with the most inviting aroma. It’s proof that the best spring soup recipes don’t require complicated techniques, just good ingredients and a little timing.
I hope this pot of soup brings as much light and comfort to your table as it does to mine. It’s food that feels like home. If you’re looking for other vegetable-forward soups to rotate through your weekly menu, my Crockpot Vegetable Lentil Soup is a fantastic hands-off option, and my White Bean Kale Soup is another vegetarian favorite that’s packed with goodness.
Give this spring minestrone soup a try this week. Let me know how it turned out in the comments below—what seasonal veggies did you add? And don’t forget to tag @StackSipSnack on Pinterest so I can see your beautiful bowls!
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FAQs about Spring Minestrone Soup
What vegetables are typically in Spring Minestrone Soup?
Spring Minestrone Soup typically features fresh, seasonal vegetables like asparagus, peas, fava beans, new potatoes, spinach, zucchini, and spring onions.
What makes Spring Minestrone Soup different from regular Minestrone?
Spring Minestrone emphasizes the use of tender, vibrant spring vegetables, creating a lighter and fresher flavor profile compared to the heartier, more robust flavor of traditional Minestrone with its often root vegetables and canned tomatoes.
Can I use frozen vegetables in Spring Minestrone Soup?
Yes, you can use frozen vegetables, especially if fresh ones are not available or out of season. Frozen peas, green beans, and spinach are good options. Adjust cooking time accordingly.
What kind of pasta should I use in Spring Minestrone Soup?
Small pasta shapes like ditalini, orzo, or elbow macaroni work well in Spring Minestrone Soup. They should be cooked until al dente.
How long does Spring Minestrone Soup last in the refrigerator?
Spring Minestrone Soup will generally last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator when stored properly in an airtight container.
Is Spring Minestrone Soup vegan?
Spring Minestrone Soup can easily be made vegan by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and omitting any Parmesan cheese or other dairy products used for topping.
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