Spring Minestrone Soup
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This spring minestrone soup is a bright, fresh take on the classic, packed with seasonal vegetables, tender mini potatoes, pesto, and Parmesan. It’s an easy one-pot meal that comes together in under 30 minutes and tastes just as good the next day.
This spring minestrone soup is a fresh, colorful take on the classic tomato-based version. It’s loaded with seasonal vegetables like asparagus, carrots, peas, snap peas, and creamy mini potatoes, then finished with savory pesto and sharp Parmesan for big flavor. Best of all, it’s a satisfying one-pot meal that’s ready in under 30 minutes.
Even as the weather warms up, a bowl of soup can still feel wonderfully comforting, and this spring minestrone hits that sweet spot. It’s easy, affordable, and stores beautifully in the fridge, making leftovers perfect for a light, packable lunch the next day.
Variations to try
This spring minestrone soup is wonderful because it’s really flexible. Use your favorite ingredients or mix it up with some of these variations:
- Beans: kidney beans, white kidney beans, cannellini beans, chickpeas, lima beans, fava beans, and borlotti beans
- Potatoes: this recipe uses mini potatoes (also called creamer) but any thin-skinned variety works well. If they are larger than a golfball size, slice them into quarters to make them bite-sized.
- Pasta: opt for small pasta like orzo, macaroni, shells, orecchiette, fusilli, farfalle – cook it in a separate pot and add in the cooked noodles at the end.
- Vegetables: most seasonal vegetables will work well. Just be mindful of different cooking times to avoid overcooking them. For example: chop dense vegetables into smaller pieces so they cook evenly or add quick cooking vegetables last.
- Leafy greens: If using leafy greens, chop them roughly into small pieces and stir them into the hot soup after it’s finished cooking to wilt them. Some greens we love are kale, spinach, chard, collards, or mustard greens.
Store leftovers
This soup can be stored in a covered container in your fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it gently in a pot on the stovetop or in a microwave. You may want to add a small splash of water or stock if it thickens too much.
Spring Minestrone Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 2 medium carrots (diced small)
- 1 stalk celery (diced small)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 12 mini potatoes (sliced ⅛ inch thick)
- 6 cups chicken bone broth
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
- 12 medium asparagus spears (chopped small)
- 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup snap peas (halved)
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons pesto
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Fresh basil and grated parmesan (to serve)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium onion, 2 medium carrots, 1 stalk celery, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the potatoes, bone broth, and chili flakes, and bring the pot to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently with the lid partially on the pot for 10 minutes.12 mini potatoes, 6 cups chicken bone broth, ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
- Add the asparagus, peas, and snap peas and simmer for 5 minutes more.12 medium asparagus spears, 1 cup peas, 1 cup snap peas
- Stir the parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and pesto into the soup then season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with fresh pesto and extra parmesan on top.½ cup grated parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoons pesto, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
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Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
I made your minestrone yesterday, it is amazing full of flavor soup, the lemon, parmesan and pesto did the trick for me. I absolutely love it! and from now on, it will be the my go- to – repeatedly. Thank you !!!!
I’m thrilled that the recipe turned out so well for you!
This soup looks delicious.
Best soup ever! My husband isn’t a huge soup fan but absolutely adored this one! My daughters have requested it again for this week for school lunches. The flavours are out of this world!
So delicious! The perfect soup for fresh spring vegetables
It is so completely brilliant that you listed the ingredient amounts under the instructions. Amazing. Also, we loved the soup. I did add Italian sausage.
This was light, tangy from the lemon, and so good with all of the veggies. I love how versatile it is. I didn’t have celery so I left it out. I think adding spinach would be really good!
Absolutely delish! I veganized the recipe using vegan chicken flavored broth, vegan pesto and vegan parmesan cheese. I also substituted cannellini beans for potatoes. Adding pesto to the broth was a brilliant idea. Thanks, Simply Veganized
I doubled all veggies, subbed corn for the frozen peas, added 2 more cups of broth, and added Italian seasoning – it was so delicious!! Definitely a keeper!
This hit the spot and really makes you feel like spring. Thank you for sharing this recipe!