Spring Minestrone Soup
Spring is the perfect time to embrace lighter, fresher flavors, and this Spring Minestrone Soup is just what you need to celebrate the season. Packed with vibrant green peas, tender asparagus, and creamy cannellini beans, this seasonal soup is a bowlful of bright, garden-fresh goodness.
A swirl of basil pesto at the end ties everything together with an herby, fragrant finish. Whether you're looking for a satisfying lunch or a simple dinner, this soup delivers a burst of seasonal flavors in every spoonful.
Unlike heavier winter stews, this version of minestrone lets delicate spring vegetables shine. The combination of new potatoes, Swiss chard, and spring onions creates a rich yet balanced broth, while small pasta shells soak up all the delicious flavors.
And if you love this kind of veggie-packed dish, you might also enjoy our Green Pea Soup or this cozy Tuscan White Bean Soup. Pair your minestrone with a slice of crusty bread, and you’ve got a meal that’s as comforting as it is fresh!
Why This Recipe Rocks!
Spring Vegetable Soup Ingredients + Substitutions
- Olive oil: My favorite oil to use for sauteing the aromatics. You can swap it with any other vegetable oil you prefer.
- Aromatics: We're using carrot, celery, spring onions, and garlic to create a flavorful base for the soup. I love the mild flavor of green onions, and they're perfect for the spring, but you can swap it for a sweet onion, yellow onion, or even a leek.
- White beans: You can use cannellini beans, chickpeas, or any other white bean. My favorites are cannellini beans for their creamy texture and mild flavor.
- Broth: I'm using vegetable broth to keep the soup vegetarian but chicken broth works well too. The amount of salt you need to add is going to depend on the broth you choose since different brands vary in their levels of saltiness. I don't recommend using bouillon as it tends to be overly salty.
- Seasoning: Dried Italian seasoning adds hints of herbs to the soup and a pinch of crushed red pepper gives it a slight kick. If you don't have the Italian seasoning you can substitute a half teaspoon of oregano and basil instead.
- Spring vegetables: To fully embrace the essence of spring the soup uses fresh asparagus, fresh green peas, new potatoes, and Swiss chard. They give the soup a lovely green color and also great flavor and a variety of textures.
- Pasta: Use a small pasta such as shells, macaroni, or ditalini so the pasta blends easily with the vegetables and beans in the soup.
- Flavor boosters: Stirring in basil pesto at the end of cooking adds fresh, bright flavor and a sprinkle of Parmesan, a bit of tangy nuttiness.
Check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and quantities of each one.
How to Make Spring Minestrone Soup
Step 1: Cook the vegetables. Cook the carrots, celery and Swiss chard stems with olive oil in your Dutch oven until the carrots begin to soften. Add the garlic and green onions and cook 2 minutes longer, stirring frequently.
Step 2: Cook the potatoes. Add the potatoes, beans, vegetable broth, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper to the pot with the cooked vegetables. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.
Step 3: Add the green spring vegetables. Add the asparagus, peas, and Swiss chard leaves, and cook for 5 minutes longer.
Step 4: Finish the soup. Stir in the cooked pasta, pesto, and season with salt and black pepper. Serve the green minestrone soup up in bowls with Parmesan cheese.
Handy Tip: Chopping the Aromatics
This soup cooks more quickly if you slice or dice the carrots and celery in small pieces. I prefer slicing, as I find they cook much more quickly than diced pieces. No matter the shape, the smaller the pieces, the quicker they cook.
Dietary Modifications & Variations
- Gluten-Free: Swap the small pasta shells for gluten-free pasta or cooked quinoa for a hearty alternative.
- Vegan or Dairy-Free: Omit the parmesan and use a dairy-free pesto or a drizzle of olive oil for extra richness. You can stir in some nutritional yeast or use a dairy-free parmesan to add a cheesy flavor.
- Low-Carb: Skip the potatoes and pasta, and add more beans or chopped cauliflower for a lower-carb version.
- Make it Meaty: If you are looking to add some meat to your bowl of soup, like I did in this chicken minestrone recipe, you can add some cooked Italian sausage crumbles, shredded chicken breast, or sprinkle the top with crispy bacon or pancetta.
Soup-er Toppings & Serving Suggestions
- Garnish: Sprinkle the top of each bowl of soup with parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of chopped green onions or some fresh basil. You can also serve up a bowl of pesto for anyone who wants their soup to have a bolder pesto flavor.
- Crusty Garlic Bread: Serve your soup with warm, garlicky bread for the perfect balance of texture and flavor. Or try these homemade crusty rolls instead.
- Simple Green Salad: A crisp salad with fresh greens, lemon vinaigrette, and shaved parmesan complements the soup’s bright flavors. You might even try this hearts of palm salad that's perfect for a spring meal.
- Cheesy Crostini: Elevate your meal with toasted baguette slices topped with melted cheese and tomato slices or a prosciutto sandwich.
Expert Tips
- Prep Ahead: Chop all your vegetables before you start cooking to keep the process smooth and stress-free.
- Control the Texture: If you prefer a thicker soup, mash a few of the potatoes or beans directly in the pot before adding the pasta.
- Add Veggies Last: To keep the green vegetables vibrant and crisp, be sure they are added only at the end of cooking.
- Store Leftovers: Store in the refrigerator for up to four days. It's best to store the pasta separately as the pasta soaks up all the broth during storage. Reheat in a pot on the stove or in the microwave until heated through.
- Taste and Adjust: Before serving, taste your soup and adjust seasoning as needed with salt, pepper, or even a squeeze of lemon for added brightness.
Spring Minestrone Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small carrot diced or sliced small
- 1 rib celery diced or slice small
- 2-3 leaves Swiss chard stems and leaves chopped and separated
- 1 bunch spring onions white and green parts sliced, about 1 cup
- 3-4 cloves garlic chopped
- 4-5 new potatoes or cocktail potatoes, about 1 ½ cups
- 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans chickpeas, or other white bean, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper optional
- 1 bunch asparagus 12-15 spears, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces, about 1 ½ cups
- 1 cup fresh green peas or frozen
- 1 cup cooked small pasta small shells, macaroni, or ditalini work great
- ¼ cup basil pesto
- ½ - 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, add carrots, celery and Swiss chard stems, cook until begin to soften, about 6-7 minutes.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 small carrot, 1 rib celery, 2-3 leaves Swiss chard
- Add garlic and green onions and cook 2 minutes longer.1 bunch spring onions, 3-4 cloves garlic
- Add potatoes, beans, vegetable broth, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat 15 minutes.4-5 new potatoes, 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 pinch crushed red pepper
- Add asparagus, peas, and Swiss chard leaves, and cook for 5 minutes longer.1 bunch asparagus, 1 cup fresh green peas, 2-3 leaves Swiss chard
- Stir in cooked pasta, pesto, and season with salt and black pepper.1 cup cooked small pasta, ¼ cup basil pesto, ½ - 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Serve in a bowl garnished with parmesan cheese.¼ cup grated parmesan
Recipe Tips
- Chop all veggies beforehand for a smooth cooking process.
- Mash some potatoes or beans before adding pasta if you want a thicker consistency.
- Keep any leftovers in the fridge for up to four days. Store pasta separately to prevent it from absorbing the broth. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon.
Nutrition
I had so much fun developing this recipe. It's full of so many green veggies and you can even swap out any of them with your favorite spring vegetables instead. I hope you try it out today and love the combination and bright flavors as much as I do!