Rustic Winter Minestrone Soup with Quick Basil Pesto
My vegetarian clients like to have a healthy soup as part of their meal prep every week. This requires me to get creative. I’ve now created over 30 unique soups to meet their tastes and dietary preferences. This vegetable packed vegan soup is one of our favorites.
My clients lean towards soups that are packed with lots of vegetables and leafy greens. Light on the broth and heavy on the veggies so the soup is filling and satisfying.
SERVE WITH GRAINS FOR A HEARTY MEAL
This is a chunky soup that pairs well with left over ancient grains you may have in the fridge. Serve this soup with a scoop of wheat berries, spelt, whole oat groats, or quinoa.
If you enjoy a good loaf of bread, enjoy a slice of sourdough or rustic wheat dipped into the broth.
DON’T FORGET THE GREENS
Be sure to stir in fresh greens just before you are ready to serve. I like the following with this soup.
- Spinach
- Green, red or rainbow chard
- Collard greens
- Organic Girls Supergreens
- Beet greens
- Celery greens
HOW TO CUSTOMIZE THIS RUSTIC MINESTRONE SOUP
I make this soup for a variety of clients. Some are vegan, vegetarian, paleo and keto. I use the soup as a base and add in or swap the following according to my clients dietary preferences and taste.
- Shredded chicken or turkey
- Swap butternut squash for sweet potato
- Ground dark meat turkey, chicken or bison
- Shredded chicken or turkey
- Large white beans, kidney beans or garbanzo beans
- Swap chicken bone broth for vegetable broth
- Diced red beets to replace tomatoes for lectin-free clients
TRY THESE HEALTHY, HIGH VIBRATIONAL SOUP RECIPES
CHEF TIP
When preparing the carrots, celery and butternut squash, try and dice them to resemble the same size. Small enough that you could fit two different vegetables on a soup spoon for a moderate bite.
Short on time? Then pick up a small batch of fresh store bought pesto. Reach for one the refrigerator section. No judgement, we’ve all been there. Do what works for you and don’t stress about it.
If you make this recipe, please let me know. Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #starseedkitchen.
Rustic Winter Minestrone Soup with Quick Basil Pesto
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Healthy
Description
An easy, healthy minestrone soup, packed with hearty vegetables. Great for Vegans, Vegetarians, Paleo and Gluten-Free eaters.
Ingredients
FOR THE SOUP
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, medium diced
- 2 cups carrots, quartered into half-moons (3–4 carrots)
- 2 cups celery, small diced (3 stalks)
- 2–2 ½ cups small diced butternut squash (bite size)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic (4 cloves)
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 14-oz cans of diced, chopped tomatoes
- 5 to 6 cups of vegetable broth or chicken bone broth
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1 14-oz can of white beans (such as cannellini), drained and rinsed
- 2 cups packed baby spinach
- ½ cup organic or bio-dynamic white wine, such as Fred’s
FOR THE QUICK PESTO
- 1 large box of fresh organic basil
- 3–4 garlic cloves
- ¼ teaspoon of sea salt
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a soup pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes till they start to soften. Add carrots, celery, squash, garlic and thyme. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the tomatoes, 5 cups of the broth, bay leaf, sea salt, black pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and tender.
- Discard the bay leaf. Add beans and spinach, till warmed through and wilted.
- Store in an airtight glass containers for 7 days in the fridge. Store in freezer for up to 6 months.
Notes
- When preparing the carrots, celery and butternut squash, try and dice them to resemble the same size. Small enough that you could fit two different vegetables on a soup spoon for a moderate bite.
- Short on time? Then pick up a small batch of fresh store bought pesto. Reach for one the refrigerator section. No judgement, we’ve all been there. Do what works for you and don’t stress about it.
Thank you for reading. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for more Starseed Kitchen inspiration.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hi, I’m Whitney Aronoff, a Holistic Chef based in Laguna Beach, California. I graduated from Southern Methodist University with a degree in Communications, and went on to the health supportive culinary school, The Natural Gourmet Institute, in New York City. I work as a personal chef and teach cooking classes, with a focus on healthy, whole foods cooking.
My goal is to help people feel their best by sharing the delicious, healthy recipes I prepare weekly for my clients. I want you to have the energy to live your best life and fulfil your dreams. As we become more conscious and make more quality food choices, our body, mind, soul and the planet benefits.
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