some notes on the recipe:
I used the vegetables that I had on hand and that I love. I made another one the same week and added asparagus instead of the peas. The point is, you can mix up this soup and make it to your taste adding whatever spring vegetables you encounter in your market exploring or what you (lucky you!)have growing in your garden. You could use dandelion or Swiss chard instead of spinach. I usually have baby spinach around (fresh or frozen)and my kids don’t mind it at all in a soup, so that’s usually my choice green leaf vegetable. I used orzo because I had some on hand and have been wanting to use it up in a soup. This is vegan, because I used vegetable broth.
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slightly updated from May 2016
Spring Minestrone
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 3 garlic smashed
- 2 leeks washed and thinly sliced (use an onion if you don’t have leeks)
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 4 carrots peeled and chopped
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste -optional
- 1 potato peeled and cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup peeled seeded, and chopped tomato
- 4-6 cups stock or water I used vegetable stock, you could use chicken
- 2 small zucchini cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 cup peas I used frozen from fresh that I had in my freezer
- 1 cup baby fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup Italian parsley chopped
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, leeks, rosemary,carrots, celery, red pepper flakes, and cook 2 minutes. Stir in the potato and tomatoes and cook 2 more minutes; season with salt and pepper.
- Add stock or water and bring to a simmer (start with 4 or 5 cups of stock. Depending on how thick you want your minestrone, add another cup if you want it less thick). Cook, covered, for 10 minutes.
- If you are adding orzo or a broken pieces of a thin spaghetti, bring soup to a boil and add them in now. When the pasta is almost done, add in the zucchini and peas. If you aren’t adding pasta to the soup, keep the soup on a simmer and add in the zucchini and peas and cook for about 10 minutes (or until the zucchini are tender).
- If you did add the pasta, cook until the pasta is al dente (it will keep cooking in the soup because it is very hot, so check to make sure it doesn’t become too mushy).
- Add spinach and parsley during the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Adjust seasonings and serve immediately.
Hi Madly,
Its a must try for vegetarians. Definitely going to try this weekend for my kiddos. I know they would love it. If i don’t use red pepper flakes, is it test well?
You could leave out the pepper flakes. It will still be delicious!
I love how you can change this up each time depending on what vegetables you have on hand. Loaded with veggies, this is my kind of meal!
This is such a beautiful looking soup, and one of my favorite recipes! I’ll be making this for my family this weekend!
Boy, we’ve had some crazy storms that brought in some cooler winds. This soup sure would hit the spot right now.
This is just how I make minestrone, with all the vegetables we have…growing up it would be from my grandfathers garden too. He was a farmer in Sicily too and knew how to work the Florida soil too!
Ohhh, I love this soup recipe! Perfect for a nice spring dinner on the back porch and so much flavor!
I love minestrone soup! This looks so hearty and delicious!
Ah such a perfect spring soup! Love this so much.
Spring Minestrone sounds really good with Italian savory flavors! It looks so fresh and light.
Looks beyond delicious! I am going to try this for sure, so tasty and flavorful!
Oh I love minestrone soups. This recipe sounds wonderful. I definitely must make this for me and my family. Look delicious and it’s loaded with veggies and so healthy.
Any season needs a good soup and what can be better than a bowl of minestrone. This recipe is perfect to use up all the leftover vegetables. I like the idea of using orzo. I will try that next time when I make Minestrone.
I love this spring minestrone soup, hearty soup I need to give it a try, minestrone soups are my favorite. I like the idea of adding orzo.
Hi Lora,
My whole family loves vegan dishes. It’s delicious and I couldn’t resist making them myself this weekend… I wonder what happens if I skip Italian parsley, will it affects the taste?
Hi Ella-you could skip the parsley…not a big flavor changer! Enjoy!
[…] This soup is really so easy to make! Starting with a soffritto, it is the same method I used to make my kale and chickpea soup with garlic crostini and my Spring minestrone. […]