Autumn minestrone soup – a delicious vegan soup that uses seasonal produce to create a hearty, healthy and satisfying meal.
When summer ends my meals quickly shift towards soups — they are fast to prepare, comforting and nourishing. I like to make a large pot for dinner and enjoy the leftovers for lunch over the next couple of days. Although this recipe serves six, it stores and reheats well so a smaller household can easily enjoy it across several meals.
Minestrone is one of my favourite soups because it’s versatile, filling and forgiving — you can adapt it to whatever vegetables are in season or need using. This autumn version features butternut squash and cavolo nero (or kale) alongside onion, carrot, celery, courgette (zucchini) and potato for a robust, seasonal bowl.
It’s the kind of meal that feels perfect after a chilly walk through fallen leaves: warming, textured and wholesome. Small pasta shapes such as ditalini are traditionally added to minestrone and cook right in the broth; any small pasta or even broken spaghetti will work if that’s what you have on hand.
The pasta turns this into a true one-pot meal. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the broth and, if you like, a spoonful or swirl of basil pesto for extra flavour.
How To Make Autumn Minestrone Soup:
(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)
Begin by prepping the vegetables. Peel and finely dice the onion and carrot, thinly slice the celery and crush the garlic. Heat olive oil in a large pan over low heat, then add the onion, carrot and celery and sweat gently for about 10 minutes until softened and lightly coloured. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Dice the courgette, peel, seed and dice the butternut squash, dice the potato and thinly shred the cavolo nero or kale. Strip the leaves from the thyme and rosemary and chop them finely, discarding the stalks.
Add all the prepared vegetables and herbs to the pan along with the tin of chopped tomatoes, drained cannellini beans, vegetable stock and the uncooked pasta shapes. Bring the pot up to a gentle simmer and cook for 20–30 minutes, or until both the vegetables and pasta are tender.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir through some finely chopped fresh basil. Serve hot, topped with a spoonful of pesto if you like, and with crusty bread on the side.
Autumn Minestrone Soup (Vegan)
Autumn minestrone soup – a delicious vegan soup that uses seasonal produce to create a hearty, healthy and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
- 1 large brown onion
- 1 large carrot
- 2 sticks celery
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 courgette (zucchini)
- 1 small butternut squash
- 1 large potato
- 200 g (7oz / a large handful) cavolo nero or kale
- a few sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 x 400g (14oz) tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 x 400g (14oz) tin cannellini beans, drained
- 1.5 litres (6 cups) vegetable stock
- 100 g (⅔ cup) uncooked ditalini or other small pasta
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh basil or pesto to serve
Instructions
- Peel and finely dice the onion and carrot, thinly slice the celery and crush the garlic.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over low heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook gently for about 10 minutes until softened and lightly coloured. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Dice the courgette, peel, de-seed and dice the butternut squash, dice the potato and thinly shred the cavolo nero or kale. Strip and finely chop the thyme and rosemary leaves.
- Add all prepared vegetables and herbs to the pan along with the chopped tomatoes, drained cannellini beans, vegetable stock and pasta.
- Bring to a simmer and gently simmer for 20–30 minutes until vegetables and pasta are tender. Season with salt and pepper and stir in chopped fresh basil or serve with a spoonful of pesto.
More Soup Recipes:
Spiced red lentil and root vegetable soup
Carrot and coriander soup
Spiced roast pumpkin soup
Spiced yellow split pea and sweetcorn soup
Quick black-eyed bean soup
Spiced carrot and pumpkin soup
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Course: Main Course — Cuisine: Italian, vegan — Keyword: soup
Prep Time: 10 minutes — Cook Time: 40 minutes — Total Time: 50 minutes — Servings: 6 people — Calories: 283 kcal
Author: Domestic Gothess