Our Pesto Minestrone Soup Recipe is an easy homemade soup that is ready in just minutes. This hearty minestrone with pesto and baby kale is an updated version of the classic Italian soup and is sure to be a new family favorite!
Pesto Minestrone is my updated version of the beloved classic Italian soup. Cannellini beans (white kidney beans), baby kale mix and a swirl of pesto give this Minestrone Soup Recipe a new twist!
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The combination of baby kale, Swiss chard and baby spinach, along with the creaminess of cannellini beans and the fresh basil flavor of pesto, all lend themselves to making this easy minestrone soup fabulously delicious and right on trend!
Make it with vegetable broth and it's perfect for Meatless Monday! Make it with chicken broth and add shredded chicken too!
Serve with warm crusty bread and a salad and you'll be in heaven for sure with our updated Italian minestrone soup!
In my humble opinion, this recipe might even be better that the Ina Garten minestrone soup recipe. Just sayin'.
If you love soup you’ll definitely want to check out all of our easy homemade soup recipes here at Swirls.
Learn all about pesto, what does pesto taste like, how to make it, store it and even freeze it, along with lots more pesto recipes!
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Minestrone FAQ’s
What is minestrone soup?
Minestrone is an Italian soup typically made with vegetables you have on hand.
Often times a pasta or rice is included in the soup, sometimes both.
Celery, carrots, onions, beans, tomatoes and broth are common ingredients used.
Where does minestrone come from?
Minestrone has it's origins from Italy. It is part of what's known in Italy as the "cucina povera" which means the "poor kitchen".
Since this soup is made from whatever vegetables and ingredients you have on hand it is known to be the soup of the poorer people's cuisine.
Can I freeze minestrone soup?
Yes, you can freeze minestrone soup in an airtight freezer safe container or a freezer ziplock bag.
Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or remove from the container or bag and defrost while heating in a saucepot on the stovetop.
Soups With Beans
Love soups with beans? Then you’ll want to check out these Swirls recipes too!
How to make minestrone soup with pesto
Scroll down for the full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below
- Over medium-high heat, heat oil in saucepot.
- Cook carrots, onion, celery, basil, garlic and kosher salt until just tender.
- Add zucchini and green beans and cook until just tender.
- Stir in broth and diced tomatoes with their juices.
- Bring to a boil over high heat and then stir in cannellini beans and pasta. Cook 10 minutes or until pasta is tender.
- Stir in baby kale mix and pesto and cook 1 minute until kale is just wilted.
- Serve with shredded Parmesan cheese.
Swirls of Flavor Recipe Tips
- Add vegetables you may have in your fridge
- Don’t have cannellini beans? Canned chickpeas will be delicious too!
Substitutions
- Substitute chicken broth for the vegetable broth
- Add baby spinach in place of the kale mix
- Add baby kale in place of the kale mix
Ingredients
These are the ingredients that you will need to make minestrone soup:
- oil- to saute the vegetables
- carrots - add sweetness and pretty color
- onion - for savory notes
- celery - add flavor and slight crunch
- dried basil - an aromatic Italian herb with a balance of sweet and savory notes
- garlic - gives fabulous flavor
- kosher salt - makes the flavors pop
- zucchini and/or yellow squash - summer vegetables with a mild flavor
- green beans - traditional vegetable in a minestrone soup
- vegetable broth - you can also use chicken broth
- canned diced tomatoes with basil & oregano - the basil and oregano give an added boost of flavor
- canned cannellini beans - add a nice texture and protein too
- mini bowtie pasta - I love this shale but you can also use orzo or small pasta shells
- baby kale - baby spinach will also work
- pesto - I love using my homemade pesto but you can also use a store bought pesto
- Parmesan cheese - adds a nice salty finish
Easy Soup Recipes
Once you make homemade soup and taste the freshness, you'll never buy a can of soup again. And the fact that it's so easy and quick to make your own pot of soup is an added bonus!
Slow Cooker Mushroom Barley Soup is bursting with tender mushrooms, carrots, celery and onions complimented by bits of barley in a perfectly seasoned broth. Let your slow cooker do the work for you!
Our creamy Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup is brimming with fresh veggies and two cheeses. Broccoli, carrots and onions simmer in your crockpot with vegetable broth topped with cheddar and cream cheese making a tender mixture that you whirl up into a smooth and creamy soup. An easy broccoli and cheddar soup recipe that will quickly become a comfort food favorite.
Slow Cooker Ginger Carrot Soup is a vegetarian soup that will fit beautifully into your plant-based vegan lifestyle. Bursting with the flavors of fresh vegetables, ginger, coconut milk and cilantro, our carrot ginger soup recipe will please every palate. Let your crockpot do the cooking for you!
Thailand has arrived in your kitchen when you make Thai Ginger Vegetable Noodle Soup! Our vegetarian Thai noodle soup is filled with fresh veggies, seasoned with fresh ginger, cilantro and lime, and finished with rice noodles for a Thai flavor experience! Homemade soup never tasted so good!
Ready in a matter of minutes, Instant Pot Curried Cauliflower Soup is amazingly rich and silky, packed with fresh veggies and great flavor. You won’t believe that there’s no cream or cheese in it!
The fresh clean flavors of garlic, fresh ginger and lime and the buttery creaminess of chunks of avocados come together to create Avocado Lime Chicken Soup, a new comfort soup favorite!
Pesto Minestrone Soup Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 Tbs. oil
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped, 2 cups
- 1 onion chopped, 1 cup
- 1 rib celery chopped, 1/2 cup
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 medium zucchini and/or yellow squash ,chopped, 2 cups
- 1 cup green beans , about 4 ounces
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes with basil & oregano
- 1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans , drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup uncooked mini bowtie pasta
- 2 cups packed baby kale , about 2 ounces
- 1 Tbs. homemade pesto or store bought pesto
- shredded Parmesan cheese
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Instructions
- Heat oil in saucepot over medium-high heat.
- Cook carrots, onion, celery, basil, garlic and kosher salt until just tender, about 3 minutes.
- Add zucchini and green beans. Cook until just tender, about 3 minutes.
- Add broth and diced tomatoes with their juices. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Stir in cannellini beans and pasta. Cook 10 minutes or until pasta is tender.
- Add baby kale mix and pesto. Cook 1 minute until kale is just wilted and heated through.
- Serve with shredded Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Substitute chicken broth for the vegetable broth
- Add vegetables you may have in your fridge
- Add baby spinach in place of the kale
- Don’t have cannellini beans? Canned chickpeas will be delicious too!
Nutrition
First Published: October 20, 2014... Last Updated: January 16, 2024, for better readability and user experience
Is the "6 cups chicken" supposed to be 6 cups chicken stock? I think it must be since no other liquid is mentioned and I've never really heard of large quantities of chicken in minestrone. Thanks in advance.
Oh my goodness Dawn! Thank you so much for bringing that to my attention. And you are correct, it should say "6 cups chicken broth". I corrected it now. Happy cooking and I hope you enjoy the recipe! Savor the Moments, GG
If this is the one that i will eat as a main course i would be happy because it looks and taste delicious. This recipe is awesome!
This soup will definitely make a delicious main course. It's hearty, filled with vegetables and a bowl of comfort food! Enjoy!