Sun-Dried Tomato, Bean and Pasta Minestrone Soup (Vegan High-Protein)
This Sun-Dried Tomato, Bean and Pasta Minestrone Soup is warming, cosy and packed with beans and vegetables making it the perfect warming meal. It’s naturally vegan and high in protein and is easily gluten-free.
I love a good minestrone soup, and while this soup has everything you love about the veg and pasta soup, this recipe also has the added bonus of beans. The mixed beans add a host of goodness like fibre and protein, while also adding more plant diversity. You can also any beans you like but I use a standard tin of mixed beans (with kidney beans, chickpeas, cannellini beans etc). I’ve also added sun-dried tomatoes for a rich umami flavour boost and finished it off with some crispy beans, your favourite bread and fresh basil.
Why will I love this soup?
This soup is so delicious:
- Warming, cosy and nostalgic
- Packed with tomatoey, basil and herb flavour
- Made with real whole-food ingredients
- Added fibre and protein with the beans
- Delicious for lunch or dinner
- Can be made ahead of time
- Topped with crispy beans for added protein and texture
- Naturally plant-based, egg-free and dairy-free
- Easily gluten-free and nut-free
- Comes together in one pot
- Relies on store-cupboard staples
- Perfect with your favourite breads
- Great for autumn and winter
- Ready in just over 35 minutes of cooking time
- A real crowd pleaser
If you already love the sound of this soup, then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can see the ingredients with weights in the recipe card below and see my favourite and recommended products in the “shop the recipe” section.
For the soup:
- Olive oil: or your favourite cooking oil like avocado or rapeseed oil.
- Shallot or onion: to fry off for the base of the soup.
- Garlic: for flavour.
- Carrot: chop this small to add to the soup.
- Dried herbs and spices: I use dried oregano, basil and sweet smoked paprika for the flavours.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: for added richness and flavour. These come in oil so just drain away the oil and chop the sun-dried tomatoes into small chunks.
- Mixed beans: I use a tin of mixed beans which contains cannellini beans, chickpeas, kidney beans etc.
- Chopped tomatoes: a tin of chopped tomatoes for the sauce (make sure it’s 100% tomatoes and no added sugars and salt).
- Small pasta shapes: any small pasta will work great here.
- Vegetable stock: your favourite variety.
- Fresh basil: to transport you to the Mediterranean.
- Salt and pepper: to season.
For the crispy beans on top:
- Butterbeans: toss with some oil, salt and pepper and then roast or air fry until crispy for a lovely addition.
And to serve I like to add some pine nuts, fresh bread or toast, extra basil and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Is this gluten-free and nut-free?
To keep this gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta shapes and gluten-free bread to serve, and to keep this nut-free, skip the pine nuts on top (you can use sunflower seeds instead).
How do I make this?
This soup comes together in a few steps:
- Fry off the onion, garlic and carrot in large pot or pan: for 5 minutes until soft.
- Add in the herbs and spices: and fry until fragrant.
- Add in the beans, tomatoes, pasta and stock: and stir well.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 25 minutes: with a lid on, stirring occasionally.
- Stir through the basil: and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, toss the butterbeans with oil: and roast or air fry until crispy.
- Spoon the soup into bowls: and top with the crispy beans, some extra basil, pine nuts, a drizzle of EVOO and serve with bread.
How long will it last?
Once made, allow the soup to cool down and keep in the fridge in a sealed container for 2-3 days or in the freeze for 1 month. Allow to defrost and add more water or stock to warm back up, as the pasta continues to absorb the liquid.
What other recipes can I try?
For more soups and bowls:
- Super Greens and Beans Soup
- Roasted Pumpkin and Bean Chilli
- Butterbean Squash and Almond Curry
- Hidden Vegetable Creamy Tomato Soup
- Vegetable Packed Vegan Curry Sauce
Sun-Dried Tomato, Bean and Pasta Minestrone Soup (Vegan High-Protein)
This Sun-Dried Tomato, Bean and Pasta Minestrone Soup is warming, cosy and packed with beans and vegetables making it the perfect warming meal. It’s naturally vegan and high in protein and is easily gluten-free.
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 shallot or small onion, small dice
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 carrot, trimmed and small dice
- Herbs: 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 80g sun-dried tomatoes (in oil, drained), chopped small
- 1 tin mixed beans (240g, drained weight)
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes, 400g
- 100g small pasta shapes
- 600ml vegetable stock
- A few sprigs fresh basil, torn
- Salt and pepper
For the Crispy Beans:
- 1 tin butterbeans (240g, drained weight)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
To serve:
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Bread/toast
- Fresh basil
- Pine nuts, toasted
Instructions
- Heat a large non-stick pan or pot with the olive oil and once hot, add the shallot, garlic and carrot. Fry of for 5 minutes with a pinch of salt, to soften.
- Now add in the dried herbs, smoked paprika and sun-dried tomatoes and stir for 1 minute to release the flavours.
- Add in the drained beans, chopped tomatoes, pasta and vegetable stock and stir well. Season with salt and pepper and allow to cook over a medium heat for 25 minutes, with a lid on. Stir every 5-10minutes so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom.
- Meanwhile make the crispy beans. Preheat the air fryer or oven to 180ºFan and line a tray with parchment paper. Pat the beans dry and toss with the olive oil, some salt and pepper. Spread out on the tray and air fry for 10-15 minutes or bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until crispy.
- The soup is ready when the pasta is soft and you can add more stock, if you like it runnier.
- Stir through the fresh basil a few minutes before serving.
- Spoon into bowls and serve with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, some bread/toast, fresh basil and pine nuts.
- Eat straight away or keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge and warm back up to eat. Add more water or stock when you re-heat the soup as the pasta continues to absorb the liquid.
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Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of this Sun-Dried Tomato, Bean and Pasta Minestrone Soup so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review. If you do make them, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With minestrone love x
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