Minestrone is a hearty Italian vegetable soup that can be stuffed with just about any veggies your heart desires! It goes green in this minestrone verde, which is filled with the bright flavors of leeks, zucchini, peas, kale, and basil pesto.
minestrone verde

Oh, you thought we were done with all the green now that fall is totally offish. (ial).

HA.

Never.

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I mean, I pretty much see it as my life’s mission to shove ALL THE CHLOROPHYLL down ALL THE THROATS every day until forever.

To infinity and beyond.

And especially while it is still 80 DEGREES where I live.

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If that’s not a green food-appropriate temperature, then I don’t know what is.

I’m not sure that it’s a soup appropriate temperature, but it is fall by definition.

(You may be thinking – is this whole post one big oxymoron? Yes, yes it is.)

Basically what I’m trying to say is – life is confusing. Soup is not.

So let’s eat.

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I’m willing to bet that even if you, personally, are not still growing zucchini at a rapidly alarming rate, you have a neighbor from whose garden you could pluck a summer squash or two without them noticing.

Not that I advocate breaking and entering

(but just do it).

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Though very simple, this minestrone is full of great flavor that gets infused from all of the fresh green veggies that stew in it, some extra large handfuls of pecorino, and a healthy dollop of pesto.

No slurping judgment unless you end up with kale in your teeth. Then all bets are off.

Minestrone Verde
 
Minestrone is a hearty Italian vegetable soup that can be stuffed with just about any veggies your heart desires! It goes green in this minestrone verde, which is filled with the bright flavors of leeks, zucchini, peas, kale, and basil pesto.
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 leeks, clean and thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
  • salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 2 medium zucchini, trimmed, quartered lengthwise, and cut horizontally into wedges
  • 6-7 cups vegetable broth, divided
  • 1 lb small pasta
  • 2 cups frozen peas
  • 5 oz baby kale or spinach
  • ½ cup pecorino romano
  • ½ cup basil pesto
Instructions
  1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and salt to the pan and saute, stirring frequently, until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  2. Stir the zucchini into the pot and season again with salt and black pepper. Saute until soft but not yet falling apart, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes.
  3. Pour the broth into the pot and bring to a boil.
  4. Stir in the pasta and return to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and let cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the peas and kale. Continue to simmer until pasta is al dente. Remove from the heat and stir in the pecorino romano. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
  5. Divide among serving bowls topped with dollops of the pesto.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 bowl

For more vibrant, green soups, check out these:

green garlic and pea soup with whipped cream

Green Garlic and Pea Soup with Whipped Cream

green goddess soup, pesto mozzarella grilled cheese

Green Goddess Soup

herb chard and feta soup with beer biscuits

Herb, Chard and Feta Soup

From Around the Web:

Coconut Broccoli Soup from 101 Cookbooks

Fresh Spinach Soup with Minted Pea and Cilantro from Blogging Over Thyme

Redeeming Green Soup with Lemon and Cayenne from Cookie + Kate

Sesame Ginger Broccoli Soup from The Bitten Word

Creamy Vegan Broccoli Potato Soup from Edible Perspective

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54 Responses to Minestrone Verde

  1. Sune Moolman says:

    What a great idea to top it with basil pesto. The soup is really pretty and I bet it tastes amazing too!

  2. Oh yes please! This looks exactly like what I want to eat now!

  3. Lynn says:

    That is a beautiful soup! Wish I had some of that to take for lunch today. 🙂

  4. HOly moly, this soup is gorgeous! The temperature keeps varying here, so I never know what to make. This is definitely a safe bet 🙂

  5. Soup! I haven’t thought to make soup yet this fall since it’s been fairly warm so far still…. Thanks for the reminder to make it though. This recipe looks fantastic. Love all the green veggies you snuck in there!

  6. Girl, I appreciate your love for green. It reminds me to get on the train!! Loving this minestrone!

  7. I can’t keep up with this weather and totally made a big pot of soup before the start of the hot weekend… so I can completely get behind this minestrone! Just jack up the AC or me:-)

  8. I think your new name is “The Green Queen” All your green recipes make me want to face plant into them PRONTO! Plus, it’s all cold where I live now, so I need this. Pinned!

  9. It’s probably not breaking and entering to sneak into a garden, right? No breaking required. Just sweet, sweet zucchini rewards. I love pesto in soups and basically all of the green things. So basically, I need this in my life. For breakfast? Okay.

  10. Mary Frances says:

    My jaw dropped when I saw your photos. I need this for breakfast and that is not a joke. This is my favorite minestrone recipe I’ve seen! Totally pinning. You had me at kale and pesto!

  11. First I thought it was a pasta dish but it’s soup! Even better. Love chunky, thick soups . Yum!

  12. I am going to top my minestrone with pesto next time! Such an excellent idea!

  13. “Life is confusing. Soup is not.” — loveeeee

    I want that on a tshirt! lol

  14. Joanne – this is such a BRILLIANT twist on a classic!!! I have only eva had tomato based minestrone – this green version is just BRILLIANT! And Enticing!!!

  15. Pam says:

    I think it looks beautiful and delicious!

  16. Ok, I’m with you…I’ll hold their mouths open while you shove down the chlorophyll. 😉 Love this soup!!!

  17. I love soups where one can really play around with ingredients. This one fits the bi to the T.

  18. Kate says:

    Green is good year round.

  19. Megan says:

    That pasta is adorable (to be honest, it’s reminding me of Spaghetti-Os!), and the soup sounds wonderful. Love all the green veggie-ness in there!

  20. I think it’s 80 degrees everywhere today, but regardless of the temperature, I cannot give up the green stuff… even if I have to endure mockery when it ends up in my teeth. Also, your readers may gladly come steal my zucchini. I have no fence, so it’s not technically B&E, right?

  21. So slurptastic! I love those bebe noodles in this. I am putting this on my to make list!!

  22. I’m posting a salad app tomorrow – I refuse to let Mother Nature put my taste buds in a box. Bring on the greens!

  23. cheri says:

    Hi Joanne, this could be my favorite new soup, love all the veggies and the way it looks!

  24. Sues says:

    This is legit the best minestrone I have ever seen IN MY LIFE.

  25. I could slurp this soup up no questions asked.

  26. Corina says:

    It’s just beginning to get a little colder here and this soup would be perfect.

  27. tigerfish says:

    How I would love to make this but I am low on homemade pesto right now! 🙁

  28. all this green is as pretty as it gets! love it!

  29. Eileen says:

    Hooray for minestrone! Greens for everyone. This sounds totally delightful, and entirely appropriate for fall, besides. Also, we have two full bunches of CSA leeks that I have really been meaning to use up one of these days. Why have I not thought of soup?? I ask you. 🙂

  30. I love this green minestrone, especially as there’s no tomato in it (a bit allergic). Thanks for the great idea and scrumptious pics.

  31. Sarah says:

    This round pasta is so cute — and in soup form I’m pretty sure I need to get some round pasta asap. And I love the explosion of greens. Even if I eat loads greens every day for lunch (salad I see you), I will make plenty of stomach room for this come dinnertime 🙂

  32. Krista says:

    I love the idea of swirling in pesto with this, Joanne. Absolutely delicious. xo

  33. I can totally get behind your life mission, esp if it involves this soup!

  34. Reeni says:

    I could pretty much live on this soup for a week or so! I love that it’s super comforting and super healthy all at the same time. Pesto in soup. Yes, yes, yes!

  35. Minestrone is totally my fav soup on the planet—So I say BRING ON the green version!

  36. Nicola says:

    What a great use of greens! I can always find some hiding in the bottom of my crisper drawer and I’ll keep this in mind.

  37. Hotly Spiced says:

    This is beautiful, Joanne, and totally my kind of autumn meal. When I saw it I thought, ‘It must be cold already’ but I’m pleased to hear you’re still enjoying some warm weather. I’ll make this when the weather cools a little (very hot today) xx

  38. Katerina says:

    A good soup has its value regardless of the temperature! Great minestrone!

  39. Kelly says:

    Heck yes – this soup look amazing! I have no problem with seeing green food – the greener the better in my opinion 🙂 Love this!

  40. Dude, love this soup!! basil pesto in the soup? brilliant!!!

  41. Kathryn Louise says:

    This looks so good and vegetarian to boot. Love those round pasta noodles. K~

  42. Emma says:

    Utterly perfect. Pasta, greens, pesto- 3 of the best things! I get a little tired of tomato-based soups sometimes so this is certainly a welcome change.

  43. Oh man, I have pinned this for later. I am freezing here at the new place. You can’t go from 115* to 70* and be fine with it. This to me is already fall going onto winter temperatures and I have been in full blown fall mode while everyone is still packing up and heading out to the beach. *Yes I’m the weirdo walking around in a hoodie, with the hood up, while everyone is in shorts and bikini tops* This sounds like just the dish I’ve been looking for. I will be getting the ingredients this week and making this soon. You, Joanne, are a soup goddess! Thank you 🙂

  44. I ate this so much in Italy, one of my favourite soups! 😀

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

  45. I am a big advocate for greens ALL YEAR long. Why stop now? This looks great. Thanks for sharing.

  46. This looks amazing! I love the green spin on a traditional minestrone. Definitely will have to make this!

  47. I love all the green that you put in this minestrone. Perfect for the cooler weather.

  48. Love your version of minestrone Joanne 🙂

  49. oh wow I love the zucchini in it! Totally awesome! Yum!

  50. This soup looks delicious! We shared it in a blog here: http://wedigfood.com/foodie-blog/10-delicious-vegan-soups-for-fall. We are building a community of vegans and would love for you to hop over and leave a recipe.

  51. […] Minestrone Verde from Eats Well With Others […]

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