Herby Green Minestrone with Leeks and Lemon
A fresh, lemony spin on minestrone soup made with leeks, spring vegetables, white beans, and pasta pearls. No tomatoes, just a light broth full of flavor.
Servings 4
Calories 320kcal
Equipment
- Large Soup Pot or Dutch oven. For building and simmering the soup.
- Knife To prep all the veggies.
- wooden spoon For stirring the base and broth.
- measuring cups and spoons For accurate measuring of ingredients.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsps. olive oil
- 1 small leek, white and light green parts only thinly sliced
- 2 small carrots diced
- 1 stalk celery or 1 small fennel bulb diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium zucchini diced
- 1 cup sugar snap peas or green beans chopped
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans (or great northern beans), drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp. kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme or 1 tsp. of fresh thyme
- 1 cup cooked small pasta such as Acini Di Pepe
- 2 cups baby spinach or chopped Swiss chard
- 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs such as basil, parsley or dill
- shaved Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced leek, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.2 tbsps. olive oil, 1 small leek, white and light green parts only, 2 small carrots, 1 stalk celery or 1 small fennel bulb, 2 cloves garlic
- Stir in the zucchini, sugar snap peas, chicken broth, white beans, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender.1 medium zucchini, 1 cup sugar snap peas or green beans, 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans, 1 tsp. kosher salt, 1/2 tsp. black pepper, 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- While the soup simmers, cook the pasta separately according to package directions. Drain and set aside.1 cup cooked small pasta such as Acini Di Pepe
- Stir the spinach, lemon juice, and fresh herbs into the soup. Simmer for another minute or two until the greens wilt. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.2 cups baby spinach or chopped Swiss chard, 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs such as basil, parsley or dill
- Add the cooked pasta to the soup just before serving and stir to combine.
- Ladle into bowls and top with shaved Parmesan and extra herbs if desired. Serve warm.shaved Parmesan
Notes
- Any small pasta works: I used Acini Di Pepe, but ditalini, orzo, or even pearl couscous would all be good here. Just cook it separately so it doesn’t soak up all the broth.
- If you don’t have snap peas, chopped green beans are a solid swap. I’ve also used a mix of both.
- Don’t forget to rinse your leeks well. Dirt gets trapped between the layers — I usually slice them first, then swish them in a bowl of water to get it all out.
- Leeks give the base a milder flavor than onion, but if you’re out, a small yellow onion works too.
- You can use Swiss chard or even baby kale instead of spinach—whatever you’ve got on hand.
- I like the brightness from lemon juice and fresh herbs, but you can skip the herbs if needed or just use parsley.
Nutrition
Serving: 538g | Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 9.4g | Saturated Fat: 2.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5.5g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 433mg | Potassium: 886mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 351IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 225mg | Iron: 4mg