This Summer Minestrone Soup is a twist on the classic Italian soup, and it’s pretty amazing!
It’s loaded with fresh summer vegetables, such as zucchini and oven-roasted tomatoes, as well as hearty beans and perfectly cooked pasta.
This summer minestrone soup is such a light yet hearty soup to enjoy this season. It’s very easy to prepare, and it’s make-ahead as well as freezer friendly.
Unlike traditional minestrone that often uses a canned tomato base, this summer version features fresh roasted roma tomatoes. Similar to my tomato basil bisque, roasted tomatoes add a rich depth of flavor and a subtle sweetness, making the soup lighter and more refreshing.
If you’ve never had minestrone soup, it’s a popular Italian soup. It’s a thick vegetable soup with a light tomato base, and loaded with beans and short pasta.
This summer minestrone also includes lots of summer vegetables like zucchini, yellow squash, and fresh green beans. It’s incredibly versatile, making it easy to customize with whatever fresh vegetables are available.
It’s great for dinner, and I often serve with toasted baguette or our family’s favorite house salad.
Lately, I’ve been on a mission to turn all your favorite comfort foods into summer-worthy recipes. I just published a recipe for Summer Chicken Pot Pie, as well as Summer Lasagna. I hope you enjoy these!
Why we love making this summer minestrone soup:
- Summer freshness: This soup highlights the best of this season’s produce, using fresh, seasonal vegetables that are at their peak flavor.
- Freshly roasted tomato base: The use of oven roasted roma tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes gives the soup a rich, sweet, and light flavor.
- Versatile and customizable: You can easily adapt the recipe to include your favorite vegetables or whatever you have on hand, making it a versatile option.
Jump to:
Ingredient Notes
The ingredients in this summer minestrone soup are pretty simple and packed with so much goodness. I included a few helpful ingredient notes here, and as always, the full ingredient list with quantities can be found in the recipe card down below.
- Roma tomatoes: Instead of canned tomatoes or even tomato paste, I roast a few tomatoes, which you can do ahead. Roasting fresh roma tomatoes intensifies their natural sweetness and adds a smoky depth to the soup. Alternatively, you can use a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes for convenience.
- Ditalini pasta: Small pasta shapes like ditalini are ideal for soups.
- Canned beans: I use both red kidney beans and white beans. Use canned beans, drained. Dry beans take much longer to cook and often need pre-soaking overnight.
- Zucchini, yellow squash, green beans: The quintessential summer vegetables! Make sure you find the freshest out there.
- Onions, celery, carrots: These form the flavor base of the soup, adding sweetness and depth.
- Fresh garlic: Minced. Adds flavor to the soup base.
- Fresh thyme and rosemary: Fresh herbs add a fragrant and aromatic flavor throughout. You can substitute with dried herbs if needed, usually about ⅓ of the amount of fresh.
- Broth plus water: The broth serves as the soup’s base. You can use chicken or vegetable broth.
- Fresh basil, plus more for garnish. Basil adds a fresh, aromatic finish.
- Olive oil, salt, and pepper
- Grated parmesan for garnish. A finishing touch that adds a savory, umami flavor.
What Type of Pasta to Use
For any summer minestrone soup, I recommend using small pasta shapes. Here are some great options:
- Ditalini pasta. This is what I used. They are the perfect size!
- Orecchiette
- Small shells or “shellbows”
- Elbow macaroni
- Orzo or acini di pepe. These are quite smaller than ditalini, but still a great option.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Making minestrone is pretty easy and straightforward. Let me show you how I make it!
Step 1 | Roast the Tomatoes
First step is roasting the roma tomatoes! This roasting process concentrates the flavors and adds a touch of lightness. It takes a good 40 minutes, so you can do this up to 2 days ahead.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise and place them on a baking sheet, cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes, until soft and slightly charred. Then, chop them. If desired, remove the skin after they come out of the oven.
Step 2 | Make the vegetable and aromatics base
In a large pot, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for about 6 to 8 minutes, until softened. Then, add the minced garlic and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the fresh thyme and rosemary until fragrant.
Step 3 | Add tomatoes and broth
Add the prepared chopped roasted tomatoes. Next, add the chicken broth and water, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.
Step 4 | Add beans and pasta
Stir in the white beans, red kidney beans, and ditalini pasta. Continue to simmer the soup for another 10 to 12 minutes until the pasta is al dente. The soup will start to thicken.
Step 5 | Add the summer vegetables
Finally, add the chopped zucchini, yellow squash, and green beans. These go last so they stay crisp tender and to preserve their vibrant colors. Simmer for another 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still crisp.
Stir in fresh basil just before serving, and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Garnish with additional basil and grated parmesan cheese. And there you have it, a fabulous summer minestrone soup!
Make Ahead and Freezing
This summer minestrone is a great make ahead soup. The flavors get even better the next day! However, I’d recommend waiting until ready to serve to cook the zucchini, squash, and green beans (they need about 5 minutes simmering) to preserve their texture and bright colors.
Prep ahead: The tomatoes can be roasted and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead. You can also pre-chop all the vegetables a few days in advance.
Freezing: Let the soup cool down completely. Divide up into containers or into Souper Cubes and freeze for up to three months. Thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight, or reheat from frozen over the stovetop.
More Seasonal Soup Recipes
Looking for more soup recipes to enjoy during the summer? Try these:
If you’re already looking for cozy fall soups, check out my Beef and Barley Soup!
Recipe FAQs
I use ditalini pasta, but any type of short pasta will work great! Try elbows, orecchiette, or mini shells.
Use canned beans, drained, for this recipe. Dried beans take much longer to cook and often need pre-soaking overnight.
Yes! Freeze for up to 3 months. I like to use my Souper Cubes. You can reheat from frozen over the stovetop, or thaw overnight.
If you prefer not to roast the tomatoes, you can use a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes. If time is an issue, you can also roast the tomatoes up to 2 days in advance.
Tips for Success
- The summer vegetables go in during the last 5 to 7 minutes to make sure they stay crisp tender and preserve their bright colors.
- Roasting the tomatoes: I know this adds time to the prep, so feel free to roast them in advance. I really like how much lighter and flavorful this makes the soup. Alternatively, you can use a can of diced tomatoes, drained.
- Customize with your favorite vegetables. Feel free to add or substitute other summer vegetables like bell peppers, corn, or spinach.
I’d love to hear from you! If you loved my recipe, please consider leaving a 5-star rating and a comment down below. Sign up for my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest
Summer Minestrone Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 large roma tomatoes
- 1 medium yellow onion - small diced
- 2 stalks celery - diced
- 2 medium carrots - peeled and diced
- 6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme and fresh rosemary
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
- 8 ounces canned white beans - drained
- 8 ounces canned red kidney beans - drained
- 2 cups zucchini - diced
- 2 cups yellow squash - diced
- 1 cup chopped green beans
- ⅓ cup sliced fresh basil - plus more for garnish
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Grated parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise. Arrange them on a sheet pan flat side up, and season generously with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes until juicy, flipping halfway through. Then, peel off the skin (optional) and give them a rough chop. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, prep all the veggies.
- In a large pot, heat a few generous drizzles of olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onions, celery, and carrots for about 6 to 8 minutes until softened. Next, stir in the minced garlic, fresh thyme and rosemary, and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
- Next, add the chopped roasted tomatoes. Stir in the broth and water. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the ditalini pasta and the beans (drained). Continue to simmer for another 12 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.
- Add the zucchini, yellow squash, and green beans, and cook for another 5 minutes until crisp tender. Finally, add the sliced fresh basil. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.
- To serve, garnish with freshly sliced basil and grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Notes
- Prep ahead: Roast the tomatoes and refrigerate for up to two days in advance. Pre-chop all the vegetables several days in advance.
- Freezing: Let the soup cool down completely. Divide up into containers and freeze for up to three months. Reheat from frozen over the stovetop, or thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Roasted tomatoes: 1 14-ounce canned diced tomatoes.
- Ditalini pasta: Elbows, orecchiette, or mini shells.
- Fresh herbs: Use about half or 1/3 of the amount of fresh.
- Add-ins: Spinach, kale, bell peppers, corn.
Leave a Reply