Summer Minestrone Soup is packed full of fresh vegetables in a light and flavorful broth, making it the perfect soup for warmer weather.
You can make it in less than 30 minutes and serve it with crusty bread for a delicious and healthy meal.
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Use veggies from your garden or local farmers' market, such as fresh tomatoes, green beans, spinach, zucchini, or any of your favorites.
There are no rules regarding the ingredients. Use what you love and even switch up the seasonings, if desired, to make your favorite bowl of soup.
This is a great recipe to use up fresh vegetables or leftover vegetables!
Ninja Combi or Stovetop
The reason I chose to use the Ninja Combi when making the recipe video is because I love the fact that I can set everything up and walk away.
The soup base cooks on the bottom and the vegetables roast on top, adding a nice dimension of flavor to the soup.
However, summer minestrone is just as easy to make on the stove. If you want to add that roasted flavor, you can roast the veggies in the oven and then add them to the soup once the pasta is cooked to al dente.
You can also use any cooking appliance that has a sear/sauté function like the Ninja Possible Pro, Ninja Speedi, or Ninja Foodi.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Beans & Pasta
Beans
I used canned cannellini beans, which are white kidney beans. If you have dry white kidney beans, you will want to cook them first. I drain most of the liquid from the can of beans but do leave just about a Tablespoon or two of the liquid, because I like it in the broth. I don't rinse the canned beans, but you can if you want a clearer broth in your soup.
You can use any white bean you like or switch it up and use another variety of beans you love. Personally, I like the look of the soup with white beans, but that is a personal preference. Some other options are red kidney beans, navy beans, or black beans.
Pasta
You will want to use a small pasta in the soup for the most uniform texture and look. I like ditalini pasta in this soup, but small elbow macaroni or small shells are also good options. You can use whole wheat pastas, gluten free pastas, or any other alternative pasta you like and cook it according to the package instructions for al dente pasta. This may change the cooking times of the soup, so adjust accordingly.
For a lower-carb option, skip the beans and pasta and add in more veggies.
Vegetables
I use a combination of tomatoes, green beans, yellow squash, carrots, celery, zucchini, onions, sliced garlic cloves, and a few handfuls of spinach. You can use as much or as little of any of the vegetables or change them up and add in bell pepper, corn, potatoes, or any other seasonal vegetables you love.
If you don't have fresh tomatoes, use a can of fire-roasted tomatoes instead. Use the tomatoes and the juice from the can. I like using plum or roma tomatoes for their firmer flesh, but any variety of tomatoes are fine to use.
The green beans are best if they are fresh or frozen, but if you like really soft green beans, use them from the can and drain the juice. Corn can be used from uncooked or cooked ears of corn, frozen, or canned (drained).
Liquids and Seasonings
I use chicken broth or chicken stock as the base of my soup, but a good quality vegetable broth will work great as well.
The seasonings I use are salt, pepper, basil, oregano, thyme leaves, onion powder, garlic powder, and sometimes red pepper flakes to spice it up. I use dry spices in the soup and garnish with fresh basil.
You can use fresh herbs like thyme and oregano in the soup as it cooks, but I recommend only adding fresh basil at the end for the best texture and flavor.
You can use any seasonings you like, and if you don't have basil, oregano, and dried thyme leaves, use a basic Italian seasoning blend instead.
Meat & Seafood
Shrimp is a wonderful addition to the soup. You can add small shrimp that are raw into the soup when it is done and simmer a few minutes until they are cooked through or add in cooked shrimp.
Chicken breast is another great addition. You can either cook it in the soup or add already-cooked chicken at the end.
Sausage would also be great, but it will change the soup's flavor.
Garnishes
How you garnish your soup is completely up to you, but I like to use shaved parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
The shaved parmesan cheese adds a nice flavor and look to the soup when serving. Of course, you can also use grated, but it will melt much faster into the hot soup.
Summer Minestrone Soup in the Ninja Combi
The prep for the soup remains the same no matter what cooking method you choose. The ingredients and the amounts also remain the same.
Mise En Place (prep)
Most of the prep is cutting up the vegetables and you want slightly larger chunks for the roasting vegetables and smaller ones for the soup vegetables with the exception of the green beans which I like to keep a little bigger in the soup.
- Dice the onion into ½" dice
- Slice the celery in half lengthwise and then slice into ½" slices
- Peel and cut the ends off the carrots. Cut the carrot in half lengthwise and then slice into ½" slices
- Trim the ends off the green beans and cut into 1-1½" pieces
- Peel the garlic cloves and slice into thin slices
- Cut the tomatoes, zucchini, and yellow squash into 1½-2" chunks for roasting. If you are not roasting them, cut them the size you want in the soup
- Measure out the spices and other ingredients
Sauté
This step is optional, but it adds a depth of flavor into the soup that I love.
I also sauté the dry pasta with the other ingredients to toast the pasta a bit. This helps slow the absorption of liquid into the pasta and I have found it keeps it from bloating in the soup when you store the leftovers.
I used the Ninja Combi to make this soup, but if you make it on the stove, I have those directions in the next section.
Prepare the Roasting Vegetables
You can either do this before you start sautéing the vegetables in the step above or while they are sautéing. I do it while they are sautéing, so I'm putting the steps in this order. If you are slower to cut and chop, then you may want to do this step as prep before starting the cooking process instead.
When chopping the tomato, zucchini, and yellow squash (or whatever combination of roasting veggies you want to use), cut them in about 2" chunks.
They will shrink as they roast and the chunkier roasted veggies really make a nice addition to the soup.
Place the veggies on the black roasting pan that comes with the Ninja Combi and drizzle with olive oil and salt the veggies just a little.
Quick Tip
If you have leftover grilled veggies, simply add those in when the soup is done!
Finish the Soup Base
Once the vegetables and pasta have sautéd for a total of 5-7 minutes, remove the pan from the Ninja Combi and set it on a heat-resistant surface like a wood cutting board or hot plate.
Quick Tip
It may be easier to wait until the bottom Combi pan is in place and then pour in the chicken broth. The pan is full and it can slosh around as you move it with the broth in it.
Add the cut green beans, drained cannellini beans, bay leaves, and chicken broth. Stir to combine.
Set Up the Ninja Combi
Place the Combi pan on the lower level and the tray with the roasting vegetables on the upper level.
Close the door and turn the Ninja Combi on. Flip the lever on top so it is pointing up so you can access the correct functions.
Select Combi Meals and set the temperature to 450℉/230℃ and the time to 15 minutes. Hit start.
The Combi will start by preheating which is when it builds the steam and starts the moist cooking method. This will last 5-10 minutes and then it will switch over to the timed countdown.
I don't recommend opening the door until the time is up, but, if you think you need to, then wait about 5 minutes after it switches over if you can.
Finishing the Summer Minestrone Soup
Once the time is up, carefully open the door to the Ninja Combi. There is still steam present and it will be hot.
Using hand protection, such as heat-resistant gloves, remove the Combi Pan and place it on a heat-resistant surface.
Remove the bay leaves.
Add the spinach if you are using it, and stir to wilt it.
Remove the tray of roasted veggies and put them into the soup. Give everything a good stir and scoop and serve!
Serving Summer Minestrone Soup
Once the soup is in the serving bowls, garnish with shaved parmesan and fresh basil if desired.
Don't forget the Crunchy French Rolls!
Enjoy!
Stovetop Directions
The prep and ingredients remain the same for making the summer minestrone soup on the stove, but the order in which you do things changes.
I recommend roasting the veggies first so they are ready to add as soon as the soup is done.
Here are the steps:
- Preheat the oven to 450℉/230℃.
- Place the cut-up roasting vegetables on a sheet tray and drizzle them with olive oil. Season lightly with salt. Place the tray into the oven and roast the veggies for about 15 minutes. You want them to be slightly charred but not too soft.
- Place a large pot on the stove and heat over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add olive oil and heat for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the chopped onions, celery, carrots, seasoning blend and pasta. Sautè for about 2-3 minutes and add in the garlic and sauté about 1 minute.
- Add the chicken broth to the pot along with the green beans, cannellini beans, and bay leaves. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente and the green beans have softened to your liking.
- Turn the stove off and add in the spinach and the roasted vegetables. Stir and Serve.
- Garnish with shaved parmesan and fresh basil.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
How to Store Leftover Minestrone Soup
Refrigeration
The minestrone soup will last 5 days or so as long you didn't add any meat. If you added meat to it, I would use it up or freeze it within 3 days.
Freezer
Before freezing it is very important that the soup is cold or at least room temperature.
If the food is warm when packaged for freezing, steam can be produced inside the container or freezer bag, resulting in ice crystals forming.
Refrigerating overnight is preferred before you freeze it.
When using freezer bags, try to get as much air out as possible.
Summer minestrone soup can be frozen for up to 6 months when packaged correctly.
How to Reheat Summer Minestrone Soup
Stovetop
Place the portion you want to reheat into a pot and heat over medium heat, stirring occassionally until the soup has heated through.
You don't want to leave it on the stove too long or the pasta and vegetables will become too soft.
Ninja Combi
Use the sear/sauté function on medium until the soup is hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Technically you can use a pressure cooker, however I'm not sure if it will save much time and you run the chance of overcooking the more delicate vegetables in the soup.
If you do want to pressure cook, you can use the same ingredients, but only set the pressure cooker for zero or 1 minute and do an immediate release.
Yes. Either is fine. When doubling the recipe, make sure you have a large enough pot to hold 20 cups of soup.
I would use the Steam/Crisp function on the Ninja Foodi and the Speedi Meals function on the Speedi.
You may need to simmer the soup for a few more minutes after the vegetables have roasted.
Other Fun and Easy Soups!
Soup is one of the easiest meals to make and these recipes are sure to inspire variety and fun into your meal planning!
- Coconut Chicken Soup (Pressure Cooker & Stovetop Directions)
- Greek Meatball Soup ~ Pressure Cooker or Stovetop Recipe
- Cheeseburger Soup (Ninja Foodi or Stovetop)
- Dill Pickle Soup (Stove Top or Ninja Foodi)
- Pressure Cooker Taco Soup ~ Ninja Foodi Recipe
- Mexican Butternut Squash Soup (Pressure Cooker Recipe)
- Homemade Hot & Sour Soup
Summer Minestrone Soup (Stovetop or Ninja Combi)
Ingredients
Seasoning Blend
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon fine grind sea salt or kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper optional
Soup Base Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ large sweet onion or yellow onion
- 2-3 carrots about ½ cup sliced
- 2 celery stalks about ½ cup sliced
- ½ cup Ditalini pasta
- 2-4 cloves garlic 2 tablespoon sliced or 1-2 teaspoon minced
- 5 ounces fresh green beans cut into 1-1½" pieces, about 1 cup after cutting
- 15.5 ounces cannellini beans, canned drained, but not rinsed
- 6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
Roasting Vegetables
- 8-9 ounces plum or Roma tomatoes about 3 tomatoes cut into 1½" chunks
- 1 small zucchini cut in 1 ½" chunks
- 1 small yellow squash cut in 1½" chunks
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon fine grind sea salt or kosher salt
Extras and Garnishes
- 2 cups baby spinach to add into soup after cooking
- fresh basil leaves
- parmesan cheese
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Instructions
Stovetop & Oven
- Preheat the oven to 450℉/230℃. Place the cut-up roasting vegetables on a sheet tray and drizzle them with olive oil. Season lightly with salt. Place the tray into the oven and roast the veggies for about 15 minutes. You want them to be slightly charred, but not too soft. Remove from oven when done.8-9 ounces plum or Roma tomatoes, 1 small zucchini, 1 small yellow squash, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon fine grind sea salt or kosher salt
- Place a large pot on the stove and heat over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add olive oil and heat for 2-3 minutes. Add onions, celery, carrots, seasoning blend and pasta. Sautè for about 2-3 minutes and add in the garlic and sauté about 1 minute.1 teaspoon fine grind sea salt or kosher salt, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon dried basil leaves, ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1 Tablespoons olive oil, ½ large sweet onion, 2-3 carrots, 2 celery stalks, ½ cup Ditalini pasta, 2-4 cloves garlic
- Add the chicken broth to the pot along with the green beans, cannellini beans, and bay leaves. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente and the green beans have softened to your liking.2 bay leaves, 15.5 ounces cannellini beans, canned, 6 cups chicken broth, 5 ounces fresh green beans
- Turn the stove off and add in the spinach and the roasted vegetables. Stir and Serve. Garnish with shaved parmesan and fresh basil.2 cups baby spinach, fresh basil leaves, parmesan cheese
Ninja Combi Directions
- Place the combi pan in the lower level of the Ninja Combi and select sear/sauté. *The door has to be left open. Set the temperature to high and let the pan heat up for about 2-3 minutes. Add the olive oil and heat for 2-3 minutes.1 Tablespoons olive oil
- Add the onion, celery, carrots, seasoning blend, and pasta to heated pan and stir. Place the garlic on top, but don't stir. Sauté for about 3-5 minutes while you set up the upper rack for roasting the veggies.1 teaspoon fine grind sea salt or kosher salt, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon dried basil leaves, ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, ½ large sweet onion, 2-3 carrots, 2 celery stalks, ½ cup Ditalini pasta, 2-4 cloves garlic
- Place the roasting vegetables on the black tray that came with the Ninja Combi. Drizzle with olive oil and season lightly with salt.1 Tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon fine grind sea salt or kosher salt
- Turn the Combi off and to the bottom pan add the green beans, bay leaves, cannellini beans and chicken broth. Stir to combine and slide the pan back into the combi.2 bay leaves, 5 ounces fresh green beans, 15.5 ounces cannellini beans, canned, 6 cups chicken broth
- Place the tray of roasting vegetables on level 2 of the Combi. Close the door and flip the lever on top to combi cooking. Select Combi Meals and set the temperature to 450℉/230℃ and the time for 15 minutes. Hit start.
- When the time is up, carefully remove the bottom pan and place it on a heat-resistant surface like a wood cutting board. Add the spinach and stir it in.2 cups baby spinach
- Remove the tray from the upper level and add the roasted veggies to the soup. Stir the soup and serve. If desired, garnish with fresh basil and shaved parmesan cheese.fresh basil leaves, parmesan cheese
Nutrition
About the Recipe Author, Louise Long
Louise is a full-time recipe creator and food blogger @ The Salted Pepper. She has over 30 years of experience with cooking and recipe development. She owned a restaurant for several years and was a full-time RN until retiring to blog full-time.
She published her first cookbook in the Fall of 2018 and is very interested in writing several more.
Louise is also the creator of an online Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooking Course with over 100 instructional step-by-step videos. People absolutely rave about the course and all the value they have received from it.
Louise has several very active Facebook groups that help people with the basics of cooking and learning more about the appliances they love.
Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker & Air Crisper 101
Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill & Smoker
Louise is also a YouTube creator and you can find most of her recipes in video format on The Salted Pepper YouTube channel.
She is very responsive to messages and eager to help in any way she can. Get more Information about Louise & contact information
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