Delicious Spring Minestrone Soup is an easy vegetarian soup showcases springtime’s finest greens including asparagus and snap peas.
Minestrone is one of my favorite soups, and it is infinitely malleable with the seasons. This version celebrates springtime, when fresh, new vegetables begin to show up at the market.
I know to make this soup whenever I can get asparagus, artichokes and peas all at the same time. These vegetables form the backbone to the soup.
Another good thing about this minestrone is that it takes only about an hour to make, from start to finish, including prep time.
Keep in mind that the ingredients below are a guide. Minestrone is supposed to be free-form, with whatever looks good at the produce market.
Don’t like artichoke hearts? Skip them. Despise chickpeas? Use some other bean. Just be sure to use lots of different kinds of vegetables and you’ll be fine.
The other key to this recipe is to build the soup like a house. Don’t toss everything in all at once, or some vegetables will be overcooked and some undercooked. This is why when you read the recipe below you will see that I add ingredients little by little.
Feel free to use canned or frozen vegetables in some cases. I use canned chickpeas and will often use frozen peas, which are almost as good as fresh. For a special occasion, use all fresh ingredients, though, as you can definitely taste the difference.
- 2 Tablespoon Ekin Olive Oil
- 2 Stalks Celery Finely Chopped
- 2 Leeks (white and light green parts only), finely chopped
- 1 Onion Finely Chopped
- Kosher Salt
- pepper
- 12 Ounce Red Potatoes cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 8 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 1 Pound Asparagus trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 Ounce Sugar Snap Peas Halved
- 1 15 Ounce Can of White Beans Rinsed
- Chopped dill and crusty bread For Serving
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven on medium. Add celery, leeks, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add potatoes, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, and 6 cups water and bring to a boil, then simmer 8 minutes. Add asparagus and simmer 2 minutes.
- Add sugar snap peas and beans and simmer until vegetables are just tender, 3 to 4 minutes more. Discard thyme sprigs. Sprinkle soup with dill and serve with bread, if desired.
