Easy Summer Minestrone Soup with Fresh Basil and Beans

Easy Summer Minestrone Soup is the perfect light and refreshing meal for hot days. After making this soup dozens of times, I’ve discovered the trick to keeping it light yet flavorful. The fresh basil and crisp veggies make this soup a summer favorite. Keep reading for my best tips or jump straight to the recipe card. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Creamy Garlic Mushroom Stuffed Shells for Easy Dinner and Burnt Honey Pie with Flaky Oat Crust Recipe.

What You'll Need for Easy Summer Minestrone Soup with Fresh Basil and Beans

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 2 cans (15 oz each) diced tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 4 cups fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Dried oregano
• Dried basil
• Red pepper flakes (optional)
• Optional: Grated Parmesan cheese
• Optional: Chopped fresh basil

How to Make Easy Summer Minestrone Soup with Fresh Basil and Beans

1. Sauté vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add remaining ingredients: Stir in zucchini, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, cannellini beans, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes (if using). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Add spinach and basil: Stir in spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat and stir in fresh basil.
4. Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and top with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil.

Storing & Reheating Easy Summer Minestrone Soup with Fresh Basil and Beans

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: This soup can be made ahead of time and reheated when ready to serve.

Freezing Easy Summer Minestrone Soup with Fresh Basil and Beans

Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 15-20 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For a vegetarian version, omit the chicken broth and use vegetable broth instead.
• Best substitution: You can use great northern beans instead of cannellini beans.
• Make-ahead: This soup can be made ahead of time and reheated when ready to serve.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd.
• Troubleshooting: If the soup is too thick, add more broth or water to thin it out.

Easy Summer Minestrone Soup with Fresh Basil and Beans

⏱

Prep

15 mins

🍳

Cook

30 mins

⏳

Total

45 mins

🍽

Serves

6 servings

🥗

Diet

Vegetarian

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 2 cans (15 oz each) diced tomatoes
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 4 cups fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Seasonings

• Salt
• Black pepper
• Dried oregano
• Dried basil
• Red pepper flakes (optional)

Optional Toppings

• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Chopped fresh basil

Instructions

1. Sauté vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add remaining ingredients: Stir in zucchini, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, cannellini beans, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes (if using). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Add spinach and basil: Stir in spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat and stir in fresh basil.
4. Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and top with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil.

Notes

• Chef tip: For a vegetarian version, omit the chicken broth and use vegetable broth instead.
• Best substitution: You can use great northern beans instead of cannellini beans.
• Make-ahead: This soup can be made ahead of time and reheated when ready to serve.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd.
• Troubleshooting: If the soup is too thick, add more broth or water to thin it out.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: Freeze individual portions for up to 3 months.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 15-20 minutes.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
• Make ahead: This soup can be made ahead of time and reheated when ready to serve.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 270
• Protein: 12g
• Fat: 6g
• Carbs: 38g
• Fiber: 10g
• Sugar: 6g
• Sodium: 800mg
• Cholesterol: 5mg
• Sat. Fat: 1g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Easy Summer Minestrone Soup with Fresh Basil and Beans FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Easy Summer Minestrone Soup with Fresh Basil and Beans and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!