Name: Beany Minestrone Soup
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 onion, chopped; 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic; 2 stalks celery, sliced; 2 carrots, sliced; 6 1/2 cups vegetable broth, divided; 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes; 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce; 6–8 fingerling potatoes, sliced; 1 1/2 cups fat-free refried beans; 1 bay leaf; 2 tablespoons parsley flakes; 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil; 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano; Freshly ground black pepper; 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed; 3/4 cup frozen corn kernels; 1/2 cup uncooked whole wheat pasta elbows; 2 cups chopped Swiss chard; 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Photo of two bowls of vegetarian beany minestrone soup.

Photo and Food Styling by Joseph De Leo

This soup uses refried beans as a thickener, so the resulting soup is very thick and rich without having to cook all day. Since I almost always have some leftover smashed pinto beans in my refrigerator, I decided to incorporate them into my version of this delicious soup.

This minestrone appears in our Vegan Comfort Food Meal Plan for 2023.

Hint

If you do not have leftover beans in your refrigerator, substitute 1 (15-ounce) can of fat-free refried beans.

Recipe notes

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