Description
A vibrant celebration of the season’s best produce, offering a lighter take on the Italian classic. Packed with tender asparagus, bright peas, and fresh spinach, this soup is finished with a swirl of basil pesto and a squeeze of lemon for a garden-fresh, nourishing meal.
Ingredients
- 7 cups vegetable broth, 1/2 cup ditalini pasta (uncooked)
- 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans (rinsed/drained)
- 1 cup Yukon gold potatoes (diced), 1 medium zucchini (diced)
- 1 cup asparagus (1-inch pieces), 1.5 cups fresh spinach (chopped)
- 1/2 cup frozen peas, 1 carrot, 1 celery rib, 1 yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic (minced), 3 tbsp basil pesto
- 1/4 cup Parmesan, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
Sauté Base: Heat oil in a large pot. Sauté onion, carrot, celery, and potatoes for 5 mins. Stir in garlic, zucchini, and seasonings; cook 2 more mins.
Simmer: Add vegetable broth, beans, and ditalini. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low, covered, for 8–10 mins until pasta/potatoes are tender.
Spring Greens: Stir in spinach, asparagus, and peas. Cook for only 2 mins to keep them bright and snappy.
Finish: Stir in Parmesan, pesto, and lemon juice. Remove from heat immediately. Garnish with fresh basil.
Notes
Chlorophyll Preservation: To keep vegetables bright green, do not exceed the 2-minute final cook time. Overcooking turns spring greens a dull olive color.
Pesto Power: Adding high-quality pesto at the very end provides a concentrated burst of basil and garlic that standard simmering cannot replicate.
Pasta Tip: Ditalini will continue to absorb liquid as the soup sits. If serving leftovers, add a splash of broth when reheating to restore the perfect consistency.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop / One-Pot
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 245
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 890
- Fat: 7
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 5
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 36
- Fiber: 8
- Protein: 10
- Cholesterol: 5
Keywords: spring minestrone soup, vegetable pesto soup, healthy ditalini soup, asparagus and pea soup, vegetarian italian soup