Heart-Healthy Minestrone Soup

This heart-healthy, nutrient dense minestrone vegetable soup serves as a warm, balanced meal on cold days and nights. You can even have it during the summer as a no-cook meal. It has fiber, plant-based protein, and micronutrients like vitamins A and C, potassium, and iron. 

‍

Serve it on its own for a light meal with vegetables, lean protein, and heart-healthy fat. For a more substantial meal, serve this soup with parmesan cheese for extra protein, or cook barley, brown rice, or whole-grain pasta in it. You can 

Variations and Serving Suggestions

• If you don’t have kidney beans, you can always exchange them out for cannellini beans or chickpeas.
• To add some whole grains, you can include quinoa, barley, or millet in the soup recipe or serve the soup with a whole grain roll.
• If you want a spicier flavor, consider adding a pinch of red pepper flakes or a chopped jalapeño.
• Any type of vegetables work well, like cabbage, green beans, bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower and yellow summer or crookneck squash.
• Frozen vegetables are fine, too

Recipe for Heart-Healthy Minestrone Vegetable Soup

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
• 4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup spinach or kale, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

‍

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes.
2. Stir in zucchini, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper
3. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Stir in spinach or kale and cook for another 5 minutes.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve warm!

Nutrition information per serving: 180 calories; 4 grams of fat; 0.5 gram of saturated fat; 300 mg cholesterol; 30 grams of carbohydrates; 8 grams of fiber; 6 grams of sugar; 7 grams of protein

‍

Reviewed by Natalie Stein, MS, MPH, CDCES

‍