One-Pot Italian String Bean Minestra (Vegan Friendly)

This Italian string bean minestra is a hearty soup that is vegan friendly and a crowd pleaser. This soup is simple to make and actually tastes better the next day, so it is a great one to make at the start of a week. 

a bowl of string bean minestra

Minestra, the Italian word or I should say, the Sicilian word for soup. In this case we are making a string bean minestra which is reminiscent of my grandmother’s recipe for vegetable soup. A soup that was much the same, a chop-and-drop style of cooking that is an easy thing to throw together for a quick meal with minimal effort. Its traditionally peasant food and first came about in the area of Calabria Italy during a time of hardship.

Like many soups, minestra needs to be cooked to a boil as this is what extracts the flavors from the vegetables and develops its delicious flavor profile. In early times this soup consisted of stale bread, salt and olive oil. This version of minestra is hearty enough to be a full meal, yet it is also a light soup in the sense that it calls for mostly vegetables.

I like to make a batch at the start of a week and serve it as a first course as it is a great way to incorporate more veggies into your diet. When serving as a main course I like to serve the hot soup with a crusty bread like my sourdough boule or a simple no knead bread

String Bean Minestra Is…

  • One of the easiest soups to make.
  • Great for summer veggies and can be a main course or served as a side dish.
  • Made with fresh green beans and a splotch of marinara.
  • Great the next day and will last for several days in the fridge.
  • ​Excellent year-round as a summer soup or one to make during soup season.

Ingredients

String Beans- use fresh string beans not canned. The best part of this soup is the fresh quality of its ingredients.

Potatoes- I use russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes, but you can also use red potatoes if you like.

Tomatoes- I like to use cherry tomatoes but chopped standard tomatoes are fine too. Use what you have on hand. Sometimes I use both depending on what is coming out of the garden at the time. 

Onion- I use white onion or yellow onion for this, but red onion will also work fine.

Zucchini- use a large zucchini for this or a couple of small ones. 

Marinara Sauce- if you don’t have marinara sauce, you can use tomato sauce as a great substitute. 

Herbs- to keep on the easy theme of this soup you can use dried Italian seasoning, or you can use fresh herbs if you happen to have them on hand. Keep in mind that you will need 3 times the amount of fresh herbs to the dried ones called for in this recipe.

Seasoning- you will need a good amount of sea salt for this and I also add freshly cracked black pepper. You can also use Himalayan pink salt or standard table salt. However, if you use standard table salt, make sure to use a little less at a time, and add more as needed. Table salt tends to be saltier than sea salt. 

Olive Oil- I use extra virgin olive oil but you can also use pure olive oil for this.

Tools

 A Large Dutch Oven or Large Soup Pot

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Directions

Chop the potatoes and zucchini, then add them to a large soup pot or a Dutch oven with the heat off. Dice the onion and add it. If you are using large tomatoes, cut them up and add them in otherwise, you can add the cherry tomatoes whole. Clean the ends of the string beans and cut them in half, add them to the pot. Pour in the marinara, and water.

Note: If using regular salt, add less than directed as sea salt tends to be less salty than standard table salt. Adjust accordingly. 

Add half the sea salt, cracked black pepper and herbs. Drizzle over the olive oil. Turn the dial of the stove onto medium heat. Place the lid on and cook for approximately 40 minutes or until the veggies are all cooked through, and the liquid has reduced. Taste the soup and add more salt as needed. Garnish the soup with a sprinkle of parmesan (optional).

a bowl of string bean minestra

​Note: Peeling the potatoes is optional. This is a rustic soup, and it is not necessary. 

a bowl of string bean minestra

Cooking Tips

  • Salt is your friend for this soup, make sure to add enough and taste test it before serving to ensure there is enough. Add as needed. 
  • To make this vegan friendly, omit the parmesan or use a vegan parmesan cheese alternative.
  • ​Other great additions to this soup are cannellini beans, broad beans and Swiss chard. 

How To Store

Allow the soup to come to room temperature and transfer it into an airtight container. The soup will last for up to 5 days in the fridge. Easily reheat the soup on the stovetop. 

Other Recipes You May Like…

Sicilian Potato Salad (Insalata Vistasa)

Italian White Bean Soup

​Easy Roasted Vegetable Gazpacho

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Yield: 6 servings

One-Pot Italian String Bean Minestra (Vegan Friendly)

a bowl of string bean minestra

A simple hearty vegetable soup.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 medium to large russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes
  • 1 large zucchini
  • 1/4 yellow onion
  • 2 cups of cherry tomatoes
  • 4 cups fresh string beans
  • 6 cups of water
  • 1/4 cup of marinara
  • 1 tbsp. dried Italian seasoning
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • freshly grated parmesan to garnish (optional)

Instructions

    1. Chop the potatoes and zucchini, then add them to a large soup pot or a Dutch oven with the heat off.
    2. Dice the onion and add it. If you are using large tomatoes, cut them up and add them in otherwise, you can add the cherry tomatoes whole.
    3. Clean the ends of the string beans and cut them in half, add them to the pot.
    4. Pour in the marinara, and water.
    5. Add half the sea salt, cracked black pepper and herbs.
    6. Drizzle over the olive oil.
    7. Turn the dial of the stove onto medium heat.
    8. Place the lid on and cook for approximately 40 minutes or until the veggies are all cooked through.
    9. Taste the soup and add more salt as needed.
    10. Garnish the soup with a sprinkle of parmesan (optional).

Notes

  • Salt is your friend for this soup, make sure to add enough and taste test it before serving to ensure there is enough. Add as needed. 
  • To make this vegan friendly, omit the parmesan or use a vegan parmesan cheese.
  • ​Other great additions to this soup are cannellini beans, broad beans and Swiss chard. 

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