This dairy & gluten free minestrone soup will quickly become a regular in your weekly rotation, and for good reason: it's hearty, delicious, and full of vegetables. Fresh basil brings a bright finish to the soup, perfectly complimenting all that rich, tomato based broth.
If you like spinach, you can also add a couple of handfuls of fresh baby spinach to your soup right before serving. Give it a good stir until the spinach is wilted, which takes about a minute or two. Kale will work here also, but may need an extra minute or two to wilt.
Gluten-Free Pasta Options
My favorite gluten-free pasta to use in this soup is the brown rice elbow from Jovial Foods. The flavor and texture are about as close to regular wheat pasta as it gets, and the gluten lovers in my house genuinely like it. Other gluten-free options I've tried in this are the chickpea elbows from Banza, the brown rice elbows from Tinkyada, and the farm animals from Whole Foods (which are a big hit with younger kids).
Dairy-Free Cheese and Side Options
The soup is delicious as listed, but you can also add a hearty topping of dairy-free parmesan as I've done here. My go-to option in the past few months has been the "Just like Parmesan" from Violife. It shreds and melts just like real parmesan, and the flavor is the closest to the real thing that I've found.
This is a great option to make ahead for lunch on busy weekdays, or for a quick weeknight meal. For dinner I like to serve this with a slice of warm, crusty, gluten-free bread and a side salad. You can also serve it alongside your favorite sandwich for a filling soup and salad combo.
Dairy & Gluten Free Minestrone
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 carrot peeled and diced
- ⅓ lb green beans trimmed and cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 28 oz no salt added diced tomatoes
- 14 oz crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 15 oz kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 1 cup gluten free elbow pasta or ditalini uncooked
- 2 tbsp fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic and stir for only 30 seconds.
- Add the celery and carrot and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the green beans, dried oregano and basil, ¾ teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook 3 more minutes.
- Add the diced and crushed tomatoes and the vegetable broth to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes.
- Stir in the kidney beans and pasta, and cook until the pasta and vegetables are cooked, about 10 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with chopped basil.
Nutrition
Did you make this dairy-free minestrone recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @milkfreemom on Instagram and hashtag it #milkfreemom
Mommasluv says
Thank you for so many great recipes.
Marina says
Hello,
Does this re-heat well? Is it okay to make a day in advance?
Thank you!
Milk Free Mom says
Yes, we find that it does reheat well. Some pasta can get a little soft overnight, though. I would cook that separately according to the package instructions, then add it to the soup when you reheat it. I hope you love it!