Gluten-Free Minestrone Soup, Packed with Vegetables
A vibrant, homemade minestrone — gluten-free and loaded with prebiotic fibre to nourish your gut microbiome and support healthy digestion.
Ingredients
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 courgettes, diced
- 2 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped (or 200 g tinned peeled tomatoes with no additives)
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 200 g cooked kidney beans (tinned, rinsed and drained)
- 200 g fresh or frozen green beans, cut into pieces
- 2 celery sticks, finely sliced
- 1 large yellow onion, finely sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1.5 litres homemade or certified gluten-free vegetable stock
- 100 g short gluten-free pasta (such as penne or ditalini made from maize or rice)
- 1 bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, rosemary)
- 1 tsp salt (adjust depending on your stock)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- A handful of fresh basil leaves, to finish
- A drizzle of raw olive oil, to serve
Instructions
Preparation Steps
-
Prepare all your vegetables: Peel and cut the carrots, potatoes, and sweet potato into roughly 1.5 cm dice. Cut the courgettes into thick half-moons. Roughly chop the tomatoes. Finely slice the onion, garlic, and celery. Rinse and drain the kidney beans thoroughly. This mise en place ensures even cooking and helps preserve the fibre content of each vegetable.
-
Sweat the aromatic base: In a large heavy-based pot or casserole dish, heat 4 tbsp of olive oil over a medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sweat for 3–4 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and celery and cook for a further 2 minutes. This step releases the prebiotic compounds (inulin and fructans) found in onion and garlic, which are beneficial to your gut's good bacteria.
-
Add the firmer vegetables: Add the carrots, potatoes, sweet potato, and chopped tomatoes to the pot. Stir well to coat the vegetables in the aromatic base. Cook over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
-
Add the stock and begin simmering: Pour the hot vegetable stock over the vegetables. Add the bouquet garni, salt, and pepper. Bring to the boil over a high heat, then immediately reduce to a low heat. Partially cover and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Gentle simmering preserves the water-soluble vitamins (A and C) and prebiotic fibre in the vegetables.
-
Add the tender vegetables and pulses: After the first 20 minutes, stir in the courgettes, green beans, and rinsed kidney beans. Mix gently and continue cooking over a low heat for a further 10 minutes. Kidney beans contribute plant-based protein and fibre that feed the Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus strains in your gut microbiome.
-
Cook the pasta separately: Meanwhile, cook the gluten-free pasta in a pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions, removing it 1–2 minutes before the recommended cooking time (it should remain slightly al dente). Drain and set aside. Cooking the pasta separately prevents it from absorbing too much stock and turning mushy when reheated.
-
Finish and adjust the seasoning: Remove the bouquet garni from the pot. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. If the soup seems too thick, add a splash of hot water or extra stock. For a slightly thicker, silkier consistency, crush a few cubes of potato directly in the pot with a fork — this naturally thickens the broth without any added ingredients.
-
Serve with care: Place a portion of cooked pasta into each bowl, then ladle the hot minestrone over the top. Scatter over a few fresh basil leaves (torn or left whole) and finish with a generous drizzle of raw olive oil. Adding the olive oil at the end boosts the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients (beta-carotene from the carrots, lycopene from the tomatoes) and brings its natural anti-inflammatory properties to the dish.
💡 Gut-Friendly Tips & IBS / Low-FODMAP Adaptations
- Sensitive to FODMAPs? Replace the onion and garlic with the green tops of leeks (better tolerated) and garlic-infused olive oil (gently heat a whole garlic clove in the oil, then remove it before adding the vegetables). Leave out the kidney beans and increase the quantity of carrots and courgettes instead. Reduce the celery or swap it for a small amount of fennel.
- Storage: This soup keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge. Store the pasta separately to prevent it from swelling and going soggy. The soup (without pasta) freezes very well for up to 3 months.
- Boost your microbiome: Vary the vegetables with the seasons to maximise the diversity of plants in your diet — a key factor in supporting a diverse and healthy gut microbiome.