95 Calorie Minestrone Soup

Minestrone soup is a good one to keep in the fridge when you are losing weight: the beans and vegetables fill you up for about 95 calories a bowl. This version skips the pasta, and a spoonful of tomato paste cooked in the pot makes plain water taste like it simmered all afternoon.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• About 95 calories and 5 grams of protein per bowl
• White beans make it filling without any pasta
• No oil and no store-bought broth
• Keeps for 4 days, so your lunches are covered

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion (about 5 oz / 150 g), diced
• 2 medium carrots (about 4 oz / 120 g), diced
• 2 celery stalks (about 3½ oz / 100 g), diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon (16 g) tomato paste
• 1 can (14.5 oz / 411 g) diced tomatoes, with the juice
• 4 cups (960 ml) water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 medium zucchini (about 7 oz / 200 g), diced
• ¾ cup (125 g) canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (about half a 15 oz can)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Fresh basil, for serving (optional)

How to Make It

1. Put the onion, carrots and celery in a large pot with 2 tablespoons of water. Cook over medium heat for 6 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is soft. Add another spoonful of water if the pot looks dry.
2. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, until the paste turns a shade darker and starts to stick a little.
3. Add the tomatoes, water, bay leaf, basil, oregano, salt and pepper, scraping the bottom of the pot as you stir.
4. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, partly cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Add the zucchini and beans and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes more, until the zucchini is tender.
6. Take out the bay leaf and stir in the lemon juice. Taste, add salt if it needs it, and serve hot with fresh basil.

Lose weight. Keep the pizza.

Bye Weight is a weight loss community for people who love food. Short lessons, simple steps, no extreme diets.

See What’s Inside →

Illustrative image. Individual results may vary.

Tips & Substitutions

Use the rest of the beans. The recipe takes about half a can. Stir in the other half if you want more protein. It adds about 30 calories per serving.

Mash a few beans. Press a spoonful against the side of the pot before serving. The soup gets thicker without adding anything.

Swap the vegetables. Green beans, spinach or chopped kale all work. Add spinach in the last 2 minutes so it stays green.

Want it richer? Use low-sodium vegetable broth for 2 cups of the water. It adds about 10 calories per serving.

How to Make It More Filling

On its own this soup makes a light lunch. For a full meal, have it with a grilled chicken breast or a piece of baked white fish and a green salad. Count those in your total.

Storage

Keep the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Minestrone tastes even better on day two, so it is a good one to cook on Sunday for the week. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave, stirring in between.

It freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is there no pasta?

Pasta adds calories fast and soaks up the broth by the next day. The beans make the soup filling instead, and they hold up better in the fridge.

Can I add pasta anyway?

Yes. Cook ¼ cup of dry small pasta, like ditalini, in the soup together with the zucchini. It adds about 45 calories per serving.

Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned?

Yes, use about 2 cups (300 g) of chopped tomatoes. The soup will be a little lighter in color and may need an extra pinch of salt.

Why does my soup taste flat?

It usually needs salt or a little more acid. Add salt a pinch at a time, then a few more drops of lemon juice, and taste again.

Tight jeans? Let’s fix that.

Bye Weight is a weight loss community. No gym, no strict diet, no guilt. Just short lessons and simple walks.

See What’s Inside →

Illustrative image. Individual results may vary.