This fresh vegetable minestrone soup is packed with fresh veggies and herbs — it is truly amazingly delicious and healing. It’s like a hug in a bowl… Food really is the best medicine!

We are not vegetarians here in my house. I lean that way, but the rest of my family does not. So, oftentimes when I make a vegan or a vegetarian dish, some people — who shall remain nameless — don’t feel like they’ve had a “real” meal. They feel gypped. I, of course, think this is ridiculous, but sometimes it’s just not worth the fight or even an explanation.

And then sometimes I can make a vegetarian dish that’s so hearty, nobody thinks twice about it. That’s this Fresh Vegetable Minestrone Soup. It’s so jam-packed with so many things, nobody will miss the meat.

Vegetable-forward soups are my favorite kind of soups. Don’t get me wrong, I love a meatball soup and my Cheeseburger Soup is a huge favorite in my house.  BUT, they are not my beloved fresh veggie soups.

Some people like creamy, smooth soups. Some people like hearty, chunky soups. I love them all. This Fresh Vegetable Minestrone Soup is of the hearty, chunky variety and it is awesome. It’s a great clean-out-the-fridge soup because really, almost anything you’ve got will taste great in this recipe.

I like to add lots of immune-boosting ingredients to my soups and this one is no exception.  Oregano, scallions, and garlic are present in this recipe. Each one of these ingredients packs a big immune-boosting punch and together they are exceedingly powerful, making it perfect for the cold damp months of winter here in New York. And, because I’m not concerned with keeping this soup completely vegetarian, I like to use bone broth for the base of it — extra healing power!

One of the things I teach my clients is that’s it much easier to stay on track with whatever healthy eating/lifestyle plan you are on, if you always keep a big pot of soup in your fridge. I love to make one soup each week and then I can have something healthy and delicious to eat when I come home ravenous. This soup serves this purpose really well because it makes for great leftovers — I’ve even eaten it cold straight from the fridge. Others in my house will heat it up with some Parmesan cheese on top or with a piece of crusty bread hidden at the bottom of the bowl. Have it your way…

If you are a vegetarian soup fan, you will also love my recipes for White Bean And Kale Soup, Slow Cooker Vegan Split Pea Soup, and Paleo Carrot Soup.

For more great ways to boost your immune system, download my free ebook: How To Be Healthy When Everyone Else Is Sick.

And, if you want to switch up your minestrone game, take a look at all of the minestrone recipes on Feed Feed — they look awesome!

Here are some of the amazing healing ingredients in this Fresh Vegetable Minestrone Soup:

Garlic is amazing in its antiviral and antibacterial capabilities. Garlic is actually a Chinese herb (Da Suan). It’s used to kill toxins and parasites and also to reduce swelling in the body. It’s what I call a great “A” herb: anesthetic, antibacterial, anti fungal, antioxidant, antiviral, etc….

Scallions, as I tell you often, are one of my favorites. In Chinese medicine, the root of the scallion is a healing herb (Cong Bai). I always keep scallions on hand in my refrigerator so that I can whip up a batch of cold and flu fighting tea (scallion roots and ginger) the second anyone feels that scratchy throat coming on. It helps the body sweat out toxins. Scallions are antiviral and antibacterial; they are good for the common cold and general nasal congestion — just don’t eat too many if you have a fever.

In Chinese medicine, we use tomatoes to aid in digestion and to help detoxify the body. They are also good to combat excess cholesterol, lessen inflammation and curb asthma. Tomatoes can also quench thirst, and they can help fight some kidney infections.

Zucchini cools your body off and makes you feel better during those hot days of summer. It helps your body release excess heat and it will make your mind feel more calm.

Oregano is a powerful antioxidant and it is great at fighting bacteria. It’s also known as an herb that brings joy and happiness to people. I even just bought a bottle of oregano essential oil and I put a drop in our smoothies a few weeks ago when Steve had a cold… it’s powerful stuff!

Potatoes are good at soothing ulcers and neutralizing acid in the stomach and they help relieve constipation. These tubers also can help relieve arthritic inflammation. So, even though sweet potatoes are thought of as the white potato’s more nutrition sister, regular old potatoes can be just what the doctor ordered.

Broccoli has a lot of potassium and is great for brain function; it also has magnesium and calcium to help regulate blood pressure. It’s also good to clear your body of excess heat and it actually can help your vision too. I love foods that make you feel better mentally as well as physically, and broccoli is one of those foods — it can lessen feelings of irritability.

It is true that spinach contains iron, but it’s this vegetable’s lesser-known qualities that really hold my admiration. Spinach contains a substance that helps eliminate prostate cancer. It’s also great for your bones and also for memory loss. Diabetic patients may find that eating spinach helps combat excessive thirst and can even be good for night blindness. Spinach can inhibit the body’s ability to absorb calcium, so calcium-rich foods should be avoided when eating this leafy green.

Parsley has been shown to reduce tumors in the lungs and to neutralize the effects of carcinogens, including cigarette smoke. It is high in vitamins A and C, and is good for your heart. This herb is also a natural breath freshener. So, if you have a chance to use more than a few sprigs as a garnish, go for it.

Bone broth is filled with bone marrow and essential fatty acids — these things promote optimal brain health. It also contains glycine, which is an amino acid that helps with memory, concentration, stress, and focus.  You can make your own bone broth, but you don’t have to anymore. Bone broth is now available in tons of markets. It’s sold in boxes just like chicken or vegetable broth. The glucosamine in bone broth can reduce inflammation and strengthen the bones. It’s also great for your skin, hair, and nails. This is a great thing to use for a quick soup base, or to just sip on during the day. Sometimes I’ll have a hot cup of bone broth first thing in the morning for a quick healing pick me up.