This soup is one of our family’s favorites as a result of the addition of the pesto. Even I’ve been surprised at how loved it is among even my picky eaters. It is jam-packed with nutrients too!
Freezer Vegetable Pesto Minestrone Recipe:
1 tsp. olive oil
1 cup diced onion
2 cloves minced garlic
2 ribs of celery, chopped
3 carrots, sliced
1 cup white wine (or you can use apple juice)
14-19 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
19 oz. can mixed beans
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup basil pesto
For cooking day:
4 cups vegetable broth
Saute onion in oil for a few minutes, then add garlic, celery, and carrot, then saute for a few more minutes until it all begins to get soft. Add this to a large-sized resealable freezer bag. Add wine, diced tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, seasonings, cheese, and pesto to the bag. Remove excess air, seal the bag, and freeze.
On cooking day, thaw, pour into a stovetop pot or crockpot. After that, add 4 cups of vegetable broth and cook until the desired temperature.
In addition, you can also add some cooked gluten-free noodles near the end of the cooking time.
Knowing that my family will request this dish frequently, I use a jar of pre-made pesto sauce and double, triple, or quadruple the recipe. You will not be sorry that you have extras of these on hand in your stock on a cold day!
This recipe is part of my 10 Days of Gluten-Free Freezer Meals series in the iHomeschool Network Autumn Hopscotch. You may also be interested in following my Gluten-Free Recipes or Freezer Meals Pinterest Boards.

- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 cup onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 3 carrots sliced
- 1 cup white wine or apple juice
- 14-19 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
- 19 oz can mixed beans
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1/4 cup basil pesto
- 4 cups vegetable broth
-
Saute onion in oil for a few minutes, then add garlic, celery, and carrot. Saute a few minutes until they start to get soft. Add to a large resealable freezer bag.
-
Add wine, diced tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, seasonings, cheese, and pesto to the bag. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.
-
Thaw and pour into a pot for the stove or crockpot.
-
Add 4 cups of vegetarian broth and cook until it reaches the desired temperature.
-
You can add in cooked gluten-free noodles at the end if you wish.
Make several batches of this at a time. You will not regret having it on hand for cold days.
I just saw this on Seeing Sunshine. It looks like a great recipe for the cool weather. I will have to try it!
I was wondering why you have to wait tell the day of to add the broth why cant you freeze it with the broth??
thanks
I wait because the bag spills really easily when it is too full and it takes up too much space in the freezer. You could add it before you freeze it if you want to.