Gordon Ramsay Vegetable Soup (often styled as a rustic Minestrone) is the ultimate proof that healthy food doesn’t have to be boring. Gordon elevates a simple pot of vegetables by focusing on technique: cutting the vegetables to a uniform size for even cooking, “sweating” them to release sweetness without browning, and finishing with a punch of flavor like fresh pesto or quality Parmesan. It is a vibrant, hearty, and versatile dish that serves as a “fridge clean-out” meal while tasting like it came from a high-end Italian kitchen.
Try More Recipes:
- Gordon Ramsay Fish Chowder
- Gordon Ramsay’s Leek and Potato Soup Recipe
- Gordon Ramsay Broccoli And Stilton Soup Recipe
Why You Will Love This Vegetable Soup Recipe:
- Technique Over Ingredients: You learn the importance of the sofrito (or mirepoix)—gently cooking the onion, carrot, and celery base to build a flavor foundation.
- Incredibly Versatile: It works with almost any vegetable you have on hand. Winter root vegetables or summer squashes both work perfectly.
- Budget-Friendly: It relies on humble, inexpensive ingredients like potatoes, carrots, and canned beans to create a filling meal.
- Batch Cooking: This soup tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep.
- The “Finishing Touch”: Gordon rarely serves soup “naked.” This recipe includes a finish of pesto or olive oil that transforms the bowl from plain to gourmet.
Gordon Ramsay Vegetable Soup Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, peeled and finely diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 sticks celery, finely diced
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (keep them small so they cook quickly)
- 2 zucchinis (courgettes), diced
- 1 can (400g) chopped tomatoes (or 4 large fresh ripe tomatoes)
- 1 can (400g) cannellini beans or borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 liter vegetable or chicken stock (high quality)
- Small handful of small pasta shells or broken spaghetti (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- To Serve: Fresh basil pesto or grated Parmesan cheese
How To Make Gordon Ramsay Vegetable Soup
- Prepare the Vegetables: The secret to a great texture is uniformity. Chop your onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, and zucchini into small, even cubes (about 1cm). This ensures every spoonful has a mix of ingredients and they all cook at the same rate.
- Sweat the Hard Veg: Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper immediately (this helps draw out moisture). Cook gently for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Tip: You want to “sweat” them, not brown them. If they start to darken, turn the heat down. This releases the natural sugars.
- Add Soft Veg: Add the diced zucchini (courgettes) to the pot. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- Simmer: Stir in the chopped tomatoes and the canned beans. Pour in the stock. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Cook: Let it simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are tender.
- Note: If adding pasta, toss it in about 8-10 minutes before the end of the cooking time so it doesn’t get mushy.
- Check Seasoning: Taste the soup. It likely needs a good grind of black pepper and maybe a touch more salt depending on your stock.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. This is the crucial Ramsay step: spoon a dollop of fresh pesto on top or grate a generous amount of Parmesan cheese over it. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil before serving.
Recipe Tips
- The Rind Hack: If you have a block of Parmesan cheese, cut off the hard rind (the waxy back part) and throw it into the soup while it simmers. It adds an incredible savory, nutty depth (umami). Fish it out before serving.
- Don’t Overcook: The vegetables should still have a little texture/bite. You don’t want a mushy baby food consistency.
- Acid Balance: If the soup tastes a bit “flat” at the end, add a squeeze of lemon juice or a dash of vinegar. The acidity wakes up the flavors.
- Uniformity: Take the time to chop neatly. It changes the mouthfeel of the soup entirely.
What To Serve With Vegetable Soup?
- Crusty Bread: A slice of Sourdough or Ciabatta, toasted and rubbed with raw garlic (Bruschetta style), is the perfect dipper.
- Grilled Cheese: Serve alongside a Classic Grilled Cheese Sandwich for a comforting lunch combo.
- Salad: A simple Caprese Salad (tomato and mozzarella) pairs well if you want a lighter Italian-themed meal.
How To Store Leftovers Vegetable Soup?
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The pasta (if used) may soak up liquid, so you might need to add a splash of water when reheating.
- Freeze: This soup freezes beautifully without the pasta. Freeze for up to 3 months. If you want pasta, cook it fresh and add it when you reheat the soup.
How To Reheat Leftovers Vegetable Soup?
- Stovetop: Pour into a pot and warm over medium heat until bubbling.
- Microwave: Heat in 2-minute intervals, stirring in between.
FAQs
Yes while this recipe is designed as a rustic, chunky minestrone, you can absolutely blend it. For a “best of both worlds” texture, ladle out half the vegetables, blend the remaining soup in the pot until smooth, and then stir the chunky vegetables back in. This gives you a creamy body without adding cream.
Yes, this is a great way to save money and time. Frozen peas, corn, and green beans are excellent additions. However, add them in the last 5 minutes of cooking; otherwise, they will become mushy and lose their bright color.
Vegetable soup relies heavily on seasoning. First, ensure you salted the vegetables while sweating them. If it still tastes “flat” at the end, it likely needs acidity. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a teaspoon of white wine vinegar. This “wakes up” the flavors immediately.
The soup base is gluten-free, but if you add the small pasta shells, it is not. To keep it gluten-free, simply omit the pasta and add extra potatoes or beans for starch, or use a certified gluten-free pasta variety.
More Recipes:
- Gordon Ramsay’s White Onion Soup Recipe
- Gordon Ramsay’s Leek and Potato Soup Recipe
- Gordon Ramsay Madeira Sauce Recipe
Vegetable Soup Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx 350g)
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Total Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
- Sodium: 550mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 30g
- Dietary Fiber: 7g
- Sugars: 6g
- Protein: 8g
Gordon Ramsay’s Vegetable Soup
Course: Soups, Dinner, Lunch, MainCuisine: American, Italian, EuropeanDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes25
minutes220
kcalGordon Ramsay Vegetable Soup (often styled as a rustic Minestrone) is the ultimate proof that healthy food doesn’t have to be boring. Gordon elevates a simple pot of vegetables by focusing on technique: cutting the vegetables to a uniform size for even cooking, “sweating” them to release sweetness without browning, and finishing with a punch of flavor like fresh pesto or quality Parmesan. It is a vibrant, hearty, and versatile dish that serves as a “fridge clean-out” meal while tasting like it came from a high-end Italian kitchen.
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and finely diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 sticks celery, finely diced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (keep them small so they cook quickly)
2 zucchinis (courgettes), diced
1 can (400g) chopped tomatoes (or 4 large fresh ripe tomatoes)
1 can (400g) cannellini beans or borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
1 liter vegetable or chicken stock (high quality)
Small handful of small pasta shells or broken spaghetti (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To Serve: Fresh basil pesto or grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Prepare the Vegetables: The secret to a great texture is uniformity. Chop your onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, and zucchini into small, even cubes (about 1cm). This ensures every spoonful has a mix of ingredients and they all cook at the same rate.
- Sweat the Hard Veg: Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper immediately (this helps draw out moisture). Cook gently for 5 to 7 minutes. Tip: You want to “sweat” them, not brown them. If they start to darken, turn the heat down. This releases the natural sugars.
- Add Soft Veg: Add the diced zucchini (courgettes) to the pot. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- Simmer: Stir in the chopped tomatoes and the canned beans. Pour in the stock. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Cook: Let it simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Note: If adding pasta, toss it in about 8-10 minutes before the end of the cooking time so it doesn’t get mushy.
- Check Seasoning: Taste the soup. It likely needs a good grind of black pepper and maybe a touch more salt depending on your stock.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. This is the crucial Ramsay step: spoon a dollop of fresh pesto on top or grate a generous amount of Parmesan cheese over it. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil before serving.
Notes
- The Rind Hack: If you have a block of Parmesan cheese, cut off the hard rind (the waxy back part) and throw it into the soup while it simmers. It adds an incredible savory, nutty depth (umami). Fish it out before serving.
Don’t Overcook: The vegetables should still have a little texture/bite. You don’t want a mushy baby food consistency.
Acid Balance: If the soup tastes a bit “flat” at the end, add a squeeze of lemon juice or a dash of vinegar. The acidity wakes up the flavors.
Uniformity: Take the time to chop neatly. It changes the mouthfeel of the soup entirely.
