Minestrone Soup (Print)

Hearty Italian minestrone with beans, pasta and seasonal vegetables in a rich tomato broth—simple, nourishing, and cozy.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 small zucchini, diced
07 - 1 small potato, peeled and diced
08 - 1 cup green beans, chopped
09 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes

→ Broth & Beans

10 - 6 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
12 - 1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

→ Pasta

13 - 3/4 cup small pasta (ditalini or elbow macaroni)

→ Herbs & Seasoning

14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
16 - 1 bay leaf
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
19 - Grated Parmesan cheese, to serve (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, sautéing for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in garlic, zucchini, and potato. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
03 - Add green beans and diced tomatoes with their juices, stirring well to combine.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth, then add cannellini and kidney beans. Stir in dried oregano, basil, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
06 - Add pasta and cook for 10 minutes, or until the pasta and vegetables are tender.
07 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Ladle hot soup into bowls, sprinkled with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It forgives every substitution and still tastes like something your Italian neighbor would proudly serve you.
  • The broth deepens overnight, so leftovers become the real prize of cooking this.
  • You can use whatever vegetables are wilting in your crisper drawer and nobody will ever know.
02 -
  • The pasta will absorb broth as it sits, so if you are making it ahead, cook the pasta separately and add it when serving.
  • Do not skip the bay leaf because it adds a subtle earthy depth that you will notice if it is missing.
03 -
  • Rub your dried herbs between your palms right before adding them and you will get twice the fragrance.
  • A Parmesan rind simmered in the broth and removed before serving gives a savory richness that nobody can quite identify but everyone loves.

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