Classic Italian Minestrone Soup with Pasta
This recipe for a traditional minestrone soup is my kind of everyday Italian cooking — it’s simple, hearty, and endlessly adaptable. You can make it year-round with a mix of basic pantry vegetables and dried pasta (or whatever’s fresh from your garden). Best of all, it comes together in about 40 minutes.
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ¼ cups (250 g) chopped carrots (2 large or 3 small carrots)
- 2 chopped celery stalks (1 ¼ cups)
- 1 (80 g) chopped onion
- Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon (30 g) finely chopped or grated garlic 2-3 cloves
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, dried thyme or oregano
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red chili pepper
- 1 15-ounce tomato puree or crushed tomatoes
- 2 15-ounce cans kidney or cannellini beans (or 1 of each) drained
- 4 cups (950 ml) vegetable broth
- ½ pound (225 g) green beans (fresh or frozen) trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- Parmesan cheese rind optional
- 1 cup small dried pasta such as elbows, small shells or ditalini
- 2 cups (80 g) dark leafy greens such as spinach, chard or kale roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Heat ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil a large (5 or 6 quart) soup pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 ¼ cups chopped carrots (2 large or 3 small carrots), 2 chopped celery stalks, and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables become softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon finely chopped or grated garlic, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, dried thyme or oregano, and ¼ teaspoon crushed red chili pepper. Cook one minute, until fragrant. Add 1 15-ounce tomato puree or crushed tomatoes, 2 15-ounce cans kidney or cannellini beans (or 1 of each), 4 cups vegetable broth, 2 teaspoons salt and the Parmesan rind, if using. Pour in 4 cups vegetable broth or water and bring to a simmer. Cook 25 minutes, uncovered.
- Meanwhile, cook 1 cup small dried pasta in a pot of salted water. Cook until the pasta is al dente, according to package directions. Drain.
- Add the pasta to the soup and stir in 2 cups dark leafy greens such as spinach, chard or kale until they wilt. Add2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Taste the soup for seasoning (if you used water, the soup will need another teaspoon or so of salt). The starch from the pasta will thicken the soup as it sits. Serve in bowls, with grated cheese on top.
Video
Notes
- The minestrone is a very hearty soup served all by itself, but you can add sliced toasted of sourdough bread (for dunking!) and this kale salad to make a well-rounded meal.
- Freezing tips: Cool the soup completely before transferring to a leakproof freezer-safe container (this helps prevent ice crystals from forming). Don't fill to the brim — leave a little space at the top, as liquid expands in the freezer.
- If you're freezing a big batch of soup, consider leaving out the pasta because it will absorb the liquid and become too soft. After it's thawed, add the cooked pasta to the soup and reheat.
Nutrition
Calories: 185kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSodium: 66mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4g
