Classic Homestyle Italian Minestrone Soup
A classic homemade minestrone soup recipe that's easy to make with pantry staples like dried pasta, beans, canned tomatoes and carrots. This vegetable soup is packed with fresh vegetables, beans, and pasta and makes a hearty meal in one bowl.
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ¼ cups (250 g) chopped carrots (2 large or 3 small carrots)
- 2 celery stalks chopped (1 ¼ cups)
- 1 (80 g) onion chopped
- 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 or water
- 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
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large (5 or 6 quart) soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, celery and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables become softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, herbs and chili. Cook one minute, until fragrant. Add the tomato puree or crushed tomatoes, canned beans, green beans, 2 teaspoons salt and the Parmesan rind, if using. Pour in the broth or water and bring to a simmer. Cook 25 minutes, uncovered.
- Meanwhile, cook the 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 the greens until they wilt. Add the 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 a leafy green 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.
- The soup is good refrigerated up to 5 days and frozen for 2 months.
- Reheat the soup on the stovetop over medium heat, until hot. You can add a little more broth if it's thickened.
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Use different vegetables in your soup, depending on what you have. Add about 1 cup of any of these in place of one or more of the ones listed in the recipe:
- Zucchini: Green zucchini or summer squash, sliced into cubes.
- Potatoes: For a heartier soup, peeled and diced boiling potatoes are a good choice and can be used instead of pasta.
- Cabbage: Chop green cabbage into chunky pieces and simmer in the soup until tender.
- Sweet corn kernels: Fresh or frozen (add with the canned beans.
Nutrition
Calories: 185kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 66mgPotassium: 351mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 7025IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 102mgIron: 1mg