Minestrone Soup

A classic Italian Minestrone Soup Recipe loaded with fresh vegetables like onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes, zucchini, and green beans in a seasoned tomato-based broth with beans and pasta. The result is a delicious, hearty vegetarian soup that everyone enjoys and is even better than Olive Garden.

Enjoy this delicious soup on its own or with crusty French baguettes, Caesar salad, or cheese garlic bread. This tasty meal can be made with seasonal vegetables and greens.

Ingredients Notes and Substitutions

See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.

• Carrots: Always peel your carrots to bring out that beautiful orange color we all love.
• Green Beans: If these do not look great at the market, then opt for butternut squash or cauliflower.
• Bay Leaves: Other herbs to try include fresh basil and fresh Italian parsley.
• Beans: You can try Great Northern beans or red kidney beans.
• Pasta: Any small pasta will work, including elbow, small shells, orecchiette, or ditalini.

How to make minestrone soup

This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, and carrots.
2. Toss in the green beans and zucchini and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onions and celery are soft.
3. Reduce the heat to low and add garlic, thyme, and marjoram, cooking for 1 minute.
4. Add the bay leaves, vegetable broth, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes. Bring to a low boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the green beans, carrots, and zucchini are almost tender.
5. Add the beans and pasta. Cook until the pasta is tender.
6. If desired, stir in a few cups of spinach and cook just until wilted.

Preparation Tips

• For even more flavor, add Parmesan rinds to the soup while it simmers. Do not forget to fish them out before serving the soup.
• For an over-the-top taste sensation, grate a little fresh Parmesan Cheese over each bowl of soup or top with Homemade Croutons.
• The veggies should be chopped fairly small so a variety of them fit on your soup spoon.

Recipe:

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1½ tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 stalks celery chopped
• 1 large carrot chopped
• ½ lb. green beans trimmed and cut in ½ inch segments
• 1 zucchini diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram or dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 14.5 ounce cans fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 16 ounce can white beans like Great Northern or cannellini beans drained and rinsed
• ¾ cup uncooked elbow pasta or other small pasta
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2-3 cups baby spinach optional

Instructions

• Heat oil in a large Dutch Oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots, cooking until the onions and celery are almost soft.
• Add the green beans and zucchini and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onions and celery are soft.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, thyme, and marjoram, cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly.
• Add the bay leaves, vegetable broth, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes. Bring the soup to a low boil and then reduce to a simmer, cooking until the green beans, carrots, and zucchini are almost tender.
• Add the white beans and pasta. Cook until the pasta is tender but not overcooked.
• If desired, stir in the spinach and cook just until wilted, 2-3 minutes.

Notes

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low or in the microwave at reduced power.
• If you know you will store or freeze some of the soup for leftovers, remove that portion before adding the pasta and spinach. Then add them when reheating the soup. This will keep them from becoming overcooked.
• Freeze in heavy-duty zipper bags or sturdy freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.