This Italian Vegetable Soup is a rustic, chunky, and profoundly satisfying one-pot meal. It’s packed with colorful vegetables, a rich tomato broth, and pasta for a complete, nourishing dinner. It’s forgiving, flexible, and tastes even better the next day.
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Why You’ll Love This Italian Vegetable Soup
- Complete meal: Hearty with vegetables, beans, and pasta in one bowl.
- Flavor deepens: Tastes even richer and more complex after resting.
- Incredibly flexible: Easily adapt with your favorite vegetables or beans.
- Comforting and wholesome: Warm, satisfying, and soothes the soul.
Ingredients & Tools
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 oz / 800 g) can crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 (15 oz / 425 g) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup ditalini pasta (or other small pasta)
- 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
- Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish
Tools: A large soup pot or Dutch oven, a wooden spoon, a sharp knife, and a cutting board.
Notes: Don’t skip sautéing the onion, carrot, and celery—this builds foundational flavor. Good-quality vegetable broth makes a difference.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 285 kcal |
| Protein: | 11 g |
| Fat: | 7 g |
| Carbs: | 46 g |
| Fiber: | 9 g |
Serves: 6 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Dice your vegetables uniformly. Try to cut your carrots, celery, and zucchini into pieces that are roughly the same size. This isn’t just for looks—it ensures everything cooks at the same rate, so you don’t end up with some crunchy and some mushy bits.
- Don’t rush the sauté. When you’re cooking the onion, carrot, and celery (the soffritto), take your time. You want them to become soft and fragrant, not just slightly translucent. This step builds a deep, sweet flavor base for the entire soup.
- Rinse your canned beans. Giving your cannellini beans a quick rinse under cold water removes the starchy liquid they’re packed in. This helps keep your broth clear and prevents it from becoming overly thick or gloopy.
- Choose a small pasta shape. Ditalini, orzo, or small shells work best because they cook quickly and fit perfectly on a spoon. Larger pasta like fettuccine can become starchy and overwhelm the other ingredients.
How to Make Italian Vegetable Soup
Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 8-10 minutes. You’ll notice the vegetables will soften and the onion will become translucent. This is where you’re building the flavor foundation, so don’t rush it—you want them nicely softened but not browned.
Step 2: Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until it becomes incredibly fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic burn, as it can turn bitter. Stir it constantly—it should just smell amazing and look a little golden at the edges.
Step 3: Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth. Add the dried oregano, dried basil, and the bay leaf. Give everything a good stir, scraping the bottom of the pot to lift any tasty browned bits. This is called deglazing, and it adds another layer of flavor to your soup.
Step 4: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for about 15 minutes. This allows the flavors to start melding together beautifully. The broth will darken slightly in color and the aroma will become rich and herbaceous.
Step 5: Stir in the diced zucchini and the drained cannellini beans. Let the soup simmer, uncovered, for another 10 minutes. The zucchini should be tender but still have a little bite to it—you don’t want it to turn to mush.
Step 6: Increase the heat to medium and bring the soup back to a low boil. Add the ditalini pasta and cook according to the package directions, usually about 8-10 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Step 7: Once the pasta is cooked, turn off the heat. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the fresh spinach—it will wilt almost instantly from the residual heat. Season the soup generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste. Give it a final stir, and it’s ready to serve.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Cool completely and store in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze without pasta for up to 3 months; add fresh pasta when reheating.
- Reviving: Reheat with a splash of broth or water to loosen, and adjust seasoning.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- A thick slice of crusty, toasted bread — It’s perfect for dipping into the rich tomato broth and ensures not a single drop goes to waste.
- A simple arugula salad with a lemon vinaigrette — The peppery, bright salad provides a lovely, fresh contrast to the hearty, warm soup.
- Garlic breadsticks or focaccia — For a more indulgent meal, the buttery, garlicky bread is a classic and irresistible pairing.
Drinks
- A light-bodied red wine like Chianti — The acidity and cherry notes in the wine cut through the richness of the soup beautifully.
- Sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon — The effervescence is wonderfully refreshing and helps cleanse the palate between spoonfuls.
- Iced herbal tea — A cool, non-alcoholic option that won’t compete with the soup’s robust herbal flavors.
Something Sweet
- Lemon sorbet — Its bright, clean citrus flavor is the perfect palate-cleanser after a savory meal.
- Almond biscotti — You can even dunk these crunchy cookies right into your soup for a fun, textural twist.
- Panna Cotta with a berry coulis — The creamy, smooth dessert provides a luxurious yet light finish.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcooking the pasta in the soup. If you let the pasta sit in the hot soup for too long, it will continue to absorb liquid and become bloated and mushy. It’s best to serve the soup shortly after the pasta is cooked.
- Using a pot that’s too small. This recipe makes a generous amount of soup. Using a pot that’s too small makes stirring difficult and increases the risk of boil-overs. A 5-6 quart Dutch oven is ideal.
- Skipping the fresh garnish. That final sprinkle of Parmesan and fresh herbs isn’t just for looks. It adds a crucial pop of fresh flavor and a salty, umami kick that really brings the whole dish together.
- Not seasoning in layers. Season your vegetables with a pinch of salt when you sauté them, and then taste and adjust the seasoning again at the very end. This builds a more complex and well-rounded flavor profile.
Expert Tips
- Tip: For a richer, deeper flavor, try adding a Parmesan rind to the pot while the soup simmers. It will melt into the broth, adding an incredible savory, umami depth that is just magical. Just remember to fish it out before serving!
- Tip: If you know you’ll have leftovers, consider cooking the pasta separately. Store the soup and the cooked pasta in separate containers. When ready to serve, just add the pasta to individual bowls and ladle the hot soup over it. This prevents the pasta from absorbing all the broth overnight.
- Tip: A splash of good quality balsamic vinegar or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice stirred in right before serving can work wonders. The acidity brightens all the other flavors and makes the soup taste even more vibrant.
- Tip: If you want a thicker, heartier soup, you can use a potato masher to gently mash some of the beans and vegetables against the side of the pot once they’re tender. This will naturally thicken the broth without needing any flour or cornstarch.
FAQs
Can I make this soup in a slow cooker?
Absolutely! You can easily adapt this for a slow cooker. Sauté the onion, carrot, and celery on the stove first for the best flavor, then transfer them to the slow cooker. Add all the remaining ingredients except the pasta, zucchini, and spinach. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the zucchini and pasta. Once the pasta is cooked, turn off the heat and stir in the spinach until wilted.
How long will leftovers last in the fridge?
Stored in an airtight container, this soup will keep well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Keep in mind that the pasta will continue to absorb the broth, so it will thicken considerably. You may want to add a splash of water or broth when reheating to loosen it up to your desired consistency.
Can I freeze this Italian Vegetable Soup?
You can, but with one big caveat: the pasta. Pasta doesn’t freeze well in soup—it becomes very soft and grainy when thawed. For best freezing results, either omit the pasta entirely or freeze just the broth and vegetable portion. When you’re ready to eat, thaw, reheat, and cook a fresh batch of pasta to add in.
What other vegetables can I add?
This soup is wonderfully adaptable! Feel free to add chopped green beans, yellow squash, kale instead of spinach, or even a handful of frozen peas or corn added at the very end. Root vegetables like diced potatoes or parsnips would also be lovely—just add them with the carrots so they have enough time to cook through.
Is this soup vegan?
It easily can be! This recipe is vegetarian as written. To make it vegan, simply omit the Parmesan cheese garnish or use a vegan Parmesan alternative. Just double-check that your vegetable broth is certified vegan, as some brands can contain hidden animal products.
Italian Vegetable Soup
Make this hearty Italian Vegetable Soup recipe for a complete, one-pot meal. It's packed with veggies, beans, and pasta in a rich tomato broth. Get the easy recipe now!
Ingredients
For the Ingredients
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2 tbsp olive oil
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1 large yellow onion (diced)
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2 carrots (peeled and diced)
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2 stalks celery (diced)
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3 cloves garlic (minced)
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1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz / 800 g)
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6 cups vegetable broth
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1 tsp dried oregano
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1 tsp dried basil
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1 bay leaf
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1 medium zucchini (diced)
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1 can cannellini beans (15 oz / 425 g, drained and rinsed)
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1 cup ditalini pasta (or other small pasta)
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2 cups fresh spinach (roughly chopped)
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Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
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¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
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Fresh basil or parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
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Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 8-10 minutes. You’ll notice the vegetables will soften and the onion will become translucent. This is where you’re building the flavor foundation, so don’t rush it—you want them nicely softened but not browned.01
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Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until it becomes incredibly fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic burn, as it can turn bitter. Stir it constantly—it should just smell amazing and look a little golden at the edges.02
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Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth. Add the dried oregano, dried basil, and the bay leaf. Give everything a good stir, scraping the bottom of the pot to lift any tasty browned bits. This is called deglazing, and it adds another layer of flavor to your soup.03
-
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for about 15 minutes. This allows the flavors to start melding together beautifully. The broth will darken slightly in color and the aroma will become rich and herbaceous.04
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Stir in the diced zucchini and the drained cannellini beans. Let the soup simmer, uncovered, for another 10 minutes. The zucchini should be tender but still have a little bite to it—you don’t want it to turn to mush.05
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Increase the heat to medium and bring the soup back to a low boil. Add the ditalini pasta and cook according to the package directions, usually about 8-10 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.06
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Once the pasta is cooked, turn off the heat. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the fresh spinach—it will wilt almost instantly from the residual heat. Season the soup generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste. Give it a final stir, and it’s ready to serve.07
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