This Minestrone Soup is a comforting one-pot meal packed with vegetables, beans, and pasta. It’s a flexible, rustic Italian classic that simmers into a deeply satisfying bowl. The aroma alone promises a nourishing and hearty experience.
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Why You’ll Love This Minestrone Soup
Complete one-pot meal: Balanced with veggies, beans, and pasta.
Better next day: Flavors deepen beautifully overnight.
Seasonally adaptable: Customize with your favorite produce.
Comforting & nourishing: Every spoonful feels wholesome.
Ingredients & Tools
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (400 g) can diced tomatoes, with their juices
- 1.5 liters vegetable broth
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 (400 g) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 100 g ditalini pasta (or other small shape)
- 2 large handfuls fresh spinach or chopped kale
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- For serving: Grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil
Tools: A large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven.
Notes: Don’t be intimidated by the list—it’s mostly pantry staples! The quality of your olive oil and broth really makes a difference here, so use the best you have. A good, flavorful broth is the foundation of a great minestrone.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 280 kcal |
| Protein: | 10 g |
| Fat: | 7 g |
| Carbs: | 45 g |
| Fiber: | 9 g |
Serves: 6 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Dice your vegetables evenly. This isn’t just for looks. Cutting your carrots, celery, and onion to a similar size ensures they all cook at the same rate, so you don’t end up with some pieces raw and others mushy.
- Don’t skip the sauté step for the aromatics. Gently cooking the onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil until they soften and sweeten is what builds the first layer of flavor. Rushing this can result in a flatter-tasting soup.
- What kind of beans work best? I love cannellini for their creamy texture, but kidney beans or even chickpeas are fantastic substitutes. Using canned beans is a huge time-saver, just remember to rinse them well to remove the starchy canning liquid.
- Choose your pasta shape wisely. Small shapes like ditalini, small shells, or elbow macaroni work best because they fit nicely on a spoon. If you only have larger pasta, just break it up a bit before adding it.
How to Make Minestrone Soup
Step 1: Heat the olive oil in your large pot over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. We’re going to cook these, stirring occasionally, for about 8-10 minutes. You’ll notice the onions becoming translucent and the vegetables will have softened slightly. This process, called sweating, is crucial for developing a sweet, deep base flavor for your soup.
Step 2: Add the minced garlic and cook for just one more minute, until it becomes incredibly fragrant. You have to be careful here—garlic burns easily, and burnt garlic will make the whole soup taste bitter. Stir it constantly and enjoy that beautiful aroma filling your kitchen.
Step 3: Now, pour in the entire can of diced tomatoes with their juices, followed by the vegetable broth. Stir everything together, scraping up any little browned bits from the bottom of the pot—that’s pure flavor! Add the dried oregano, thyme, and the bay leaf. Bring the soup up to a lively boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Let it bubble away, uncovered, for about 15 minutes.
Step 4: After 15 minutes, the vegetables should be tender but still have a bit of bite. Now, stir in the rinsed cannellini beans and your chosen pasta. The trick is to cook the pasta directly in the soup, which allows the starches to thicken the broth slightly, making it more luxurious. Let it simmer for another 10-12 minutes, or until the pasta is perfectly al dente.
Step 5: Turn off the heat. This is when you stir in the fresh spinach or kale. The residual heat is more than enough to wilt the greens perfectly without overcooking them. They’ll add a wonderful pop of color and freshness. Finally, season generously with salt and black pepper. Taste it! This is the most important step. Adjust the seasoning until it sings.
Step 6: Remove the bay leaf—it’s done its job. Ladle the hot, steaming soup into bowls. Finish with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese and a few fresh basil leaves. The cheese adds a salty, umami punch that brings all the flavors together beautifully. Serve immediately and enjoy the comfort.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Cool completely, store in airtight container up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze soup base without pasta for up to 3 months.
- Reviving: Reheat with a splash of broth; add fresh pasta if needed.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- Garlic Bread or Focaccia — There’s nothing better than a piece of crusty, garlicky bread for dipping into the savory broth and scooping up all the delicious bits from the bottom of the bowl.
- A Simple Green Salad — A light salad with a sharp vinaigrette provides a crisp, refreshing contrast to the hearty, warm soup, balancing out the meal perfectly.
Drinks
- A Light-Bodied Red Wine — A Chianti or a Pinot Noir has enough acidity to cut through the richness of the soup without overpowering the delicate vegetable flavors.
- Sparkling Water with Lemon — For a non-alcoholic option, the bubbles and citrus are incredibly cleansing and refreshing between spoonfuls of the savory soup.
Something Sweet
- Lemon Sorbet — The bright, clean, and tart flavor of a lemon sorbet is the perfect palate-cleanser after a rich and savory meal like minestrone.
- Pizzelle or Biscotti — These classic Italian cookies are light, crisp, and not too sweet, making them an ideal, simple way to end the meal with a cup of coffee.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcooking the pasta. If you cook the pasta for too long in the soup, it will continue to absorb liquid and become mushy, even after you turn off the heat. Al dente is the goal!
- Not seasoning in layers. Season your sautéed vegetables with a pinch of salt, and then taste and adjust again at the very end. Salt added only at the end tends to sit on top of the flavors instead of melding with them.
- Using a pot that’s too small. This recipe makes a generous amount of soup. Using a pot that’s too small makes it difficult to stir and can lead to messy boil-overs. A large Dutch oven is your best friend here.
- Adding the greens too early. If you add spinach or kale at the beginning, it will disintegrate into a slimy, unappetizing mess. Stirring them in at the very end preserves their color, texture, and nutritional value.
Expert Tips
- Tip: For a richer, deeper flavor, try adding a Parmesan rind to the pot while the soup simmers. It infuses the broth with an incredible savory, cheesy essence. 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 pasta apart, and combine them when reheating. This prevents the pasta from bloating and soaking up 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 fresher and more vibrant.
- Tip: Want a thicker soup? You can mash a small portion of the beans with a fork before adding them, or use a potato masher to lightly crush some of the vegetables against the side of the pot towards the end of cooking.
FAQs
Can I make this minestrone soup ahead of time?
Absolutely, and it’s highly recommended! The flavors meld and improve beautifully overnight. Just let the soup cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you’ve cooked the pasta in the soup, be aware that it will continue to absorb liquid, so you may need to add a splash of broth or water when reheating.
Can I freeze minestrone soup?
You can, but with one big caveat: the texture of the pasta and potatoes (if you add them) can become a bit mealy and soft after freezing and thawing. For best results, freeze the soup base without the pasta. Cook the pasta fresh when you’re ready to serve and add it to the reheated soup.
Is minestrone soup vegan?
This recipe is naturally vegan as written! Just be sure to use a vegetable broth that is certified vegan, and skip the Parmesan cheese garnish or use a vegan alternative. It’s a wonderfully inclusive dish for various dietary needs.
What other vegetables can I add?
So many! This is where you can get creative. Diced zucchini, green beans, chopped fennel, potatoes, or winter squash like butternut would all be wonderful additions. Just add harder vegetables (like potatoes) with the broth, and softer ones (like zucchini) in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
My soup seems too thin. How can I thicken it?
No problem! The easiest way is to let it simmer uncovered for a bit longer to reduce and concentrate. Alternatively, you can take a cup of the soup, blend it until smooth, and stir it back into the pot. This will thicken the broth without altering the flavor profile.
Minestrone Soup
Make the best Minestrone Soup with this easy one-pot recipe. Packed with veggies, beans, and pasta for a hearty, healthy meal. Get the recipe now!
Ingredients
For the soup:
-
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-
1 large yellow onion (diced)
-
2 medium carrots (peeled and diced)
-
2 celery stalks (diced)
-
3 cloves garlic (minced)
-
1 can diced tomatoes (400 g, with their juices)
-
1.5 liters vegetable broth
-
1 tsp dried oregano
-
0.5 tsp dried thyme
-
1 bay leaf
-
1 can cannellini beans (400 g, rinsed and drained)
-
100 g ditalini pasta (or other small shape)
-
2 large handfuls fresh spinach or chopped kale
-
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
For serving:
-
Grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil
Instructions
-
Heat the olive oil in your large pot over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. We’re going to cook these, stirring occasionally, for about 8-10 minutes. You’ll notice the onions becoming translucent and the vegetables will have softened slightly. This process, called sweating, is crucial for developing a sweet, deep base flavor for your soup.01
-
Add the minced garlic and cook for just one more minute, until it becomes incredibly fragrant. You have to be careful here—garlic burns easily, and burnt garlic will make the whole soup taste bitter. Stir it constantly and enjoy that beautiful aroma filling your kitchen.02
-
Now, pour in the entire can of diced tomatoes with their juices, followed by the vegetable broth. Stir everything together, scraping up any little browned bits from the bottom of the pot—that’s pure flavor! Add the dried oregano, thyme, and the bay leaf. Bring the soup up to a lively boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Let it bubble away, uncovered, for about 15 minutes.03
-
After 15 minutes, the vegetables should be tender but still have a bit of bite. Now, stir in the rinsed cannellini beans and your chosen pasta. The trick is to cook the pasta directly in the soup, which allows the starches to thicken the broth slightly, making it more luxurious. Let it simmer for another 10-12 minutes, or until the pasta is perfectly al dente.04
-
Turn off the heat. This is when you stir in the fresh spinach or kale. The residual heat is more than enough to wilt the greens perfectly without overcooking them. They’ll add a wonderful pop of color and freshness. Finally, season generously with salt and black pepper. Taste it! This is the most important step. Adjust the seasoning until it sings.05
-
Remove the bay leaf—it’s done its job. Ladle the hot, steaming soup into bowls. Finish with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese and a few fresh basil leaves. The cheese adds a salty, umami punch that brings all the flavors together beautifully. Serve immediately and enjoy the comfort.06
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