Easy Minestrone Soup

iamwinfred

This classic Italian minestrone soup brings together tender vegetables, creamy beans, and perfectly cooked pasta in a rich tomato broth that tastes like you've spent hours in the kitchen. The beauty of this soup is that it's incredibly forgiving, comes together in about 45 minutes, and uses simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Servings bowls

Calories 245 kcal

Equipment

Large Dutch oven or stockpot 6-8 quarts
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Wooden spoon
Measuring cups and spoons
Can opener
Ladle
Colander For draining beans

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 45ml
1 large yellow onion diced
3 medium carrots diced
3 celery stalks diced
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste 30ml
28 oz crushed tomatoes 800g, 1 can
6 cups vegetable broth 1.4L
2 medium potatoes about 2 cups or 300g, diced
15 oz cannellini beans 425g, 1 can, drained and rinsed
15 oz kidney beans 425g, 1 can, drained and rinsed
2 cups green beans 200g, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup small pasta 100g, ditalini, small shells, or elbow macaroni
2 cups fresh spinach 60g, roughly chopped
salt and black pepper to taste

For Serving

fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into ¼-inch pieces. Mince the garlic, dice potatoes into ½-inch cubes, cut green beans into 1-inch pieces, and drain and rinse both cans of beans.
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and a pinch of salt. Cook 7-10 minutes until softened, then stir in tomato paste for 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and dried herbs, cooking 1 minute until fragrant.
Pour in crushed tomatoes and scrape up any browned bits. Add vegetable broth, bay leaves, and diced potatoes. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Add both types of beans and green beans. Cover partially and simmer 15-20 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender.
Stir in pasta and cook uncovered for 8-10 minutes until al dente, stirring occasionally. Add extra broth or water if soup becomes too thick.
Stir in chopped spinach and cook 1-2 minutes until wilted. Remove bay leaves. Taste and season generously with salt and black pepper.
Ladle hot soup into bowls and top with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Notes

For best meal prep, cook pasta separately and add to individual bowls when serving to prevent mushiness.
Add a Parmesan rind to the broth while simmering for extra umami depth. Remove before serving.
The soup thickens as it sits because pasta absorbs liquid. Simply add more broth when reheating.
Make it autumn-style by adding diced butternut squash and swapping green beans for kale.
For a heartier version, brown Italian sausage or ground turkey before adding vegetables.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or freeze without pasta for up to 3 months.
Cut all vegetables to uniform size for even cooking and a polished presentation.
A splash of red wine vinegar or lemon juice at the end brightens all the flavors beautifully.
Use San Marzano tomatoes if available for naturally sweeter, less acidic flavor.
Substitute any vegetables you have on hand - zucchini, peas, corn, or lima beans all work great.

Nutrition

Serving: 1BowlCalories: 245kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 10gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 680mgPotassium: 850mgFiber: 8gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 85IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 20mg

Keyword easy minestrone soup, healthy soup recipe, italian vegetable soup, one pot meal, vegetarian soup

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