Minestrone Vegetable Soup (Printable Version)

Hearty Italian soup with beans, pasta, and fresh vegetables in herb-infused broth.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
08 - 1 cup green beans, chopped
09 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

→ Legumes and Pasta

10 - 1 can (14 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
11 - 1 cup small pasta such as ditalini or elbow macaroni

→ Broth and Seasonings

12 - 6 cups vegetable broth
13 - 2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs including oregano, basil, and thyme
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Finishing Touches

16 - 2 cups baby spinach or chopped kale
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
18 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables soften and become translucent.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, diced zucchini, diced potato, and chopped green beans. Cook for 3 additional minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - Add diced tomatoes, drained cannellini beans, vegetable broth, dried Italian herbs, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
04 - Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld and vegetables to become tender.
05 - Stir in pasta and simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta and vegetables reach desired tenderness.
06 - Remove bay leaf from pot. Add spinach or kale and cook for 2 minutes until greens wilt completely into the broth.
07 - Adjust seasoning by adding salt and freshly ground black pepper according to personal preference.
08 - Ladle soup into serving bowls. Garnish each portion with fresh chopped parsley and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It magically transforms whatever vegetables are languishing in your crisper drawer into something spectacular, saving you from waste and a grocery trip.
  • The leftovers actually improve overnight as the flavors meld together, making your second-day lunch something to genuinely look forward to.
02 -
  • Adding the pasta directly to the soup pot means it will continue absorbing liquid as it sits, so if you plan on leftovers, consider cooking and storing the pasta separately.
  • A Parmesan rind tossed into the simmering soup will melt just enough to infuse the broth with an umami richness that transforms a good soup into an exceptional one.
03 -
  • Save Parmesan rinds in your freezer specifically for soups like this, they're culinary gold that most people throw away.
  • For deeper flavor without extra effort, roast your diced carrots, onions, and celery in the oven before adding them to the pot.
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