Hearty Italian Minestrone Soup (Printable)

Hearty Italian classic with seasonal vegetables, pasta, and creamy beans in rich tomato broth.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 cup green beans, chopped
08 - 2 cups chopped spinach or kale

→ Base & Seasonings

09 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
10 - 6 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
13 - 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Pasta & Beans

16 - 0.75 cup small pasta such as ditalini, elbow, or small shells
17 - 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
18 - 1 can (15 ounces) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

→ Garnishes

19 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
20 - Chopped fresh parsley
21 - Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in garlic, zucchini, and green beans; cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
03 - Add diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, oregano, basil, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
04 - Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
05 - Stir in pasta and both types of beans. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, or until pasta is al dente.
06 - Add spinach or kale and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted. Remove bay leaf.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with Parmesan, parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like home cooking without pretense, the kind of soup that tastes better the next day.
  • You can empty your vegetable drawer and feel resourceful instead of wasteful.
  • It's flexible enough to feed a crowd or stretch across the week in small bowls.
02 -
  • If you add the pasta too early, it absorbs broth and turns mushy—add it during the final 12 minutes only.
  • Don't skip rinsing canned beans; the starchy liquid can make your soup cloudy and overly thick.
  • The soup thickens significantly as it cools, so if it seems perfect when warm, it might be quite thick the next day—stir in broth when reheating.
03 -
  • Cut all your vegetables roughly the same size so they cook evenly and create a uniform, pleasing texture in every spoonful.
  • Don't skip the bay leaf—it provides subtle backbone that makes people say the soup tastes better than they expected without knowing why.
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