This delicious Minestrone soup recipe is loaded with vegetables and is a perfect meal for those chilly days! Serve with a side of crusty bread for a meal the whole family will love. It can be vegetarian or not depending on preference.
I always love the minestrone at olive garden, but I think this recipe is even better. And it is so easy to customize to your taste by using different fresh seasonal vegetables.
My whole family loves this minestrone soup recipe!
Our very favorite soup during these cooler months is my Italian peasant soup. We also love this bean and ham soup and to-die-for savory roasted pumpkin bisque.
There is nothing better than a nice pot of soup simmering on the stove on a cold day.
Why You’ll Love this Minestrone Soup
Minestrone, which means “big soup” in Italian, is a pot of simmering vegetable soup that has delicious layers of flavors with a tomato base.
You will love this recipe for so many reasons:
- It's very easy to make
- Perfect for chilly fall or winter days
- can use most vegetables that are in season- a great way to clean out the fridge
- Delicious reheated the next day
- it is a light soup that is satisfying but not heavy
My family loves this soup recipe and I love that they will be getting all of those veggies in one meal! It makes a nice big pot of soup that we like to reheat for lunches!
Minestrone Soup Ingredients
- Oil – I use avocado oil but olive oil works as well.
- Carrots – I like to use thinner, longer carrots so they are easier to eat, chopped up in the soup.
- Celery – 2 ribs of celery, chopped
- Onion- I like to use sweet onion in my soups but a yellow onion is good too
- Fresh seasonal veggies – green beans, potatoes, butternut squash, zucchini, etc.
- Garlic – I usually keep a jar of pre-diced garlic in my fridge especially for winter soups. It saves me a lot of time!
- Salt – fine sea salt
- Ground Pepper – Freshly ground pepper is best- amount to taste.
- Dried Basil, Oregano, and Thyme – For most of my soups this time of the year, I just use dried herbs.
- Bay leaves – Let these simmer in the pot and remove before serving soup.
- Broth – 32 ounce container of vegetable or chicken broth. We prefer chicken broth because we usually have some on hand, but if you are wanting to make it vegetarian, you will need vegetable broth.
- Tomato Paste – just about half of a small can
- Diced Tomatoes – 28 ounce can in its juice
- Beans – I use 2 cans of cannellini beans, but northern white beans work as well
- Pasta – any small or medium pasta- whatever kind you like best. I used medium shells here.
- Parmesan Cheese – Most parmesan cheeses are made with animal rennet so if you are making a vegetarian meal, you will need to find a vegan version. We love regular parmesan, so we use a generous amount in each bowl.
Recipe Variations
The beautiful thing about this recipe is that you really can customize it as much as you want. It is a great way to empty the fridge and use up all of your seasonal veggies before they go bad.
1. Vegetables that are delicious in this Minestrone:
- We really love zucchini in this soup. It has a wonderful taste and texture.
- green beans
- potatoes
- butternut squash
- zucchini
- sweet potatoes
- yellow squash
- peas
2. We love to add sausage to this soup sometimes!
3. For a little kick, add a pinch of red pepper.
How to Make Minestrone Soup
- In a large heavy pot, sauté onions in oil over medium heat until they begin to become clear- about 5 minutes.
- Add celery and carrots and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the rest of the seasonal veggies, tomato paste, garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, salt, and then add pepper to taste. Continue to cook until the veggies start to soften.
- Pour in tomatoes (in their juices), vegetable or chicken broth and water. Add beans, pasta, and bay leaves. Raise heat to medium high and bring soup to a boil.
- Lower heat just enough to keep it at a simmer. Place lid on pot, removing every 5 or so minutes to give it a stir. Simmer for 15 minutes or until pasta is al dente and veggies have softened.
- Throw a couple big handfuls of spinach into your soup and allow it to wilt. It only takes a minute.
- Add any additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove from the heat and ladle into bowls. Serve with a generous amount of freshly grated parmesan.
Note: If the steam keeps boiling over, off-center your lid to leave a little gap in the edge to let some of the steam escape.
The full printable recipe is below.
Tips
- chop up your veggies and store in the fridge until ready to make soup. Prepping ahead can make it come together even faster.
- Make this soup and eat for lunches. It reheats very well and tastes delicious.
- If you don't mind a little thicker soup, you could add even more veggies if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Minestrone Soup?
Minestrone is an Italian soup that has a tomato base, with beans and a variety of vegetables and often with the addition of pasta or rice.
What kind of pot should I use?
I always recommend using a heavy cast iron pot when making soup because it doesn't burn your soup as easily as thinner metal pots. This is my favorite cast iron pot for making soup.
How to Store
Refrigerator - Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
Freezer - In a large freezer-friendly container, freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator the night before eating. When ready to ear, reheat on the stove until warm.
More Easy Weeknight Recipes
Here are some more of our favorite recipes for easy family dinners during the week:
- Oven roasted carrots
- Sautéed green beans
- The BEST asparagus
- Smashed potatoes
- Slow Cooker Whole Chicken with Garlic
Nutritional Considerations
- vegetarian- if you omit the parmesan and use vegetable broth instead of
- gluten free- if you use gluten free pasta
If you make this recipe, please rate it below- and I would love to see! Tag me on Instagram @ellaclaireblog
Minestrone
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp oil avocado or olive
- 2 medium carrots chopped
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cups fresh seasonal veggies, chopped (green beans, potatoes, butternut squash, zucchini, yellow squash, peas all work well)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 ½ tsp dried basil
- 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 28 ounce diced canned tomatoes with juice
- 32 ounce vegetable or chicken broth (4 cups)
- 2 cups water
- 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans
- 1 cup dried pasta any small or medium shell pasta
- 2-3 big handfuls spinach
- fresh shaved parmesan cheese optional but recommended
Instructions
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In a large heavy pot, sauté onions in oil over medium heat until they begin to become clear - about 4-5 minutes.
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Add celery and carrots and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
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Add the rest of the seasonal veggies, tomato paste, garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, salt, and then add several grinds of fresh black pepper to taste. Continue to cook until the veggies start to soften- about 4 mins.
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Pour in tomatoes (in their juices), vegetable or chicken broth and water. Add beans, pasta, and bay leaves. Raise heat to medium high and bring soup to a boil.
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Pour in tomatoes (in their juices), vegetable or chicken broth and water.
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Add beans, pasta, and bay leaves. Raise heat to medium high and bring soup to a boil.
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Lower heat just enough to keep soup at a simmer. Place lid on pot, removing every 5 or so minutes to give it a stir. Simmer for 15 minutes or until pasta is al dente and veggies have softened.
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Throw a couple big handfuls of spinach into your soup and allow it to wilt. It only takes a minute.
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Remove from the heat and add more salt and pepper to taste.
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Serve in bowls with a generous amount of freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional, but recommended)
Recipe Notes
Notes:
To make it dairy free/vegan: Be sure to use vegetable broth and don't garnish with traditional parmesan - use vegan parmesan.
To make it gluten free: Substitute your favorite gluten-free noodle that keeps its shape in soups.
You can use other greens besides spinach. We just prefer spinach- adjust cooking time for whatever greens you use. For instance, kale takes longer than spinach to soften.
Here are some more delicious soups that I know you will love!
Minestrone Soup by Ella Claire & Co. | White Chicken Chili by Freutcake | Split Pea & Pumpkin Soup by French Country Cottage
Turkey Chili with Pumpkin Cornbread by Zevy Joy | Tomato Basil Soup by Inspired by Charm | Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup by Handmade Farmhouse
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