Minestrone Vegetable Soup (Print View)

Hearty Italian soup with vegetables, beans, and pasta for a comforting meal.

# Components:

→ 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 ounces) diced tomatoes

→ Legumes & Pasta

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

→ Broth & Seasonings

12 - 6 cups vegetable broth
13 - 2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs such as 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)

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened and fragrant.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, diced zucchini, diced potato, and chopped green beans. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - Add diced tomatoes, drained cannellini beans, vegetable broth, dried Italian herbs, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
04 - Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
05 - Stir in pasta and simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes until pasta reaches al dente texture and vegetables are completely tender.
06 - Remove bay leaf from the pot. Add spinach or kale and cook for 2 minutes until wilted.
07 - Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper according to preference.
08 - Ladle into serving bowls, top with fresh chopped parsley, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in just an hour and somehow tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • You can use whatever vegetables need rescuing from the back of your crisper drawer without guilt.
  • One pot means one pot to clean, which feels like a small victory on tired evenings.
02 -
  • Don't skip the five-minute soffritto; those first cooked vegetables are the actual soul, and rushing it means a soup that tastes thin.
  • Add pasta toward the end, not the beginning, or it'll turn to mush by the time everything else finishes cooking.
03 -
  • Taste the soup before adding pasta because the pasta will absorb some salt as it cooks, and you want room for adjustment.
  • Save a handful of pasta separately and stir it in at the last moment if you're making this soup ahead; this keeps it from getting mushy after a day in the fridge.
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