Minestrone Soup (Printable)
A hearty Italian minestrone of beans, pasta and seasonal vegetables in a tomato broth.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 small zucchini, diced
07 - 1 small potato, peeled and diced
08 - 1 cup green beans, chopped into 1-inch pieces
09 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes with juices
→ Broth and Beans
10 - 6 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
12 - 1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
→ Pasta
13 - 3/4 cup small pasta (ditalini or elbow macaroni)
→ Herbs and Seasoning
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
16 - 1 bay leaf
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
19 - Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic, diced zucchini, and diced potato. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing the garlic to become fragrant.
03 - Add the chopped green beans and the can of diced tomatoes with their juices. Stir well to combine all the vegetables.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth. Add the drained cannellini beans, kidney beans, dried oregano, dried basil, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine.
05 - Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently for 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
06 - Stir in the small pasta and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the pasta and all vegetables are tender.
07 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It forgives almost every mistake you can throw at it, which is how I discovered that accidentally doubling the oregano actually makes it better.
- You can raid whatever vegetables are languishing in your fridge and it will still taste like someone spent all day on it.
- The leftovers on day two have a depth of flavor that will make you seriously consider making a double batch every single time.
02 -
- The pasta will continue absorbing liquid as the soup sits, so if you are making it ahead, cook the pasta separately and add it when you reheat to avoid a thick, starchy porridge the next day.
- Salt your broth in small increments and taste after each one because the cheese and canned tomatoes already contribute sodium, and oversalting this soup is a mistake that is nearly impossible to fix.
03 -
- Toast the dried oregano and basil in the hot oil for about thirty seconds before adding any vegetables, because this one extra step blooms their flavor in a way that dropping them into broth never will.
- Use a potato masher to gently crush a few spoonfuls of the beans against the side of the pot before adding the pasta, creating a naturally creamy broth without any dairy at all.