Minestrone
intro
Thick, vegetable-packed Italian soup with tender beans, small pasta, and savory tomato broth—nourishing, customizable, and perfect for warming a crowd.
Ingredients
Steps
Sauté Aromatic Vegetables
Heat 3 tablespoons (45ml) extra-virgin olive oil in a large 5L heavy-bottomed stock pot over medium heat (160°C/320°F). Add finely diced onion, carrots, and celery, cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and turn translucent. Add minced garlic, dried oregano, and dried thyme, cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
Build Broth Base
Add the 400g can of diced tomatoes (with their packing juices), diced potato, 6 cups (1.5L) vegetable broth, optional parmesan rind, and whole bay leaf to the pot. Stir fully to combine, then turn heat up to medium-high (190°C/375°F) to bring the mixture to a gentle rolling boil, which takes approximately 5 minutes.
Simmer Root Vegetables
Once the broth reaches a boil, reduce heat to medium-low (120°C/250°F) to maintain a soft, steady simmer. Cover the pot partially with a lid (leaving a 2cm gap for steam to escape), and cook for 15 minutes, until potato pieces are just tender when pierced with a fork, but not fully mushy.
Add Beans and Pasta
Stir in the rinsed, drained 400g cannellini beans and 100g (1/2 cup) ditalini pasta. Maintain medium-low heat, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes to prevent pasta from sticking to the pot bottom, until pasta is al dente (firm to the bite, not fully soft).
Add Final Vegetables
Stir in the diced zucchini and 80g (2 cups) loosely packed fresh spinach, cook for 3 minutes over medium-low heat, until zucchini is crisp-tender and spinach is fully wilted into the soup. Remove and discard the bay leaf and parmesan rind (if used), then season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, tasting to adjust seasoning as needed.
Rest and Serve
Turn off the stovetop heat, let the soup rest for 5 minutes off the burner to allow flavors to meld fully. Ladle into warm ceramic bowls, top with a light sprinkle of grated parmesan and a tiny drizzle of olive oil if desired, and serve with slices of crusty sourdough bread on the side.
Tips
2.Customize the veggie mix to match what you have on hand: swap ditalini for elbow macaroni, add chopped green beans or curly kale, or stir in 1 tablespoon of basil pesto at the end for extra bright flavor.
3.Store leftover minestrone in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months; the pasta will absorb broth during storage, so add a 1/4 cup splash of broth or water when reheating to thin consistency.
OMG this minestrone is SO good! I made it for our Sunday family dinner last night and even my super picky 7-year-old asked for a second bowl. I swapped the regular pasta for whole wheat rotini because that’s what I had in the pantry, and it turned out perfect. Perfect cozy meal for these cold Colorado evenings!
Made this for our neighborhood potluck over the weekend and the whole pot was gone in 20 minutes! People kept coming up to ask for the recipe, I felt like a rockstar. Super easy to throw together even when you’re juggling a million other things, 10/10.
Quick question – can I make this in a slow cooker instead of on the stovetop? I work long days and love being able to dump everything in before I leave so dinner’s ready when I get home. Rating 4 for now because I haven’t made it yet but it looks amazing!
Game changer! I’ve tried so many minestrone recipes that come out bland or watery, but this one is perfectly hearty and packed with flavor. I added a little extra parmesan rind to the broth while it simmered and *chef’s kiss*
Perfect meal prep soup! I made a big batch on Sunday, portioned it out into containers, and had lunch for the whole week. It actually tastes even better on day 3 when all the flavors have melded together. So easy too, didn’t even have to run to the store because I already had all the canned veggies and beans in my pantry.
As someone who eats mostly plant-based, I was so happy how easy this was to veganize! Just swapped the regular chicken broth for vegetable broth and skipped the parmesan topping, and it was still absolutely delicious. Even my meat-eating roommate stole a bowl and said he loved it.
I’m a total beginner in the kitchen and I was really nervous to make soup from scratch, but this was so straightforward! I only messed up by adding the pasta too early so it was a little softer than I wanted, but it still tasted great. Next time I’ll wait until the end like the recipe says, oops!
Made this today when it was pouring rain and 40 degrees out, and it hit the spot exactly. I added a can of diced zucchini and some extra Italian seasoning because I had extra veggies to use up, and it was so cozy. Served it with some garlic bread on the side and my husband said it’s the best soup I’ve ever made!