Minestrone Soup (Print Version)
Comforting Italian minestrone with beans, small pasta, and seasonal vegetables in a rich tomato broth.
# What You 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
09 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
→ Broth & Beans
10 - 6 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
12 - 1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
→ Pasta
13 - 3/4 cup small pasta (ditalini or elbow macaroni)
→ Herbs & 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, to serve (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic, diced zucchini, and diced potato. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
03 - Add the chopped green beans and the canned diced tomatoes with their juices. Stir well to combine all ingredients evenly.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth. Add the drained cannellini beans and kidney beans. Season with dried oregano, dried basil, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly.
05 - Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
06 - Add the small pasta to the pot and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until both 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. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It is one of those soups that tastes like it took all day but genuinely asks almost nothing of you beyond some patient chopping.
- The leftovers improve overnight, which means you get rewarded twice for one effort.
02 -
- The pasta will absorb broth as it sits, so if you are making this ahead, cook the pasta separately and add it when you reheat.
- A parmesan rind tossed into the simmering broth adds a depth of savory flavor that will make people ask what your secret is.
03 -
- Dice all your vegetables to roughly the same size so every spoonful delivers a balanced bite instead of one giant chunk of potato.
- If you want a thicker broth without adding cream, simply mash a ladleful of the beans against the side of the pot and stir them back in.