The Best Classic Minestrone Soup Recipe
Dive into a bowl of comfort with our hearty Minestrone Soup recipe! Packed with a medley of fresh seasonal vegetables, beans, and savory goodness, it’s the perfect way to warm up. This favorite Italian soup is easy to make.
An Authentic Italian minestrone soup recipe is a celebration of simplicity and freshness.
The word minestrone means “a hearty soup made with a variety of vegetables and sometimes and small pasta”.
This authentic recipe pays homage to the time-honored tradition of using simple ingredients like seasonal veggies, aromatic fresh herbs, and a touch of love. You’ll find it’s reminiscent of the famous Olive Garden Minestrone Soup recipe.
The result is a robust and hearty soup that not only satisfies the appetite but also brings a sense of comfort and joy to the table.
What are the ingredients in minestrone soup?
The ingredients in a Minestrone recipe can vary, but a traditional recipe typically includes:
- Vegetables: Onion, Carrots, Celery, Zucchini and Green beans
- Beans: Cannellini beans & Kidney beans
- Diced tomatoes
- Vegetable broth
- Herbs and Seasonings: Garlic, Dried oregano, Dried basil, Dried thyme, Salt and pepper
- Small pasta (like ditalini) and
- Additional toppings such as grated parmesan cheese
These ingredients come together to create a hearty and flavorful soup that is both nutritious and delicious. Feel free to customize the recipe by adding other seasonal vegetables or adjusting the quantities to suit your taste preferences.
How to Make a Traditional Italian Minestrone Soup recipe
Ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil
- medium yellow onion
- carrots
- celery
- garlic cloves
- chicken stock or vegetable broth
- tomato paste
- crushed tomatoes
- cannellini beans
- bay leaves
- italian seasoning
- baby spinach
- parsley
- sea salt, black pepper
- parmesan cheese
- A short pasta such as small shells, ditalini pasta or elbow macaroni
- 2 large celery stalks, diced
- Optional: cooked ground beef, ground italian sausage or ground turkey
- Large stock pot or large dutch oven
Directions
Dice up your onions, celery, carrots and mince garlic. Be sure to dice everything to the same size so they cook evenly.
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. How do you know when olive oil is hot enough? Dip the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil. The oil will start bubbling steadily if the oil is hot enough.
When your oil is ready, add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, stir to combine. You’ll know when the veggies are ready when they become soft and give off a delicious aromatic smell, about 5 minutes.
Next add the broth, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, white beans, bay leaf, pasta and a parmesan rind.
Add in the Italian seasoning and let the soup come up to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low heat, cover and let the delicious soup simmer for 20-25 minutes until the pasta is al dente.
The last thing just before serving, stir in the chopped spinach and fresh parsley. Simmer the easy minestrone soup until the spinach wilts, which should only take a minute or two.
Remove the pot of soup from the heat, discard the bay leaves and the cheese rind. Garnish with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
Relevant Recipes
What to Serve with Minestrone Soup
Classic Minestrone Soup pairs well with various accompaniments, including crusty bread or garlic twists, grilled cheese sandwiches, side salads, bruschetta, and antipasto platters. The key is to balance the hearty flavors of the soup with complementary textures and tastes.
Italian Minestrone Soup FAQs
Can I Make Minestrone Soup Recipe in the Slow Cooker?
You can absolutely make this hearty Italian vegetable soup in the crock pot! Add all of your ingredients except the spinach and pasta. Cook your soup on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Then add in the spinach and pasta and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
How do I store my Minestrone Soup?
Store your soup in the refrigerator for up to a week in an airtight container. This easy recipe is a good idea to enjoy the next day.
Can you freeze minestrone soup?
Yes, you can freeze Minestrone Soup. To freeze, let the soup cool completely and then transfer it to a freezer-safe container, leaving some space for expansion. When ready to enjoy, thaw the soup in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop.
Does minestrone traditionally contain meat?
Traditional Minestrone Soup is often vegetarian and does not contain meat. However, variations of the recipe can include meat-based broths or the addition of meat, such as diced pancetta or bacon, to enhance the flavor.
What’s the difference between minestrone and vegetable soup?
Minestrone and Vegetable Soup share a foundation of diverse vegetables but differ in their key elements. Minestrone has a tomato broth, often including beans and pasta, while Vegetable Soup tends to have a lighter broth, and a focus on vegetables. The distinction lies in the heartiness and specific ingredients associated with Minestrone, whereas Vegetable Soup offers a more flexible and diverse canvas for culinary expression.
Traditional Minestrone Soup Recipe
This traditional minestrone soup recipe is a classic that's full of hearty vegetables, fresh herbs and lots of flavor! This favorite Italian soup will warm you up on cold winter days with its comforting flavors.
Ingredients
- 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 medium carrots diced
- 2 large celery stalks diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 6 c. chicken broth
- 2 T. tomato paste
- 1 14- oz. can crushed tomatoes with liquid
- 2 14- oz. cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 2 large bay leaves
- 3 ” chunk Parmesan cheese rind
- 1 t. Italian seasoning
- 3 c. baby spinach roughly chopped
- ¼ c. fresh parsley chopped
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 1-2 oz. Parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
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First things first, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
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How do you know when olive oil is hot enough? Dip the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil. The oil will start bubbling steadily if the oil is hot enough.
-
So when your oil is ready, add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, stir to combine. You’ll know when the veggies are ready when they become soft and give off a delicious aromatic smell, about 5 minutes.
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Next goes in the chicken broth, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, white beans, bay leaves and a parmesan rind. Oh that rind has so much flavor!!
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Add in the Italian seasoning and let the soup come up to a boil.
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Reduce the heat to a medium-low, cover and let your Minestrone Soup simmer for 20-25 minutes.
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Just before serving your Italian Minestrone Soup stir in the chopped spinach and parsley. Simmer until the spinach wilts, which should only take a minute or two.
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Remove the Italian Minestrone soup from the heat, discard the bay leaves and the cheese rind and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese if you’d like!
Recipe Notes
While Minestrone Soup is typically a vegetable based soup, feel free to add in ground beef or sausage, pasta like small shells or elbows or even go the opposite end and make it completely vegetarian by using vegetable stock.
Can I Make Minestrone Soup Recipe in the Slow Cooker?
You can absolutely make this hearty Italian vegetable soup in the crock pot! Add all of your ingredients except the spinach and pasta. Cook your soup on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Then add in the spinach and pasta and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
How do I store my Minestrone Soup?
Store your soup in the refrigerator for up to a week in an airtight container. This easy recipe is a good idea to enjoy the next day.
This is yummy and veggies can easily vary. I used a wedge of chopped cabbage instead of the spinach and red kidney beans instead of white (what I had on hand). I added a handful of frozen whole string beans broken in pieces. I finished with 4 sliced white mushrooms stirred in when the soup was done cooking and still hot. I used one beef bullion cube instead of salt. I made bow tie noodles on the side to add to each bowl of soup (again, what I had on hand). Noodles get mushy if left in a hot pot of soup and absorb much of the broth.