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A close-up of a blue bowl filled with traditional minestrone soup recipe, topped with grated cheese and fresh herbs. The colorful soup features beans, greens, and chopped vegetables. A spoon and another bowl are blurred in the background.

Traditional Minestrone Soup Recipe

Looking for a comforting, veggie-loaded meal? This authentic minestrone soup is hearty, flexible, and guaranteed to hit the spot.

Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Authentic Minestrone Soup Recipe, Traditional Minestrone Soup Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6
Author momma lew

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 medium yellow onion diced

  • 3 medium carrots diced

  • 2 large celery stalks diced

  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste

  • 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes with liquid
  • 28 oz. cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 large bay leaves

  • 3 ” chunk Parmesan cheese rind

  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 3 cups baby spinach roughly chopped

  • ¼ cups fresh parsley chopped

  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste

  • 1-2 oz. Parmesan cheese freshly grated

Instructions

  1. First things first, heat the olive oil over medium heat. 
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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!!
  5. Add in the Italian seasoning and let the soup come up to a boil.
  6. Reduce the heat to a medium-low, cover and let your Minestrone Soup simmer for 20-25 minutes. 
  7. 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.
  8. 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

Minestrone keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days.