Minestrone Vegetable Soup (Print)

A hearty Italian soup brimming with fresh vegetables, beans, pasta, and aromatic herbs in a savory broth.

# Components:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
08 - 1 cup green beans, chopped
09 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes

→ Legumes and Pasta

10 - 1 can (14 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
11 - 1 cup small pasta such as ditalini or elbow macaroni

→ Broth and Seasonings

12 - 6 cups vegetable broth
13 - 2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs including oregano, basil, and thyme
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Finishing Touches

16 - 2 cups baby spinach or chopped kale
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
18 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving, optional

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, diced zucchini, diced potato, and chopped green beans. Cook for an additional 3 minutes.
03 - Add diced tomatoes, drained cannellini beans, vegetable broth, dried Italian herbs, and bay leaf. Bring mixture to a boil.
04 - Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 20 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
05 - Stir in pasta and simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes until pasta and vegetables reach tender consistency.
06 - Remove bay leaf from pot. Add spinach or kale and cook for 2 minutes until wilted.
07 - Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper according to preference.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls, top with fresh parsley, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like comfort but feels light, the kind of meal that satisfies without leaving you sluggish afterward.
  • One pot, minimal cleanup, and it actually gets better the next day when the flavors have time to really know each other.
  • You can throw in whatever vegetables are languishing in your crisper drawer and it somehow always works.
02 -
  • Don't add the pasta to the full cooking time—it keeps absorbing liquid and becomes mushy if you're not careful, so those eight to ten minutes at the end is non-negotiable.
  • If you make this soup ahead and reheat it, add a splash of broth when you warm it up because pasta keeps drinking even in the fridge, and you'll want that soupy quality back.
03 -
  • Make a double batch because this soup actually improves overnight as the pasta continues absorbing flavor and the vegetables settle into the broth—it's a gift to your future self.
  • Serve it with crusty bread and let people dip and dunk, turning a simple bowl into something interactive and warm and theirs to make how they want.
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