This Italian Minestrone Soup is a hearty vegetable soup with beans that is done in one pot and ready in less than 30 minutes! A simple dinner recipe that is cozy, comforting and delicious!
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Why we LOVE this Minestrone Soup:
- So easy to make, and most likely you'll have most of the ingredients on hand already.
- It takes less than 30 minutes to make, making it a fast dinner option with little prep work.
- This soup is healthy and loaded with good for you ingredients.
- It's customizable so it can have all the exact flavors you love.
- Budget friendly, the ingredients are affordable and again you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge.
Italian Minestrone Soup Ingredients
- Olive Oil
- Onion
- Carrots
- Celery
- Minced Garlic
- Kidney Beans
- Crushed Tomatoes
- Dried Rosemary
- Bay Leaf
- Dried Parsley
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Vegetable Broth
- Ditalini Pasta
- Spinach
- Parmesan Rind
Substitution Suggestions:
- Olive Oil: Neutral flavored oil like avocado, canola or vegetable oil can be used in place of the olive oil.
- Veggies: You can add chopped fennel, diced potatoes, green beans (frozen or fresh), chopped zucchini or bell peppers to the soup too. Pick your favorites. If I don't have pasta, I like to add some potatoes. Add the diced potatoes with the onions, carrots and celery.
- Kidney Beans: Red kidney beans are my favorite to use in this soup. However, Great Northern white beans, cannellini beans or butter beans will all work too. I like to use canned beans because it makes it so much easier and quicker. You can used dried beans, cook them first before adding them to the soup.
- Vegetable Broth: Any broth can be used in this soup. Chicken or beef. You can use water and bouillon base too.
- Ditalini Pasta: Short cut pastas like: small shells, elbow macaroni, or orecchiette are all good options. If you don't' want pasta you can add quick cooking barley or farro.
- Parmesan Rind: This is optional but I suggest you try it. It adds so much flavor you didn't know you wanted.
- Variations: You can add some cooked chicken, beef or Italian sausage for extra protein or double the amount of beans, be sure to add some extra broth. Spice it up with some red pepper flakes or a diced jalapeño. Canned diced tomatoes or chopped roma tomatoes are delicious add ins too!
How to Make Minestrone Vegetable Soup
- In a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and add the chopped onions, carrots and celery. Sauté until veggies are soft and onions are translucent, about 7-8 minutes.
- Then add the minced garlic and sauté another minute until garlic is fragrant.
- Next, stir in the drained and rinsed kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, rosemary, bay leaf, parsley, salt, black pepper, vegetable broth and water. If using parmesan rind, add that now too. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer.
- Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7-8 minutes, stirring often so the pasta don't stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Once the pasta is done, remove the soup from the heat and stir in the chopped spinach.
- Serve immediately.
Serving Italian Minestrone Soup
This easy soup is so good served with buttered crusty bread like my Homemade French Bread and grated parmesan cheese. It's also good with a classic grilled cheese or a Parmesan Crusted Grilled Cheese. Here are some other bread side dishes that are so good with this soup:
- Garlic Parmesan Focaccia Bread
- Homemade Garlic Breadsticks
- Garlic Cheese Drop Biscuits
- Easy Dinner Rolls
- No Knead Dinner Rolls
- Easy Drop Biscuits
Storing Minestrone Vegetable Soup
Storing: Store this soup in an air tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freezing: This soup can be frozen in a freezer safe air tight container or zip top bag. Label, date and freeze the soup. Soup will last up to 4 months in the freezer. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat.
Reheating: Reheat the soup over low heat on the stove or in the microwave until heated through.
Note on Pasta: The pasta is going to absorb the broth. Add more broth when reheating the soup. To avoid the absorption, you can cook and store the pasta separately and then add to individual bowls when serving the soup.
Making Crock Pot Minestrone Soup
This soup can easily be made in the crock pot too!
- Add the chopped onions, carrots, and celery to the crock pot. If you like you can sauté them first, but its not necessary.
- To the veggies, add the minced garlic, drained and rinsed kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, rosemary, bay leaf, parsley, salt, black pepper, vegetable broth, water and parmesan rind. Give it a gentle stir.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- 30 minutes before serving, stir in the dry pasta.
- Once the pasta is cooked, stir in the chopped spinach and then serve!
Other Delicious Soup Recipes:
- Easy Tomato Soup
- Crock Pot Hamburger Vegetable Soup
- Chicken Dumpling Soup
- Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Zuppa Toscano Soup
- Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie Soup
- Easy Cheeseburger Soup
- Crock Pot Beef Barley Stew
- Easy Chicken Taco Soup
- Ground Turkey Chili
Italian Minestrone Soup
This Italian Minestrone Soup is a hearty vegetable soup with beans that is done in one pot and ready in less than 30 minutes! A simple dinner recipe that is cozy, comforting and delicious!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 15 ounces can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 1½ cups ditalini pasta, uncooked
- 2 cups chopped spinach, packed
- 1 parmesan rind
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, carrots and celery. Sauté until soft and onions are translucent, about 7-8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute until garlic is fragrant.
- Stir in the kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, rosemary, bay leaf, parsley, salt, black pepper, vegetable broth, water and parmesan rind. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low.
- Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7-8 minutes. Stir often so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. Then remove from heat.
- Stir in the chopped spinach and serve with grated parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Sodium: 1221mg | Calcium: 101mg | Vitamin C: 19mg | Vitamin A: 5574IU | Sugar: 11g | Fiber: 10g | Potassium: 938mg | Calories: 359kcal | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Fat: 6g | Protein: 15g | Carbohydrates: 64g | Iron: 5mg
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