Make this hearty Italian Minestrone Soup recipe that is loaded with fresh vegetables and past–on the table in under an hour!
I absolutely love soup. If you’ve browsed my recipe collection this is very apparent. Years ago when my husband and I were engaged and lived together I would make this Minestrone soup recipe for us. As like all my recipes that are 8-10 years old I’m working on revamping them with actual text. Back then I would write a paragraph if that, and of course new beautiful photos. Because let’s face it–I knew absolutely NOTHING about food photography back then. What I do know is how delicious and a tried and true classic this hearty soup recipe is.
What is minestrone soup made of?
Minestrone soup is a thick and hearty Italian soup that consist of vegetables and pasta or sometimes even rice. Here is a list of the common ingredients found in Minestrone.
Ingredients found in Minestrone soup
- Onion
- Garlic
- Carrots
- Celery
- Zucchini
- Green Beans
- Tomatoes
- Cabbage
- Kale
- Green Peas
- Parsley
- Thyme
- Beans (dark or light beans work or both)
- Short Cut Pasta
- Olive Oil
- Chicken or Vegetable Broth
- Parmesan Cheese
- Salt
- Black Pepper
How do you make Minestrone Soup?
By using boxed chicken stock and canned beans this hearty soup recipe comes together very quickly. As with any recipe it’s always good to prep your ingredients and read the full instructions before you begin cooking. This will make the process go much smoother.
- In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onions, celery and carrots; cook 8 to 10 minutes. This is essentially sweating the vegetables. Stir them occasionally, until the vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the fresh herbs, drained canned beans, tomatoes, zucchini, pasta and broth; bring to a boil. Then, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes or until pasta is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Divide and ladle soup evenly into bowls and serve with grated parmesean cheese on top.
Can you freeze minestrone soup?
Yes, you can freeze minestrone soup. For optimal freshness and flavors you should freeze no later then 3 days after making the soup. Like any soup you want to bring it to room temperature. Ladle into a freezer safe container. Make sure to label your container with the name of the soup and the date. Soup will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months!
What goes well with minestrone soup?
Whenever I serve soup I love to pair it with a salad and bread. Here are a few of my favorite recipes to serve the soup with.
- Italian Bread
- Best Homemade Bread Recipe
- Brown Butter Zucchini Cornbread
- Easy Crusty French Bread
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Sliced Almonds
- Farro & Mixed Greens Salad with Creamy Basil Parmesan Dressing
- Vegan Caesar Salad
If you’re looking for a delicious and comforting meal whether it be for lunch or dinner. You should definitely give this easy-to-make soup a try.
Minestrone Soup
Equipment
- Stock Pot
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves of garlic chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 zucchinis diced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley minced
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme minced
- 1 16 oz. can cannellini beans drained
- 1 16 oz. can can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
- 2 32 oz boxes of chicken broth
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onions, celery and carrots; cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.
- Stir in parsley & thyme, beans, tomatoes, zucchini, pasta and broth; bring to a boil. Then, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes or until pasta is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Divide soup evenly into bowls and serve with grated parmesean cheese on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on February 22, 2010. Republished with new photos and text on January 23, 2020.
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