The Best Minestrone Soup
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Published Nov 08, 2023, Updated Jan 01, 2025
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This minestrone soup combines loads of fresh vegetables with beans and pasta in a delicious tomato broth. It’s healthy, comforting and sure to become a new family favorite!
Say hello to a bowl of hearty goodness that not only nourishes your body, but also delights your taste buds – my minestrone soup recipe!
Picture a steaming pot filled with a colorful medley of fresh vegetables, fragrant herbs, and wholesome beans, all simmering together in a rich, savory broth. This minestrone soup is a celebration of flavor, health, and simplicity. Whether you’re a seasoned home cook or a beginner in the kitchen, this recipe is for you.
The first time I has minestrone soup was at Olive Garden and I was honestly blown away by the fact that a simple, vegetable soup could taste so good. I immediately went home and started trying to make my own delicious minestrone and this recipe is the result!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Soup
- Healthy and delicious – It’s loaded with vegetables and packed with tons of flavor from all the herbs and spices, which makes it nutritious and super satisfying!
- Vegetarian – It’s a plant-forward meal that the whole family will love, perfect for meatless Monday.
- Meal prep – One pot makes a lot of soup so you can meal prep the soup on Sunday and have a healthy dinner ready for a couple nights!
Here’s What You Need
- olive oil – to sauté the vegetables in and mix in at the end of cooking for additional flavor.
- vegetables – this soup has a mixture of chopped yellow onion, carrots, celery stalks, gold potatoes, garlic, green beans, zucchini and spinach. It’s a great way to clean out the fridge and use what veggies you have on hand.
- seasonings and spices – a combination of dried basil, thyme, oregano, a bay leaf, sea salt and pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes add a ton of flavor to this soup!
- fire roasted tomatoes – I used diced, canned fire-roasted tomatoes. You could also use regular diced tomatoes but I like the added flavor the roasted tomatoes add!
- vegetable broth – I recommend using low sodium vegetable broth so you can control the amount of sodium that goes into the soup! If you don’t need the soup to be vegetarian, feel free to use chicken broth, beef broth or even bone broth.
- kidney beans – I used canned kidney beans for a shortcut but you can make your own as well. If using canned, just make sure you drain and rinse them well before using.
- pasta – I used ditalini pasta but any small shell pasta works great. If you need gluten-free pasta, I love lentil pasta for extra fiber and protein.
- Parmesan cheese – fresh Parmesan cheese is great as a topping. And, as a bonus secret ingredient that will add a ton of flavor, you can toss a parmesan rind into the soup at the same time you add the other seasonings and spices. Just be sure to remove it when you remove the bay leaf.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
Variations
- Dairy-free: Make this soup dairy free by skipping the parmesan for topping or try using a dairy-free parmesan or vegan parmesan.
- Swap noodles: Ditalini noodles are classic in minestrone soup, but elbow, small shells or orecchiette would all be great options. You could also mix in cooked grains if you’d like! I think rice or quinoa would be delicious. If you’re looking for a pasta-free minestrone try my slow cooker minestrone soup instead.
- More protein: I made a batch with 1 can of kidney beans and 1 can of white beans and liked having the variety of beans. So, feel free to add in more beans for an added protein boost if you want! Adding in ground turkey or beef when you sauté the onions and veggies would be another delicious option for added protein. I’ve actually made it with ground turkey and ground beef for a hearty soup that packs even more protein.
- Use what you have: This is a great “clean out the fridge” soup! Have different vegetables you want to get rid of? Throw them in!
How to Make Minestrone Soup
Step 1: Start by heating the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Next, add the onion, carrots, celery and potato and cook until the onions are translucent and fragrant. Stir in the garlic, basil, thyme and oregano and sauté for 2-3 more minutes.
Step 2: Add in the diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower heat to medium-low, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 3: Stir in the green beans, zucchini, kidney beans and pasta and continue simmering, uncovered for 10-12 minutes or until the pasta is al dente and all of the vegetables are tender.
Step 4: Remove the pot from the heat, remove the bay leaf and stir in the spinach, lemon juice, remaining oil and fresh parsley. Season with more salt and pepper if needed.
Recipe Tips
- Prep your ingredients: Chop all your veggies and measure out ingredients before you start cooking to keep the process smooth and stress-free.
- Don’t overcook the pasta: Add the pasta toward the end and cook it until just al dente. Overcooked pasta can get mushy, especially if you plan to store leftovers.
How to Serve Minestrone Soup
This soup is a filling meal on it’s own thanks to all of the veggies and pasta, and there are so many fun ways to serve it up! Here are some options:
- Bread – Serve your minestrone with a side of fresh bread (like sourdough). The combination of warm soup ad crusty bread is a classic and comforting choice.
- Pesto drizzle – Oh my goodness, drizzling a little basil pesto on top of your minestrone adds such a nice burst of fresh flavor.
- Croutons – Croutons are the perfect crunchy addition to minestrone. Use store-bought or try my sourdough croutons.
- Fresh herbs – Garnish with fresh herbs like basil, parsley, or thyme. These add a pop of color and freshness to the soup.
- Lemon zest – A sprinkle of lemon zest can brighten up the flavors of the soup and add a citrusy twist.
- Red pepper flakes – For those who like a little heat, offer a small dish of red pepper flakes so your guests can spice up their soup to their liking.
- Side salad – Serve your minestrone with a simple side salad of mixed greens, dressed with a light vinaigrette. This balances the heartiness of the soup. My spinach salad or kale salad would be great options.
How to Store Leftovers
Like I mentioned, I love making soup for meal prep because you can make one pot and enjoy it for a few days.
Just allow the soup to cool slightly before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. I don’t recommend freezing this soup as the vegetables, bean and pasta texture will change.
Note! The pasta will soak up more liquid as it sits, so when serving leftovers you might need to add more broth or water to the soup. Or you can cook and store the pasta separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Frozen green beans or zucchini work well and save time. Canned veggies can also be used, but drain them first to avoid excess liquid.
Regular diced tomatoes will work just fine. If you want that smoky flavor, you can add a pinch of smoked paprika or a splash of liquid smoke to the soup.
If the soup is too thick, add more vegetable broth or water until you reach your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, let it simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes to thicken.
More Tasty Soup Recipes to Try
- Carrot Parsnip Soup
- Sweet Potato Soup
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Vegetable Soup
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Cabbage Soup
- Turkey Soup
- Mexican Sweet Potato Chicken Soup
Be sure to check out all of the soup recipes here on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 1 medium gold potato, peeled and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 28 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped into small cubes
- 1 15 ounce can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups spinach
- 1 cup ditalini pasta or small shell pasta
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for serving
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery and potato and cook until onions are translucent and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Add in garlic, basil, thyme and oregano and sauté for 2-3 minutes more.
- Next add in diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium low, cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Remove lid and stir in green beans, zucchini, kidney beans and pasta. Continue simmering uncovered for 10-12 minutes or until pasta is al dente and vegetables are tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat, remove bay leaf and stir in spinach, lemon juice, remaining oil and fresh parsley. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and additional spices, to taste.
- Pour soup into bowls and serve with grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Video
Notes
- Note: Pasta will soak up some of the liquid so if serving leftovers you might need to add more broth or water to the soup.
- Want more protein? Add in another 15 ounce can of beans or ground turkey or beef. Cook ground turkey or beef along with onions, carrots and celery in the first step.
- Allow the soup to cool slightly before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. I don’t recommend freezing this soup as the vegetables, bean and pasta texture will change.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Absolutely delicious! It’s a time consuming (but not complicated) recipe, so make it on a cool winter weekend and enjoy some comfort food! There’s a little kick of spice – just the right amount. Very nice!
Excellent! I am so happy you gave this recipe a try and it turned out amazing for you, Heather. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, it means so much to me!
I have made this soup twice and it is delicious! Thank you!
WOO! I am so happy to hear that you are loving this recipe, Sarah. Thank you for coming back and sharing your review & star rating, it means so much to me!
Made this today and it was exactly what I was looking for in a late summer/ early fall soup. It was absolutely delicious, fresh, and healthy. I really enjoyed it and will be adding it to my rotation. Thank you!
Yay! I am so happy to hear you found this recipe and are loving it, Laura. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I appreciate it!
This soup came out beautifully and was so delicious. It was great with the Parmesan but also very flavorful without it. Thank you!
Yay! So glad this recipe was a success for you, Julie! Thanks for sharing your review, I really appreciate it.
I use my instant pot to make this soup, and it turns out delicious every time (cook manual pressure for 8 minutes then add the pasta, zucchini and beans for 3 minutes, then spinach and peas at the end) … so, so yummy!
Woo!! So happy to hear this, Pamela. Thanks so much for trying out this sup and coming back to leave a review :).
Love this recipe as it is easy for someone like me who doesn’t cook all that often to follow. The only thing I would say is make sure to use small noodles as I substituted a larger kind and they fell apart.
My husband and I loved this soup! I added ground turkey and used Banza macaroni to make it gluten-free (I added the shells pre-cooked to to the soup and it worked fine). My husband added the cheese at the end, but I’m dairy-free and enjoyed it without. It was a true nutrient powerhouse and delicious! Hoping it freezes well so we can continue to enjoy leftovers over the winter.
Ah yay! So happy to hear this soup was a hit, Alex. Love the addition of ground turkey and banza macaroni. Thanks for trying it out and coming back to leave a review. It means so much to me!
So delicious! I’m plant-based so no parm for me but I didn’t miss it! I did add a can of cannellini beans in addition to the kidney beans. Brown rice macaroni worked well. Very flavorful and yes, it’s a great way to clear out some produce from your fridge! I will definitely make this again. Thank you!
Woo!! Happy to hear this minestrone soup was a success. Thanks for the review, Katie! I really appreciate it.