Hearty Italian Minestrone Vegetable Soup (Printable Version)

Authentic Italian minestrone with fresh vegetables, beans, and pasta. Comforting and nutritious in just 1 hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 & Pasta

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

→ Broth & 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

# Method:

01 - Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic, diced zucchini, diced potato, and chopped green beans. Cook for another 3 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add the diced tomatoes, drained cannellini beans, vegetable broth, dried Italian herbs, and bay leaf to the pot. Bring to a boil.
04 - Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
05 - Stir in the small pasta and simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the pasta and vegetables are completely tender.
06 - Remove the bay leaf from the pot. Add the baby spinach or chopped kale and cook for 2 minutes until wilted.
07 - Taste the soup and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in an hour, which means weeknight dinners don't feel like a second job.
  • Every vegetable transforms into something tender and flavorful without requiring any fancy techniques.
  • The pasta absorbs all those herb-filled flavors, making each spoonful taste like it simmered for hours.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans—it removes excess starch that clouds the broth and makes it taste like canned soup instead of something homemade.
  • The pasta will continue absorbing liquid even after you ladle the soup, so if you're saving leftovers, store the pasta separately or add extra broth when reheating.
03 -
  • Sauté your aromatics slowly and don't rush the first five minutes—this is where the entire soup's foundation gets built, and rushing it shows in the final flavor.
  • Taste the broth before adding salt because canned broth varies wildly between brands, and you don't want to oversalt something that will reduce as it simmers.
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