Hearty Italian Vegetable Minestrone (Printable)

Classic Italian soup loaded with vegetables, pasta, and beans in a rich tomato-based broth

# Components:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
08 - 1 cup baby spinach or chopped kale

→ Base & Liquids

09 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
10 - 6 cups vegetable broth
11 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Pasta & Beans

12 - 3/4 cup small pasta such as ditalini or elbow
13 - 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini or kidney beans, drained and rinsed

→ Herbs & Seasonings

14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
17 - 1 bay leaf
18 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
19 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley plus more for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, diced zucchini, and green beans. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly tender.
03 - Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth, dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, and bay leaf. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
04 - Add pasta and drained beans to the pot. Cook for 10 minutes or until pasta reaches al dente texture.
05 - Stir in spinach or kale and chopped fresh parsley. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until greens are fully wilted.
06 - Remove bay leaf from soup. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls, garnish with additional fresh parsley, and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like someone who loves you spent hours cooking, even though you'll be done in under an hour.
  • Every spoonful is different because of all those vegetables, so you never get bored mid-bowl.
  • Your kitchen smells so good that neighbors might actually knock on your door asking what's cooking.
02 -
  • Don't add salt too early or aggressively, because the broth already has it and you can always add more but you can't take it out.
  • The pasta will keep absorbing liquid even after you turn off the heat, so if you're making this ahead, store the soup and pasta separately and combine them fresh.
03 -
  • Don't be afraid to taste constantly as you cook, because you're not following orders, you're learning what this soup wants to be.
  • If you make a huge batch and freeze it, keep the pasta separate and add fresh pasta when you reheat, because frozen pasta turns into an unpleasant texture.
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