Warm up on a cool day with this Italian Minestrone Soup recipe. It’s packed with fresh vegetables and pasta, and everyone will love it!
This is a delicious vegetarian soup packed with flavor. Other vegetarian soup recipes to check out are my Vegetarian Cabbage Roll Soup, Creamy Enchilada Crockpot Vegetarian Chili, and Vegan Indian Sweet Potato Soup!
Minestrone Soup is a classic Italian soup and truly a staple in Italian cuisine. It’s a thick and hearty soup that fills the soul. What I love about this soup is that it’s primarily a vegetable soup, but it also has small pasta. Because let’s be honest, pasta makes everything better. Plus, it’s a very versatile recipe. You can enjoy it as a lighter meal or have it as a starter before a main course.
Table of Contents
Reasons to Love This Italian Soup
- I love that this soup is a hearty blend of vegetables and pasta, offering a nutritious and satisfying meal.
- This Minestrone Italian soup freezes well, allowing for easy meal prep and future enjoyment.
- This soup is comforting and ideal for cold days, offering warmth and coziness.
Recipe Ingredients
- Diced Tomatoes: Their tangy and slightly sweet flavor adds depth, while their juicy texture.
- Cannellini Beans: These beans bring a creamy texture and mild, nutty flavor.
- Vegetable Broth: The broth offers a subtle, savory depth.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
Vegan
To make this recipe vegan, simply skip the Parmesan cheese or use vegan cheese for garnish, and you’re good to go!
Gluten-Free
To make this recipe gluten-free, you can use gluten-free pasta or even omit the pasta if you prefer, and you are all set!
Kale vs Spinach
In this soup, you can use either kale or spinach, or even both if that’s what you prefer. I personally prefer kale in this dish because, although it still wilts, it holds up longer than spinach does, so it adds a bit more body and texture to the dish.
Pasta
You can use any pasta you want in this dish. If you are not wanting to use ditalini or if it’s tougher to find, I would recommend a smaller shelled pasta so that it doesn’t overpower the dish.
Beans
For this recipe, I use cannellini beans, otherwise known as white kidney beans. However, I have also seen red kidney beans used in Minestrone soup. You can use either, or again, both if that is what you prefer. I like cannellini beans best because they give a thick and almost nutty flavor to the dish.
How to Make Italian Minestrone Soup
Step #1: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is heated, add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Step #2: Next, add the tomato paste, oregano, and thyme to the pot and cook for 1 minute.
Step #3: Then, add the potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, broth, water, and bay leaves. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step #4: After that, add the red pepper flakes, pasta, beans, peas, and kale. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the pasta is tender.
Step #5: Stir in the lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Step #6: Finally, serve and garnish with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Expert Tip
For a richer flavor, sauté the onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil until they are slightly caramelized before adding other ingredients. This step deepens the overall flavor of this authentic Italian Minestrone soup recipe.
Storage Info
Store this Minestrone Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where it will stay good for up to 1 week. To freeze, store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month.
For reheating, gently warm the soup over medium heat, stirring occasionally. If the soup has thickened in the fridge, add a little water or broth to reach your desired consistency. Reheat the pasta separately in boiling water for just a minute or two, then combine it with the heated soup to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common additions or substitutions include green beans, bell peppers, cauliflower, and butternut squash. Just keep in mind the cooking time might vary slightly depending on the vegetables you choose.
Yes, you can certainly use fresh herbs in place of dried ones. Fresh herbs like basil, parsley, or thyme will enhance the flavor of the soup. As a general rule, use three times the amount of fresh herbs compared to dried, as fresh herbs have a milder flavor. Add them towards the end of the cooking process.
More Soups That Will Warm Your Soul
Italian Minestrone Soup Recipe
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups onion - diced
- 1 cup carrots - sliced
- 1/2 cup celery - sliced
- 1 cup zucchini - diced
- 1 cup potatoes - peeled and diced
- 2 cans* diced tomatoes - undrained
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 2 cups chopped kale
- 1 can* cannellini beans
- 1 cup ditalini
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- shredded parmesan cheese - for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is heated, add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Next, add the tomato paste, oregano, and thyme to the pot and cook for 1 minute.
- Then, add the potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, broth, water, and bay leaves. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After that, add the red pepper flakes, pasta, beans, peas, and kale. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the pasta is tender.
- Stir in the lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Finally, serve and garnish with parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
VIDEO
NOTES
Nutrition
Just made this soup for the first time and it is absolutely, exactly what I needed. Full of flavour and fulfilling most of your protein and veg intake for the day. I didn’t have red pepper flakes or kale but used some chilli powder and a bok choi that needed using up. This is going to become one of my mainstay soups, together with my other favourite, chorizo soup. Thank you for sharing.