Minestrone Vegetable Soup (Printable Version)

Comforting Italian-style vegetable soup with beans, pasta, and fresh herbs in a flavorful broth.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 oz) diced tomatoes

→ Legumes and Pasta

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

→ Broth and 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

# Directions:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of soup that tastes even better the next day, like it gets friendlier in the fridge.
  • You probably have most of these ingredients lying around already, making it perfect for those nights when you need comfort fast.
  • One pot, vegetables that actually taste like themselves, and zero pretension—this is honest food.
02 -
  • Never add the pasta until the vegetables are already tender—if you do, you'll end up with mushy vegetables and mushy pasta, which sounds fine but tastes defeated.
  • That Parmesan rind Maria mentioned? If you keep one, add it during the simmer and remove it before serving—it dissolves into umami that makes people ask what's in here.
03 -
  • If your pasta absorbs too much broth and the soup becomes thick, add more broth or water to the consistency you love—this soup should flow slightly in the bowl, not sit in a lump.
  • Cook the pasta slightly under what you think is done, because it keeps cooking from the residual heat even after you've removed the pot from the stove.
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