Minestrone Soup Recipe
Posted Jan 29, 2024
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This minestrone soup recipe is easy to make in 30 minutes! This flavorful minestrone is loaded with veggies, beans and noodles making it a healthy and hearty soup perfect for any time of the year!
Nothing beats a cozy bowl of classic minestrone soup! It’s hearty and healthy, light and flavorful.
In this minestrone recipe, vegetables, beans and noodles are cooked in a delicious tomato-based broth that’s infused with herbs and spices. It’s easy to make in 30 minutes on the stovetop, or you can cook it in the crockpot.
Serve with a side of crusty french bread or no knead bread for a complete meal loaded with nutrients!
Minestrone Soup Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Onion. yellow, white and red onions are all great choices.
- Vegetables (Celery, carrots, zucchini, green beans). You can omit or add any vegetables you choose to this minestrone soup. It’s totally customizable.
- Olive Oil. Avocado oil or canola oil are good substitutes.
- Elbow Macaroni. Use your favorite pasta if you don’t have any elbow macaroni on hand.
- White Beans/Kidney Beans. Choose your favorite beans.
- Baby Spinach. up to half of the spinach can be substituted with kale in this recipe, if desired.
- Chicken Broth. Vegetable broth works great in place of chicken broth.
- Parmesan cheese. Romano cheese works well too.
How to Make Minestrone Soup
We’ll walk thorugh how to make minestrone step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Begin by cooking the onion, celery, carrots, olive oil and garlic to a in a large stockpot until the vegetables begin to soften (5-10 minutes).
Then, add the zucchini and green beans and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is slightly soft.
Next, add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, Italian seasoning salt and pepper and bring the mixture to a boil.
Once boiling, add pasta, beans, spinach, basil and parsley and return the mixture to a boil.
After it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered until the pasta is cooked (about 10-15 minutes depending on package instructions).
At this point, I suggest tasting and adjusting the seasonings (specifically salt and pepper) to your liking.
The amount of salt depends greatly on the salt content of your broth. Start with 1 tsp and add more according to your own tastes.
Serve
Serve the minestrone soup warm garnished with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley or basil.
This minestrone pairs well with these recipes:
- Top it with these homemade croutons and you will be in heaven!
- I love making this no knead bread or french bread and dipping it into the minestrone soup!
- Make a batch of these easy homemade biscuits.
- Serve it with homemade cornbread, cornbread muffins, or cornbread croutons.
Store/Freeze
Store this minestrone soup recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Minestrone Soup Recipe FAQS
Traditional minestrone does not usually contain potatoes.
Yes, minestrone contains pasta – usually small shapes like elbow macaroni.
Yes, you can double this recipe if you would like!
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Minestrone Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion finely diced (1 heaping cup)
- 2 ribs of celery finely diced
- 2 large carrots cut in half & sliced thin
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 small zucchini diced
- 1 cup green beans frozen and thawed
- 28 oz diced tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 4 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt or to taste*
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup elbow macaroni uncooked
- 15 oz white beans drained and rinsed
- 15 oz kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup baby spinach finely chopped (optional)
- 2 Tablespoons fresh basil finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
- Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Add onion, celery, carrots, olive oil and garlic to a large stockpot. Cover and cook until the vegetables begin to soften (5-10 minutes).
- Add the zucchini and green beans and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is slightly soft.
- Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, Italian seasoning salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, add pasta, beans, spinach, basil and parsley and return the mixture to a boil.
- After it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered until the pasta is cooked (about 10-15 minutes depending on package instructions).
- Taste and adjust seasonings, if desired.
- Serve warm with parmesan cheese
Video
Notes
- Onion. yellow, white and red onions are all great choices.
- Vegetables (Celery, carrots, zucchini, green beans). You can omit or add any vegetables you choose to this minestrone soup. It’s totally customizable.
- Olive Oil. Avocado oil or canola oil are good substitutes.
- Elbow Macaroni. Use your favorite pasta if you don’t have any elbow macaroni on hand.
- White Beans/Kidney Beans. Choose your favorite beans.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The best Minestrone soup I have ever had. We enjoyed it so much!
I’m SO glad you love it, Karen!!