Minestrone Soup (Print Version)
Comforting Italian minestrone with beans, pasta and seasonal vegetables in a tomato broth. Serves 6.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 small zucchini, diced
07 - 1 small potato, peeled and diced
08 - 1 cup green beans, chopped
09 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
→ Broth & Beans
10 - 6 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
12 - 1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
→ Pasta
13 - 3/4 cup small pasta (ditalini or elbow macaroni)
→ Herbs & Seasoning
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
16 - 1 bay leaf
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
19 - Grated Parmesan cheese, to serve (optional)
# Step-by-Step Guide:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 5 minutes until the vegetables are softened and fragrant.
02 - Stir in the minced garlic, diced zucchini, and diced potato. Cook, stirring occasionally, for an additional 3 minutes.
03 - Add the chopped green beans and the canned diced tomatoes with their juices, stirring well to combine all the vegetables.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth. Add the drained cannellini beans and red kidney beans. Stir in the dried oregano, dried basil, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to season the soup.
05 - Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Let the soup simmer gently for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
06 - Add the small pasta to the pot and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until the pasta and all vegetables are tender.
07 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste the soup and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and top with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It forgives every mistake and welcomes whatever vegetables you have lurking in your crisper drawer.
- The beans and pasta make it filling enough to stand alone as a complete meal without any side dishes.
- Leftovers improve overnight, making it the perfect thing to stash in your fridge for a busy week.
02 -
- The pasta will absorb broth as it sits so if you are making it ahead, cook the pasta separately and add it when serving.
- Do not skip the bay leaf because it adds a subtle depth that you will miss even if you cannot name what is missing.
- Removing the pot from heat a minute before the pasta is fully done prevents it from turning mushy in leftover bowls.
03 -
- Toasting the dried oregano and basil in the hot oil for thirty seconds before adding liquid blooms their essential oils and doubles their flavor.
- Mashing a quarter cup of the beans against the side of the pot before adding the pasta creates a naturally creamy broth without any dairy.