Description
This Easy Minestrone Soup is a hearty and wholesome Italian-inspired vegetarian soup packed with fresh vegetables, beans, pasta, and flavorful herbs. Perfect for a comforting meal, this soup blends the sweetness of carrots and zucchini with the richness of tomatoes, cannellini and kidney beans, and a touch of parmesan cheese for garnish. It’s a simple stovetop recipe that can be made in under an hour and serves 8 people.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 3 medium celery ribs, diced
- 4 medium carrots, diced
- 3 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
Tomatoes and Beans
- 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (15 ounce) can white cannellini beans, undrained
- 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, undrained
Broth and Seasonings
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
Pasta and Greens
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni or shell pasta
- 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
Garnish
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat fats and sauté onions: In a large 6-quart soup pot over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons salted butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Add and soften onions: Add 1 diced medium white onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened.
- Add diced vegetables: Stir in 3 diced celery ribs, 4 diced carrots, and 3 diced zucchini. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables begin to soften, then add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add tomatoes, beans, broth and herbs: Pour in 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes with juice, 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce, 1 can (15 oz) white cannellini beans with liquid, 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans with liquid, 6 cups vegetable broth, 1 tablespoon dried basil, and 1 tablespoon dried oregano. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat.
- Cook pasta: Add 8 ounces of elbow macaroni or shell pasta to the boiling soup. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer at a low boil for 10 to 12 minutes or until pasta is tender.
- Add spinach near end: Stir in 1 cup roughly chopped baby spinach during the last 2 minutes of cooking to wilt it.
- Season and serve: Season soup with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- Use low-sodium vegetable broth to control salt level in the soup.
- You can substitute frozen mixed vegetables for fresh zucchini, carrot, and celery if needed.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute gluten-free pasta for the elbow macaroni.
- Parmesan cheese adds flavor but can be omitted or replaced with a plant-based cheese for a vegan option.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Adjust pasta cooking time based on your preferred pasta texture; some pasta types may require a bit longer or shorter cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
