Hearty Italian Vegetable Minestrone (Printable)

Comforting Italian soup packed with vegetables, pasta, and beans in aromatic broth.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
08 - 1 cup fresh baby spinach or chopped kale

→ Base & Liquids

09 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
10 - 6 cups vegetable broth
11 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Pasta & Beans

12 - 3/4 cup small pasta such as ditalini or elbow
13 - 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini or kidney beans, drained and rinsed

→ Herbs & Seasonings

14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
17 - 1 bay leaf
18 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
19 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, plus additional for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, diced zucchini, and green beans. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth, oregano, basil, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
04 - Add pasta and drained beans to the pot. Cook for 10 minutes or until pasta reaches al dente texture.
05 - Stir in spinach or kale and fresh parsley. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until greens are wilted.
06 - Remove bay leaf from pot. Season soup with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls, garnish with additional fresh parsley, and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The beauty of minestrone lies in its forgiving nature - your slightly wilted vegetables will transform into something extraordinary without anyone knowing they were on their last legs.
  • Each spoonful delivers a perfect balance of textures from the tender vegetables, hearty beans, and al dente pasta that somehow tastes even better the next day.
02 -
  • Adding the pasta too early will turn it to mush - I once stepped away for a phone call and returned to pasta that had practically dissolved into the broth.
  • Salting the soup only after the beans are tender prevents them from becoming tough and leathery, a lesson I learned after ruining an entire pot when I was first learning to cook.
03 -
  • The parmesan rind trick changed my minestrone forever - toss a leftover rind into the simmering broth and remove before serving for an incredible depth of flavor without any added salt.
  • For a smoother texture that my children prefer, I briefly pulse one cup of the finished soup in a blender and stir it back into the pot, creating a thicker base while maintaining those beautiful chunks of vegetables.
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