Minestrone Soup

This delicious classic minestrone soup tastes just like Grandma's old-fashioned recipe. Made from scratch, veggies, broth, spices, beans, and pasta are simmered together for a rich, hearty dinner that tastes amazing!

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Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Servings6

Easy and hearty, this old-fashioned minestrone soup is a homemade classic that you’ll love. Veggies and spices come together with a rich tomato broth, beans, and pasta for this fresh, from-scratch recipe just like grandma used to make. 

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If you are looking for more cozy and hearty soup recipes this soup season, our hamburger soup and crack chicken noodle soup are two of our favorite soups.

MINESTRONE SOUP INGREDIENTS

Substitutions and Additions

VEGETABLES: You can use a multitude of fresh seasonal veggies in this soup: yellow squash, butternut squash, green beans, mushrooms, peas, leeks, potatoes, baby spinach, swiss chard, or kale. 

PASTA: You can use a variety of pasta in this recipe including elbow macaroni or even rotini. You can also use rice or lentils if you don’t have any small pasta on hand. 

MEAT: You can make this soup with meat and add in chicken, ground beef, stew meat, ground pork, Italian sausage, ham chunks or bacon.

GLUTEN-FREE: Use gluten-free pasta in this easy recipe.

How To Make This Minestrone Soup Recipe

STEP ONE: Heat a 2 to 3 quart saucepan of water to a low boil and cook the small shell pasta for about 7 to 8 minutes, just before the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.

STEP TWO: While the pasta is cooking, begin sauteing the vegetables. In 5-6 quart stockpot over medium high heat, add the extra virgin olive oil and butter. Stir until the butter is melted.Add the chopped onion, stirring often for about 5 minutes until the onion is opaque.

STEP THREE: Add the sliced carrots and sliced celery. Continue to cook for another 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened.

STEP FOUR: Add the minced garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute.

STEP FIVE: Lower the temperature to medium and add the vegetable broth, petite diced tomatoes (with juice), rinsed and drained kidney beans and cannellini beans, fresh green beans, baby spinach, bay leaves, kosher salt, dried italian seasoning, thyme,  and fresh cracked black pepper. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes. (You are only wanting to cook the uncooked veggies until tender)  

STEP SIX: Add the fresh basil and cooked pasta and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

How To Serve

For a complete meal, serve this easy minestrone soup recipe with cheese biscuits, easy beer bread, garlic bread, or fluffy dinner rolls. Our simple homemade Caesar salad is a great way to start this meal as well. 

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Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: You can put leftovers in the fridge for up to two to three days. 

IN THE FREEZER: You can store this Italian soup in an airtight container in the freezer. However, the pasta tends to get mushy after freezing and rethawing, so this is one meal I would suggest making and eating instead of freezing. 

Simple and delicious, this from scratch homemade recipe is a family favorite. You’ll love the flavor of the spices combined with broth, pasta, hearty vegetables, and beans. This classic minestrone soup will be an often requested dinner for your family, too! 

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• Cheeseburger Soup
• Lasagna Soup
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• Easy Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

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Minestrone Soup

5 from 3 votes

This delicious classic minestrone soup tastes just like Grandma's old-fashioned recipe. Made from scratch, veggies, broth, spices, beans, and pasta are simmered together for a rich, hearty dinner that tastes amazing!

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6

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Ingredients

  

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• 1 cup small shell pasta, uncooked
• 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• ½ cup sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 cup celery, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 32 ounces vegetable broth
• 28 ounces petite diced tomatoes, do not drain
• 15.5 ounces dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 15.5 ounces cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained
• 1 cup fresh green beans, sliced in half
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon dried italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Instructions

 

• Heat a 2 to 3 quart saucepan of water to a low boil and cook the small shell pasta for about 7 to 8 minutes, just before the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
• While the pasta is cooking, begin sauteing the vegetables. In 5-6 quart stockpot over medium high heat, add the extra virgin olive oil and butter. Stir until the butter is melted.Add the chopped onion, stirring often for about 5 minutes until the onion is opaque.
• Add the sliced carrots and sliced celery. Continue to cook for another 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened.
• Add the minced garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Lower the temperature to medium and add the vegetable broth, petite diced tomatoes (with juice), rinsed and drained kidney beans and cannellini beans, fresh green beans, baby spinach, bay leaves, kosher salt, dried italian seasoning, thyme, and fresh cracked black pepper. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes. (You are only wanting to cook the uncooked veggies until tender)
• Add the fresh basil and cooked pasta and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Notes

• You can add the uncooked pasta to the soup with the vegetable broth and petite diced tomatoes, but you will need to increase the cook time by 15 to 20 minutes to ensure the pasta is cooked through.
• Canned great white northern beans can be substituted for the cannellini beans.
• Add thinly sliced zucchini squash, sauteing with the sliced carrots and celery.
• Fresh chopped kale, turnip greens and even chopped fresh cabbage for variety.
• Coarse sea salt is a great substitute for kosher salt. Taste the soup before adding any extra seasoning.

Nutrition

Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 1490mg | Potassium: 1276mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 5035IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 201mg | Iron: 7mg

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