Description
This classic Italian Minestrone Soup is a hearty, fresh, and flavorful vegetarian vegetable soup packed with colorful vegetables, beans, pasta, and herbs, simmered to perfection in a savory vegetable broth. It’s perfect for a comforting meal and pairs wonderfully with crusty bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 cup chopped green beans
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
Pantry Items
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (plus more to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1½ cups cooked white beans or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¾ cup small pasta
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Sauté the vegetables: Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, chopped carrots, sliced celery, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften and become fragrant.
- Add aromatics and liquids: Stir in the grated garlic, canned diced tomatoes with juices, cooked white or kidney beans, chopped green beans, vegetable broth, bay leaves, dried oregano, and dried thyme. Cover the pot and allow the soup to simmer gently for 20 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Cook the pasta: Uncover the pot and add the small pasta directly into the simmering soup. Continue cooking uncovered for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and cooked through.
- Season and serve: Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes as desired. Remove the bay leaves, then ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and optional grated Parmesan cheese. Serve hot, with crusty bread if desired.
Notes
- This vegetarian minestrone soup recipe is a flavorful and hearty take on the classic Italian vegetable soup.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute the small pasta with gluten-free pasta or skip it altogether.
- Adding crusty bread makes it a complete and satisfying meal.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and often taste better the next day.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
