Minestrone Soup
Published on February 20, 2023
Quick Summary
Minestrone Soup is a classic Italian soup that is hearty, healthy, and perfect for lunch or dinner on a cold day. This easy homemade minestrone is a family favorite. Serve the soup with crusty bread and Parmesan Cheese.
If you read our blog regularly, you know I LOVE a good soup. White Bean Soup, Black Bean Soup, Lentil Soup, and Potato Leek Soup are a few of my favorites. You can check out all of our soup recipes HERE, there are a lot:)
I really love this Easy Minestrone Soup too. It’s a CLASSIC! And this minestrone soup recipe is easy, healthy, and comforting. It’s WAY better than canned soup or the Olive Garden’s minestrone soup:)
Minestrone is an Italian soup that usually includes vegetables, pasta, beans, and sometimes meat. I omitted the meat because I wanted the soup to be vegetarian and honestly, I don’t think it needs it. The soup is super hearty because all of the vegetables, beans, and pasta.
The soup is made in ONE pot and I always love a good one pot meal. It is the perfect soup for a cold day or when you need to use up the veggies from your garden or veggie drawer.
Let’s get this soup party started!
Table of Contents
Soup Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Veggies– carrots, celery, zucchini, green beans
- Diced tomatoes– use canned tomatoes and don’t drain! You can use fire roasted tomatoes for extra flavor.
- Vegetable broth– can use chicken broth if you don’t need the recipe to be vegetarian.
- Cannellini beans– rinsed and drained
- Herbs– dried basil, oregano, and thyme
- Elbow macaroni– can use gluten-free pasta
- Parmesan cheese & fresh basil– for garnish
How to Make Minestrone Soup
- Heat olive oil in a large stockpot. Add onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add in zucchini, green beans, and diced tomatoes.
- Stir in vegetable broth, beans, basil, oregano, and thyme. Simmer on low for 20 minutes.
- Add the pasta and cook until tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. If you need to add more broth, you can.
- Season soup with salt and pepper. If you want a little heat, you can add crushed red pepper flakes. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh basil, if desired.
Variations
- Minestrone soup is very versatile. You can add whatever vegetables, beans, and pasta you like. I included carrots, celery, zucchini, tomatoes, and green beans. You could also add in bell peppers, yellow squash, peas, spinach, or kale.
- I used cannellini beans, which are a white bean. I use canned beans to keep the recipe super simple. You can use great Northern beans or red kidney beans too.
- I chose whole wheat macaroni for the pasta, but any small pasta will work well in this soup.
- Spice it up with crushed red pepper flakes.
- If you want the soup to be vegan, omit the Parmesan cheese and if you need the soup to be gluten free, you can use gluten-free pasta.
Serving Suggestions
Garnish a steaming bowl of minestrone soup with parmesan cheese and fresh basil. I also like to serve the soup with a loaf of fresh crusty bread.
You can also serve with:
How to Store
I always make a big pot of this soup because it reheats well and we love eating the leftovers. I could eat it for lunch and dinner all week long, and I usually do. It is a great recipe to have on hand durning the cold winter months.
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- You can also freeze the soup for up to three months. The pasta might break up a little after defrosting and reheating, but it will still be good.
More Soup Recipes
- Lentil Soup
- Homemade Vegetable Soup
- Pasta Fagioli
- Potato Soup
- Split Pea Soup
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Easy Black Bean Soup
Minestrone Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 cup fresh or frozen green beans
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes (can use fire roasted tomatoes)
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 14 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup elbow macaroni (can use gluten-free pasta)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large stockpot. Add onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add in zucchini, green beans, and diced tomatoes.
- Stir in vegetable broth, beans, basil, oregano, and thyme. Simmer on low for 20 minutes.
- Add the pasta and cook until tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. If you need to add more broth, you can.
- Season soup with salt and pepper. If you want a little heat, you can add crushed red pepper flakes. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh basil, if desired.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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This is the ULTIMATE cure to a cold winter’s day!
So easy, quick, and tasty! I used all fresh ingredients since, for once, I actually had fresh herbs on hand. Served with cheeze-it Italian four cheese crackers for lunch. Mmmm. I’m already searching through your other recipes for dinner ideas. Thanks!
So happy you liked the soup!
Made a big pot of this soup and froze a cup full in a baggie to take to work for lunch. Freezes really good.
This was delicious and easy! Will definitely make again!
Egyptian food is very delicious, I was in Egypt and I like to eat kushari and mulukhia
Delicious! Two thumbs up!
Love your recipes!! Just wish calories were included ❣️
I’m concerned about cooking the pasta for 35 min. Doesn’t that make it too mushy? Thinking of throwing it in for last 6 min or so as the package of pasta indicates.
Wait for the last couple minutes to put the pasta in.. I wish I would of
This was sooo good!!! Thank you so much, Maria! ❤️
Glad you liked the soup!
Would this work with Beef broth instead of vegetable broth?
yes!
Making this tonight! Does this soup freeze well? If so, is there a certain point I should freeze it or fine at the end? Thanks!
When I make minestrone, during cooking I also put some pieces of the parmesan crust inside. It gives it an incredible taste!
I made this today, more like this morning. It came out DELICIOUS! I am not an experienced cook at all. But WOW! I added some pieces of pumpkin and peas. Yummy!
I am so glad you love the minestrone soup!
Omg, the flavors were incredible. I added a little spinach and a can of kidney beans too. And extra basil and garlic.
I didn’t have veg broth so used beef.
Hubby said it was really good. Sprinkled Italian blend cheese on it, and had garlic bread and red wine! Yum!
Excellent! Very hearty one dish meal. Loved it!
So glad you loved the soup!
I make this a few times a year and always freeze a couple of portions. My favorite soup!!! Thank you!!
We truly enjoyed this delicious soup. It’s a great way to get all your veggies in a bowl.
Thank you for this recipe!
Glad you love the soup!
I made this soup 3 nights ago for dinner & it was a hit with the hubs. I have the leftovers in the frig & it’s great warmed up for my lunch.
I am so glad it was a hit! Thanks for sharing!
This makes a beautiful soup that is delicious! I made a couple of changes … I used chicken broth instead of vegetable broth, added leftover roasted chicken breasts that i shredded and added some chopped spinach. Other than the macaroni this is also very healthy! Thanks very much!
This was yummy! I bought a package of minestrone vegetables pre cut in a bag at Wegman’s. So easy!
My family really enjoys this and it is so easy to make. Plus I feel good preparing something healthy for them. This is part of our regular dinner rotation now. Thank you!
Best quick minestrone soup – absolutely delicious.
Delightful and easy!!!
Have made many times and love it. I use kidney beans and don’t add green beans. I also don’t add the noodles when it says to. I cook them ahead of time and then just add to our bowl before we spoon in the soup (this is because I ultimately always freeze some and don’t like frozen noodles thawed). Love this recipe!!
Super delicious and nutritious! Simple ingredients that hit the spot! The soup essentially makes itself after combining ingredients! Best recipe to have on hand when your body is craving healthy food!
Absolutely love this soup. It’s so versatile. Sometimes I add sliced sausage, spinach and beans. Perfect soup for the winter.
So glad you love the soup.
My husband and I love this soup! We have it with a salad and some crusty French bread. Yum!
Perfect meal!
We love your soup recipes ! This one is delicious too ! Itt
Thank you!
I made this and it was excellent! I amped it up by adding red pepper flakes and I made a batch of pesto and topped it with a tablespoon prior to serving! A little grated parm on top and Ohmygoodness!
Perfect!
Can I use my own homemade chicken broth in this recipe?
Yes!