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Home » Soup » Minestrone Soup

Published: August 22, 2019 Last Modified: August 22, 2019 By Sara 23 Comments

Minestrone Soup

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Minestrone Soup Recipe | Vegetable Soup | Vegetarian Soup #soup #minestrone #vegetables #vegetarian #onepotmeal #dinner #dinneratthezoo

This classic minestrone soup is filled with an assortment of vegetables, beans and pasta, all simmered together in a hearty tomato broth. An easy vegetarian meal that’s perfect for a cold day!

At my house, soup is often on the dinner menu. My family always requests cheeseburger soup, chicken noodle soup and this delightful minestrone soup.

Minestrone Soup Recipe | Vegetable Soup | Vegetarian Soup #soup #minestrone #vegetables #vegetarian #onepotmeal #dinner #dinneratthezoo Minestrone Soup Recipe | Vegetable Soup | Vegetarian Soup #soup #minestrone #vegetables #vegetarian #onepotmeal #dinner #dinneratthezoo

A bowl of minestrone soup made with vegetables and beans, served with a side of bread.

When I’m stuck on what to make for dinner I often turn to soup. I always keep containers of chicken broth, pasta and canned beans in the pantry; when you combine those ingredients along with whatever vegetables you’ve got in the fridge you end up with a healthy and easy dinner. Minestrone soup is a classic for a reason – it’s quick to make and totally delicious!

How do you make minestrone soup?

This recipe starts with a base of carrots, onion, celery and garlic, which are all sauteed together until softened. Potatoes, two types of beans and tomatoes go into the mix, along with vegetable broth and small shell pasta. The ingredients all simmer together until the potatoes are tender. Add a sprinkling of parsley, then serve and enjoy.

Carrots, onion and celery in a soup pot.

Tips for minestrone soup

  • You can use fresh or frozen green beans, whatever you prefer. I tend to use frozen because they’re more convenient.
  • Try to cut all the vegetables the same size so that they cook at the same rate.
  • This soup freezes well, although the pasta and potatoes may be a little softer upon thawing and reheating.
  • Be sure to drain and rinse your beans before adding them to the soup, you want to get rid of all that extra sodium!
  • This soup is hearty enough to serve as a main course, but if you’d like an extra dose of protein, try adding some cooked Italian sausage, ground beef, or shredded chicken.

Vegetables, tomatoes, beans and potatoes in a pot.

 WHAT VEGETABLES GO INTO MINESTRONE SOUP?

This soup contains onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes, green beans, potatoe and spinach. You can absolutely change up the veggies depending on what’s in season and what you have on hand. Other great vegetable choices include

  • Zucchini
  • Butternut squash
  • Mushrooms
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Leeks
  • Kale

A pot of minestrone soup with vegetables, beans and pasta.

Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

This soup can easily be made in the slow cooker. Simply follow the directions as listed for cooking the vegetables and adding the beans and broth. Omit the pasta. Transfer all the ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours. Stir in the pasta and spinach during the last 30 minutes of the cooking time, then sprinkle with parsley and serve.

A ladle serving up a portion of classic minestrone soup.

This soup is sure to please any crowd, and it has the perfect combination of flavors, textures and colors. It’s the absolute best way to eat your veggies!

More soup recipes you’ll love

  • Sausage Tortellini Soup
  • Hamburger Soup
  • Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
  • Ham Bone Soup
  • Chicken Tortellini Soup
A bowl of minestrone soup made with vegetables and beans, served with a side of bread.
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5 from 8 votes

Minestrone Soup

This classic minestrone soup is filled with an assortment of vegetables, beans and pasta, all simmered together in a hearty tomato broth. An easy vegetarian meal that's perfect for a cold day!
Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 280kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3/4 cup onion diced
  • 1/2 cup celery sliced
  • 1/2 cup carrots peeled, quartered and sliced
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 15 ounce can small white beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 15 ounce can kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup Russet potatoes peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup frozen cut green beans
  • 1/2 cup small shell pasta
  • 2 cups baby spinach leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots to the pot.
  • Cook until the vegetables are tender, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth, tomato paste and Italian seasoning to the pot. Bring to a simmer.
  • Add the white beans, kidney beans, potatoes, green beans and pasta to the pot. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until pasta and potatoes are tender.
  • Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the spinach leaves and cook for 2-3 minutes or until wilted.
  • Sprinkle the parsley over the soup and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 644mg | Potassium: 1047mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3335IU | Vitamin C: 14.3mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 5.9mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @DinnerAtTheZoo or tag #dinneratthezoo!

This post was originally published on October 9, 2015 and was updated on August 22, 2019 with new content.

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Filed Under: Dinner, One Pot Meals, Soup

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    Comments

    1. Tracy says

      April 10, 2022 at 1:44 pm

      5 stars
      I served it with grated fresh parmesan cheese and it was delicious!

      Reply
    2. Gwen says

      February 8, 2021 at 9:08 pm

      5 stars
      I make this all the time now as my family loves this soup!

      Reply
    3. samantha says

      July 3, 2020 at 5:28 am

      5 stars
      i love this recipe!! i’ve been making it almost every other day! my family loves it!!

      Reply
    4. Lexi says

      May 20, 2020 at 4:10 pm

      How many cups of this soup is one serving?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        May 22, 2020 at 12:26 pm

        1 1/2 cups!

        Reply
    5. Kyle says

      March 9, 2020 at 8:47 pm

      5 stars
      Just made this soup tonight and have to say it is amazingly easy, and super healthy. Added some zucchini to it and half the pasta *cause it’s usually pretty thirsty*

      Def making again. I also, doubled the recipe.

      Reply
    6. Jessica says

      March 1, 2020 at 5:49 pm

      I can’t Get enough of this soup! I double the recipe and have made it almost every week since I found it. Thanks so much!

      Reply
    7. Deb says

      November 2, 2019 at 8:14 pm

      5 stars
      I make double recipes of this all fall and winter! Served with grated Parmesan , we love it!

      Reply
    8. Vanessa says

      February 17, 2019 at 7:05 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious and super easy to make!!

      Reply
      • Sara says

        February 18, 2019 at 8:41 am

        So glad to hear it was a hit, I appreciate you coming back to comment!

        Reply
    9. Evie says

      July 8, 2018 at 2:47 pm

      5 stars
      This soup is great. I threw a few garbanzo beans in as well. It came out great and was easy too.

      Reply
    10. Alisa says

      January 14, 2018 at 8:39 am

      Has. Anyone tried adding some type of meat this? 😀

      Reply
      • Sara says

        January 14, 2018 at 7:22 pm

        Italian sausage would be a great addition!

        Reply
    11. Tracey says

      January 3, 2016 at 3:37 pm

      This was amazing!!

      and so easy

      Reply
      • Sara says

        January 3, 2016 at 10:09 pm

        Thanks Tracey, glad you hear you liked it!

        Reply
    12. Chrisy @ Homemade Hooplah says

      October 30, 2015 at 1:33 pm

      I’ve never had a soup quite like this, but it is SO right up my alley. Tortellini is always a win, but all the fresh veggies is a home run 😀

      Reply
    13. Florian @ContentednessCooking says

      October 30, 2015 at 9:21 am

      Great spin on a classic recipe!

      Reply
    14. Liz @ I Heart Vegetables says

      October 30, 2015 at 8:55 am

      This looks AMAZING!!! I love that the tortellini would make this soup more of a main dish 🙂

      Reply
      • Ian says

        January 7, 2022 at 7:28 am

        What type of Tortellini please.

        Reply
    15. Julia says

      October 30, 2015 at 6:53 am

      This looks like a great, healthy minestrone soup. The tortellini is a great addition!

      Reply
    16. Ali @ Home & Plate says

      October 30, 2015 at 6:15 am

      I love the addition of tortellini to this soup. I usually just keep it veggies and beans but I might have to steal your secret next time I make a pot of my own. Beautiful pics Sara!

      Reply
    17. Christie says

      October 30, 2015 at 5:01 am

      We have been eating a ton of soup lately. I love all the veggies and beans in this one. My daughter would love the tortellini.

      Reply
    18. Marye says

      October 30, 2015 at 4:03 am

      Minestone is one of my favorite soups! This looks gorgeous and so delicious!

      Reply

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