Hearty Italian Vegetable Minestrone (Print view)

Hearty Italian soup with pasta, beans, and fresh vegetables in a savory tomato broth. Perfect comfort food ready in under an hour.

# List of Ingredients:

→ 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 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 chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

# Step-by-Step Directions:

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

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • One pot means less cleanup, more time enjoying the meal with people who matter.
  • Every vegetable adds color and substance, so even without meat it feels deeply satisfying.
02 -
  • Don't add the pasta too early or it will turn to mush; waiting until the end keeps it from absorbing all the broth and becoming a thick stew instead of a soup.
  • Fresh greens added at the very end stay bright and keep their texture instead of becoming dark and wilted throughout the entire pot.
03 -
  • Sauté your soffritto (the onion, celery, and carrot base) until it's deeply fragrant before adding liquid—this extra minute changes everything.
  • Taste the soup at every stage and season gradually; you'll develop an instinct for when it needs salt, when it needs acid from a squeeze of lemon, or when it just needs time to sit and settle.
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