Hearty Italian Minestrone Vegetable Soup (Printable Version)

Hearty Italian soup brimming with seasonal vegetables, beans, pasta, and fresh herbs. Vegetarian, easy, and ready in 1 hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
08 - 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
09 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
10 - 4 cups vegetable broth
11 - 2 cups water

→ Beans and Pasta

12 - 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
13 - 3/4 cup small pasta such as ditalini or elbow macaroni

→ Seasonings and Herbs

14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
16 - 1 bay leaf
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
18 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
19 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, optional

→ Garnish

20 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
02 - Add carrots, celery, zucchini, potato, and green beans. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until slightly softened.
03 - Stir in diced tomatoes with juices, vegetable broth, and water. Add dried oregano, dried basil, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
04 - Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
05 - Add cannellini beans and pasta. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until pasta and vegetables are tender.
06 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in fresh parsley and basil. Adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve hot.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It clears out your vegetable drawer and somehow makes everything taste better together.
  • The soup gets even more flavorful the next day, so leftovers are actually a win.
  • You can adjust it to whatever season you're in without following any strict rules.
  • It fills you up without feeling heavy, which is rare for something this comforting.
02 -
  • Don't add the pasta too early or it will soak up all the broth and turn gummy.
  • If you're making this ahead, cook the pasta separately and add it when you reheat, otherwise it gets bloated and mushy.
  • Taste the soup before serving because canned broth varies wildly in saltiness.
03 -
  • Use the ripest canned tomatoes you can find, they make all the difference in the broth.
  • Let the soup rest for 10 minutes after cooking so the flavors settle and deepen.
  • If it tastes flat, a small splash of red wine vinegar at the end will wake everything up.
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