Italian Minestrone Soup

WRITER BYCassie

POSTEDOctober 24, 2019

When soup season comes around you can't go past a classic Italian Minestrone Soup. A rich tomato broth filled with vegetables, beans and pasta, this hearty soup will warm up your winter nights. This authentic homemade minestrone soup recipe is healthy and easy to prepare. The best minestrone soup recipe you'll try!

Italian Minestrone Soup in a white bowl.

I find most vegetable soups leave a lot lacking but not this classic Italian Minestrone Soup! It's filled with all the vegetables plus some beans and pasta for good measure.

This hearty soup will actually fill you up and given how carb-y it is already you don't technically need to eat it with crusty bread although I still highly recommend it.

One thing I love about soups like this is how easy they are to prepare. Just chop, sauté and simmer, and dinner will be ready in under an hour.

You can adapt this recipe to suit whatever vegetables, canned beans or pasta you have on hand. Seriously - go crazy. I'm not the minestrone soup police.

Why you'll love this recipe...

Hearty soup that will keep you going for hours.
Perfect comfort food.
Stores well for meal prep.

What is Minestrone?

Minestrone Soup (pronounced "min eh stron ee") is an Italian soup that is made with vegetables, beans and pasta. The name literally means "big soup" and the soup is always filled to the brim with hearty ingredients. There isn't a set traditional recipe for minestrone given that it was made out of whatever vegetables were seasonal at the time.

What is the difference between minestrone and vegetable soup?

Minestrone Soup is essentially just a hearty version of vegetable soup. Most vegetable soups contain merely vegetables, whereas a minestrone is bulked up with beans and pasta. Simple!

Minestrone Soup Ingredients List

Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredient below - I promise you this is all everyday ingredients and you most likely have most if not all on hand already!

Feel free to use whatever vegetables you have on hand - I've just added the ones I use most regularly but most vegetables will work great. Here's what you'll need (full measurements listed in the printable recipe card below)...

Olive Oil
Bacon
Brown / Yellow Onion
Garlic
Carrots
Celery
Potato
Zucchini
Green Beans
Canned Cannellini or Red Kidney Beans
Canned Crushed Tomatoes
Chicken or Vegetable Stock
Shell, Spiral or Macaroni Pasta
Italian Seasoning / Herbs
Salt & Pepper

How to make Minestrone Soup - Step by Step

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or large saucepan on medium heat.

Add onion, carrots, celery and bacon and sauté until cooked, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Italian Minestrone Soup ingredients in a dutch oven.

Mix in potato, zucchini and green beans and cook, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes.

Italian Minestrone Soup ingredients in a dutch oven.

Add tomatoes, stock, beans, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Bring to boil, cover the pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Leave to simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

Increase the heat to medium-high, and add pasta and stir to combine. Cook the pasta following packet directions or until it is al dente, stirring occasionally.

Italian Minestrone Soup in a large dutch oven.

Serve warm on it's own with some parmesan cheese on top or with crusty bread and enjoy.

What goes with minestrone soup?

Minestrone soup is so hearty it can be served on its own. I love to pair it with some crusty bread to make sure I soak up every last drop of soup. You could even pair it with a delicious starter like this Easy Bruschetta or Air Fryer Garlic Bread

How to store Minestrone Soup

Store minestrone soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Can you freeze Minestrone Soup

Unfortunately soups with pasta don't freeze well, so if you're planning to make a big batch of minestrone and freeze it you'll need to hold the pasta. Without the pasta, this soup can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Then when you're ready to eat, simply heat it up and cook the pasta according to the recipe instructions.

Italian Minestrone Soup in a white bowl.

Tips for cooking Minestrone Soup

Use whatever vegetables you have on hand or enjoy. It's hard to go wrong here!
If you want to cut down the cooking time, cook the pasta separately while you are preparing everything else then pour it in with the rest of the ingredients before serving.
If you don't have Italian Seasoning or Herbs on hand, use a mix of dried thyme, rosemary, basil, marjoram or oregano - whatever you have on hand is fine.