Description
This Easy Minestrone Soup is a hearty and flavorful Italian-inspired vegetable soup packed with beans, pasta, and fresh vegetables. It's perfect for a comforting meal that's both nutritious and filling, featuring a rich tomato base seasoned with basil and oregano, and finished with baby spinach and Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 3 medium celery ribs, diced
- 4 medium carrots, diced
- 3 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
Liquids & Canned Goods
- 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (15 ounce) can white cannellini beans, undrained
- 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, undrained
- 6 cups vegetable broth
Dry & Seasonings
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni or shell pasta
Fats & Garnish
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese to garnish
Instructions
- Heat fats: Heat 2 tablespoons salted butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large 6-quart soup pot over medium heat until melted and hot.
- Sauté onion: Add the diced medium white onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften and become translucent.
- Add vegetables: Add the diced celery ribs, carrots, and zucchini to the pot. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften but still have some bite. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute to release its aroma.
- Add liquids and seasonings: Stir in the undrained diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, white cannellini beans, kidney beans, vegetable broth, dried basil, and dried oregano. Increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Cook pasta: Once boiling, add the elbow macaroni or shell pasta. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer at a low boil for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the pasta is tender but not mushy.
- Finish with spinach: Add the roughly chopped baby spinach during the last 2 minutes of cooking to allow it to wilt gently without overcooking.
- Season and serve: Taste the soup and season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper as desired. Serve hot, garnished with the grated Parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
Notes
- Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian and lighter flavor; chicken broth can be substituted if preferred.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the pasta with gluten-free pasta or omit altogether.
- Adding fresh herbs like basil or parsley at the end can enhance the soup's freshness.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, reduce the amount of vegetable broth or simmer uncovered to reduce liquid.
- Leftover soup stores well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and freezes well for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: thirty-five g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
