Easy Minestrone Soup

This hearty, healthy Italian Minestrone soup recipe is a great way to use up whatever vegetables you have on hand. Add in bite-sized pasta, fiber-rich beans, and flavorful tomato broth for a meal you’ll make again and again.

When it comes to making dinner, this vegetarian soup recipe is at the top of my list. It’s healthy, budget-friendly, and totally adaptable to what you have on hand.

Minestrone is a classic Italian recipe, and my version is slightly acidic from the tomatoes, a little peppery from the olive oil, and herbal from the parsley, basil, rosemary, and bay leaf. The beans provide fiber and vegetarian protein, while the pasta provides heft and body.

Once everything simmers together, magic happens, and you’re left with a rich, bold, and complex broth. No single flavor is more pronounced than another; they just blend together like a symphony for your taste buds. Once you realize how easy it is to make a classic minestrone recipe at home, you’ll add it to the weekly rotation all year long!

Table of Contents

1. What is Minestrone Soup?
2. Minestrone Soup Ingredients
3. How to Make Minestrone Soup
4. Minestrone Variations
5. What to Serve with Minestrone Soup
6. More Vegetable Soup Recipes
7. Minestrone Soup Recipe

What is Minestrone Soup?

Minestrone soup is a hearty Italian soup made with vegetables, beans, pasta, and a flavorful, rich tomato-based broth. Italians call this type of recipe “cucina povera,” which means “poor kitchen,” because it was primarily made with whatever was available. For this reason:

• Minestrone recipes differ from one region, season, and household to another, depending on availability.
• In Northern Italy, for example, they may use more root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and onions along with celery, but in Southern Italy, you might see zucchini or even peas.
• Similar to ribollita, which is a white bean soup from Tuscany, there is no single way to make it. Use vegetables in season and what is available to you.
• While both minestrone and vegetable soup can be considered vegetarian, minestrone soup is heartier because it’s bulked up with beans and small pasta, which add texture and body.

Minestrone Soup Ingredients

The beauty of minestrone soup is that you really can add whatever vegetables are in season and what you have on hand. Here’s what I use:

• Pasta: Small shapes like ditalini or elbow macaroni match the vegetables’ size and keep the soup spoonable. To learn more about pasta, check out our Complete Guide to Pasta Shapes. 
• Extra-virgin olive oil: I love our rich and smooth Italian Nocellara with this recipe, but use any high-quality extra-virgin variety you have.
• Veggies: Onion, carrots, celery, garlic, zucchini, and green beans make for a colorful and healthy soup.  
• Seasoning: Sweet paprika, dried rosemary, and 1 bay leaf add fragrant depth to the soup. Kosher salt and black pepper enhance the flavor. 
• Canned tomatoes: Crushed tomatoes are ideal, as you want some texture. If you have a can of whole peeled tomatoes, simply squeeze them before adding. 
• Broth: Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian minestrone. Chicken broth/stock is also a great option.
• Parmesan cheese rind (optional): Don’t throw away the leftover rind from your Parmesan! Save it in your freezer to add deep umami flavor to soups and stews. Just remove it from the soup before serving.
• Fresh herbs: Thyme adds a woodsy, floral quality. Parsley and basil add a fresh peppery flavor.
• Kidney beans: Add heft, texture, and fiber. Feel free to swap in white beans like cannellini or borlotti if you prefer, or even chickpeas. 
• Grated Parmesan cheese, to serve (optional): Adds a touch of decadence to the Minestrone, but it’s delicious without the Parmesan too. Leave this and the rind out for a vegan option. 

How to Make Minestrone Soup

One important tip to make minestrone soup with perfectly al dente pasta is to cook the pasta separately. It’s well worth the extra pot. It makes for better leftovers because the pasta doesn’t get mushy. Just add the cooked pasta to the bottom of each bowl and top with the hot soup! Here are the steps:

• Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 cup ditalini or elbow pasta and cook to al dente according to the package directions. Drain.
• Meanwhile, prep your veggies. Chop 1 small yellow onion, 2 carrots, and 1 large handful of parsley. Dice 2 celery stalks and 1 zucchini. Mince 4 garlic cloves. Trim and cut 1 cup of green beans into 1-inch pieces. Drain and rinse 1 (15-ounce) can of kidney beans. 
• Soften the aromatics. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the onions, carrots and celery and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring regularly, until the veggies soften a bit, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute, tossing regularly.
• Cook the veggies. Add the zucchini, green beans, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
• Make the soup. Now add 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth, 2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf, and 1 Parmesan rind (if using). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and partially cover the pot. Let simmer for about 20 minutes or so.
• Finish the minestrone. Uncover the pot and add the kidney beans. Cook for another 5 minutes, then stir in the parsley and fresh basil. Just before serving, stir in the cooked pasta and simmer just until the pasta is warmed through; do not overcook. 
• Serve. Remove the cheese rind and bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Serve the minestrone hot with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan on top. 

Minestrone Variations

Remember, something as communal as a pot of vegetable soup is an invitation for each home cook to get creative. Here are a few ways to adapt this minestrone recipe.

• Use what’s in season. In warmer months, I use summer squash and zucchini. When temperatures drop, I turn to root vegetables like potatoes or even sweet potatoes (diced fairly small so they will cook quickly and evenly). Add a large handful of fresh spinach toward the end of cooking time for some leafy greens.
• Omit the pasta. If you’re looking for a low-carb option, simply leave out the pasta. In this case, I always opt to throw in more veggies to add bulk to my minestrone.
• Swap the pasta: If you don’t have pasta, swap in farro, barley, or freekeh. These whole grains will add even more fiber, and you can find them in our shop. You could even use pearl couscous (which is actually a type of pasta.)
• Drizzle each bowl of soup with Italian extra virgin olive oil just before serving to add a little flavor and dress up this humble soup.

What to Serve with Minestrone Soup

With pasta, veggies, and beans, you don’t need anything more than a drizzle of good olive oil to finish this minestrone soup recipe. (Though I doubt anyone would complain about homemade focaccia for dipping!)

If you have the time, though, I always like to round out the meal with a fresh salad. Something bright and crunchy like our Lemon Parmesan Lettuce Salad or this simple Butter Lettuce Salad, would complement the richness of the soup.

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*This post originally appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2019 and has been recently updated for readers’ benefit.