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Indulge in a warm and comforting bowl of traditional Italian flavors with this delicious Italian minestrone soup recipe. With a tasty blend of fresh vegetables, herbs and pasta, this classic soup is the perfect way to warm up on a chilly day. Enjoy a hearty minestrone soup recipe for lunch or supper, perhaps paired with some crusty bread for a well-rounded meal.
This authentic Italian minestrone soup recipe is so good. The nutrient-packed combination of beans, pasta and seasonal vegetables makes every spoonful a joy.
Do you enjoy making easy soup recipes? You might also like chicken zoodle soup, wonton noodle soup, chicken noodle soup or this pumpkin apple soup.
Why You’ll Love this Italian Vegetable Soup
Straightforward: Nonna’s minestrone soup recipe is really simple. As is the case with many favorite soups, a large part of making this is just adding ingredients to a pot and stirring it now and then.
Healthy: Fresh vegetables are the backbone of classic minestrone soup. But as well as the nutrients from them, the best minestrone soup offers vitamins and minerals from the beans and broth.
Tweak-able: Since it was traditionally made to use up leftover vegetables, minestrone can be endlessly varied by switching up everything from the broth to the vegetables and beans used, to the pasta type and garnishes.
Minestrone Soup Ingredients
Vegetables: Onion, carrot, celery, tomatoes and tomato paste, potatoes, and spinach go into the soup for color, flavor and nutrients.
Ditalini pasta: The perfect shape and size for soup.
Beans: I used cannellini beans and kidney beans.
Parmesan cheese: A classic component that adds a salty, tangy tastes.
Seasonings: Garlic powder and onion powder go into this soup.
Herbs: You need parsley and bay leaves.
Broth: You can use vegetable broth, bone broth or even chicken broth.
How to Make Minestrone Soup
Sauté the vegetables: Cook them in oil until golden.
Season the minestrone: Add the spices and seasonings and cook briefly.
Add more ingredients: Mix in the broth, tomato juice and bay leaves, followed by the beans and potatoes.
And some more ingredients: The pasta (cooked al dente), spinach and parsley go in next.
The finishing touches: Add butter and grated parmesan cheese, then serve hot.
Substitutions and Variations
Vegetables: Use any fresh seasonal vegetables you like, such as yellow squash, butternut squash, fresh green beans, sweet potatoes, broccoli or other fresh vegetables lurking in your crisper drawer that needs using up. Making minestrone soup is great for cleaning out leftover vegetables.
Ditalini pasta: Swap the ditalini pasta for elbow macaroni or any small pasta shape. Perhaps you want to use gluten-free pasta in this hearty soup.
Beans: Feel free to use green beans, white beans, cannellini beans, or any other kind you have. If you do have a lot of beans, save some for this ribollita soup which is another bean-based option.
Serving Suggestions
As the main dish: As a one pot meal, you don’t have to serve anything with with this classic Italian minestrone soup. However, personally I love some crusty bread or garlic bread to soak up every last delicious bit. Add a lemon parmesan salad on the side too, or some marinated mozzarella balls.
As an appetizer: You could also serve this cozy soup in small bowls as an appetizer, followed up by an Italian main course, such as meatball marinara subs (omit the crusty bread with the soup if so) or beef braciole.
How to Store Italian Minestrone Soup
Store: Refrigerate minestrone leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Leftovers taste even better the next day!
Freeze: Freeze in a Ziploc bag or an airtight container for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheat: Warm it back up gently in a pan on the stove or microwave it until hot.
Top Tips
Keep it fresh: When making the best Italian minestrone soup recipe, it’s important to use fresh ingredients for that wonderful fresh flavor in every spoonful.
Use any leftover veggies: Italian home cooks will add any vegetables lurking in the crisper drawer instead of following one particular set recipe.
Add the butter last: The butter should be added at the very end, just to add richness.
Minestrone Soup FAQs
Yes, of course – anything from Italian sausage, ham or chicken to beef, pork or bacon would work. Cook the meat before adding it. You can also use beef broth or another meaty option rather than chicken or vegetable. Don’t be scared to experiment – pretty much anything goes!
Pronounced as min-uh-STROH-nee, the word minestrone is derived from the Italian word “minestra” which simply means soup.
Yes! Just use gluten free pasta in it.
Parmesan rind is optional in this recipe but many think it is the secret ingredient to the best soup! The parmesan rind will dissolve into the broth and also slightly thicken the broth. This will impart an amazing rich flavor to the soup. Remove whatever is left of the rind just before serving.
The next time you finish up a wedge of cheese, place the leftover rind into your freezer in plastic wrap or in an airtight container. It will keep indefinitely. Just remember to add it the next time you are making soup or stew. Even if you put the rind in while it cooks, you can still top with freshly grated parmesan, too.
Italian Minestrone Soup Recipe
Italian Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Cup onion, diced
- ¾ Cup carrots, shredded or chopped
- ½ Cup celery, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Can stewed tomatoes, 15-Ounce can of whole tomatoes
- 1 Rind parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ Teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 Teaspoon onion powder
- 1 Teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ Teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- ½ Teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ Teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 6 Cups vegetable broth, or chicken broth or beef broth
- 1 Can dark red kidney beans, 15-Ounce can, drained and rinsed
- 1 Can cannellini beans, 15-Ounce can, drained and rinsed
- 1 Cup potatoes, diced
- ¾ Cup ditalini pasta, dried
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves, dried
- 3 Cups baby spinach, roughly torn
- ¼ Cup parsley, chopped
- ¼ Cup parmesan cheese, freshly shredded
- 2 Tablespoons butter
Optional Garnishes:
- parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- parsley, fresh
- red pepper flakes
- black pepper
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, saute the onions, celery, and carrots with the olive oil until they begin to gain some color.
- Add the tomatoes to the pot one at a time, crushing each one by hand as you drop them in, reserve the tomato juices. Add the tomato paste, parmesan rind, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Sauté together for just a couple minutes.
- Add the juices from the tomatoes, broth, and bay leaves, bring to a light boil then reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes.
- Carefully, give the soup a taste, add additional salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as preferred.
- Add both of the beans, and the potatoes, let simmer for another 15 minutes.
- Add the pasta and cook until the potatoes are soft and pasta is al dente.
- Add the spinach and parsley, and stir.
- Add the butter and parmesan, stir. Once the butter and parmesan have melted the soup is ready to serve. Garnish with optional grated parmesan, black pepper, red pepper flakes or fresh parsley.
Notes
Use any leftover veggies: Italian home cooks will add any vegetables lurking in the crisper drawer instead of following one particular set recipe.
Add the butter last: The butter should be added at the very end, just to add richness.
Nutrition
Way better than the Olive Garden or store-bought varieties, this homemade Italian minestrone soup is fast and healthy, bursting with nutritious vegetables and fresh flavors. Italian minestrone soup is a great choice for this time of year. The whole family will love this soup.
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
Best soup I have ever made! Absolutely delicious.