Hearty Italian Vegetable Minestrone (Printer View)

Comforting Italian vegetable soup with pasta, beans, and herbs in a savory tomato-based broth.

# Components:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
08 - 1 cup fresh baby spinach or chopped kale

→ Base & Liquids

09 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
10 - 6 cups vegetable broth
11 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Pasta & Beans

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

→ Herbs & Seasonings

14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
17 - 1 bay leaf
18 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
19 - 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, plus more for garnish

# Method:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots, sautéing for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, diced zucchini, and green beans. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth, dried oregano, basil, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
04 - Add pasta and drained beans to the simmering broth. Cook for 10 minutes or until pasta reaches al dente texture.
05 - Stir in fresh spinach or kale and chopped parsley. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until greens wilt completely.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, garnish with additional fresh parsley, and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes even better the next day when the flavors have gotten to know each other.
  • You can swap out vegetables without ruining anything, which means no food waste guilt.
  • One pot, minimal cleanup, maximum comfort in a bowl.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial five minutes of softening the onion, celery, and carrot—this is where most of the flavor gets built, and rushing it makes the soup taste thin.
  • Add the pasta in the last ten minutes, not at the beginning; if it cooks too long it'll turn to mush and make the broth starchy and cloudy.
03 -
  • If your broth isn't deeply flavorful, adding an extra tablespoon of tomato paste will give the whole soup more backbone and richness.
  • Cook the pasta slightly under al dente before it goes into the soup, since it'll continue to soften as the soup simmers and cools.
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