Description
This easy minestrone soup is a hearty and comforting Italian classic packed with a variety of fresh vegetables, beans, and pasta in a flavorful tomato broth. Perfect for a nutritious lunch or dinner, it’s simple to prepare and deliciously satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 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 and 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
Pantry Staples
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni or shell pasta
- 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.
- Sauté onion: Add diced onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften.
- Cook vegetables: Add diced celery, carrots, and zucchini. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add liquids and seasonings: Stir in diced tomatoes with their juice, tomato sauce, white cannellini beans with their liquid, kidney beans with their liquid, vegetable broth, dried basil, and dried oregano. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Cook pasta: Add elbow macaroni or shell pasta. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer at a low boil for 10 to 12 minutes, or until pasta is tender. Add chopped baby spinach during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
- Season and serve: Season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with grated parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version, or substitute with chicken broth for extra flavor.
- Feel free to add other vegetables like green beans or peas for extra nutrition.
- For gluten-free, substitute pasta with gluten-free noodles or omit pasta altogether.
- Leftover soup stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and freezes beautifully.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, simmer a little longer uncovered to reduce liquid.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
