Hearty Italian Vegetable Minestrone (Printer-Friendly)

A comforting Italian soup with pasta, beans, and fresh vegetables simmered in aromatic herb broth.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 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 chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

# How To Make:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It is the ultimate kitchen chameleon that lets you use up whatever greens or beans happen to be lingering in your pantry.
  • The broth develops a rich savory depth that makes you feel like you have spent hours simmering when it only takes a fraction of that time.
02 -
  • Cooking the pasta directly in the soup makes the broth slightly thicker and more luxurious due to the released starches.
  • If you plan on having leftovers cook the pasta separately to prevent it from soaking up all the broth in the fridge.
03 -
  • Always remove the bay leaf before serving to avoid any bitter surprises in the bowls.
  • Adding a Parmesan rind to the simmering broth is a classic Italian trick for incredible depth.
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