Ingredients
— The Base —
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste (for depth)
— The Soup —
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 parmesan cheese rind (optional, for flavor)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
— The Mix-Ins —
1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans (white beans), drained and rinsed
1 cup small pasta (ditalini, small shells, or elbow macaroni)
1 medium zucchini, sliced into half-moons
1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups fresh spinach or kale, chopped
Instructions
1. **Sauté Mirepoix:** Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
2. **Build Flavor:** Add the minced garlic and tomato paste. Stir constantly for 1–2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the tomato paste has darkened slightly.
3. **Simmer Base:** Pour in the diced tomatoes (with their juices) and the broth. Stir in the oregano, basil, thyme, salt, pepper, and the parmesan rind (if using). Add the kidney beans and cannellini beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. **Cook Veggies & Pasta:** Increase heat slightly to a gentle boil. Add the pasta, zucchini, and green beans. Cook for 10–12 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente and the vegetables are tender.
5. **Finish:** Remove the pot from the heat. Fish out and discard the parmesan rind. Stir in the fresh spinach and let it wilt in the hot soup for 1–2 minutes.
6. **Serve:** Ladle into bowls and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and crusty bread.
Notes
The Pasta Trick: If you plan to freeze this soup or expect leftovers, cook the pasta separately and add it directly to serving bowls. Otherwise, the pasta will soak up all the broth and become mushy in the fridge.
Parmesan Rind: Don’t throw away the hard rind from your parmesan cheese wedge! Simmering it in the soup adds an incredible savory ‘umami’ depth. Just remember to remove it before serving.
Vegetarian/Vegan: Use vegetable broth. To make it vegan, omit the parmesan rind and serve without cheese topping.
Vegetable Swaps: Minestrone is a ‘clean out the fridge’ soup. Feel free to add potatoes, yellow squash, peas, or cabbage depending on what you have on hand.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 40
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian