Description
Easy Minestrone Soup that comes together in just 30 minutes with fresh vegetables and tons of flavor is perfect in soup season.
Ingredients
Units
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- 2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion, Diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 Medium-Large Carrots, Finely Chopped (about 1/2 cup, see Note 2)
- 2 Large Ribs Celery, Finely Chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 4-6 Cloves Garlic, Finely Chopped or Minced (amount to taste)
- 1 large or 2-3 Small Gold Potatoes, Finely Diced (about 1 cup, see Note 2)
- 2-3 cups Fresh Seasonal Vegetables, Chopped (we used green beans and yellow squash, see Note 3)
- 2 Teaspoons Dried Italian Seasoning
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 - 28-Ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
- 6-8 cups Vegetable Broth (see Note 4), as needed
- 1 cup Short Cut Pasta (elbows, small shells, ditalini, etc.) (use gluten-free pasta like chickpea pasta if needed)
- 1 - 15-Ounce Can Dark Red Kidney Beans, Drained and Rinsed (any cooked/canned beans are fine)
- Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper, to taste
- 1-2 cups Leafy Greens (Kale, Baby Spinach), roughly chopped, optional
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup Chopped Parsley or Fresh Basil Leaves, optional
Instructions
- Cook Aromatics: Heat a large pot (we used a 5.5 quart enamel cast iron Dutch oven but any large pot like a large stock pot should work) over medium heat and add the olive oil. Allow to heat for a few minutes until the oil starts to shimmer, then add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 4-5 minutes until they begin to soften (stir occasionally), then add the garlic, stir well, and cook for 30 more seconds.
- Add Other Vegetables and Seasoning: Add your other fresh veggies, for us that was chopped green beans, yellow squash, and small-diced gold potatoes. Add Italian seasoning (but don't add the bay leaf yet). Stir well and cook for for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add Liquids and Bay Leaf: Add in the canned crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, and the bay leaf. Stir gently and cover with a tilted lid. Bring to a boil and then switch to medium low heat and simmer (small bubbles). Cook for 4-8 minutes until the larger chunks of potato or carrot can be just pierced with a fork. They don't need to be completely tender yet but we want them to be fairly close.
- Add Pasta and Beans: Pour in your pasta of choice and the drained+rinsed beans. If using kale, you might want to add that now since it takes a little longer to soften than spinach. Stir and cook for 6-8 minutes until the pasta is al dente (or cook until soft, to your preference).
- Add Greens and Season: Add the baby spinach, stir till wilted in, and then season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. You can add a splash of balsamic vinegar if you'd like, but we didn't think it needed it.
- Serve: Remove from heat and serve the minestrone immediately. Serve with crusty bread, crackers, or whatever else you'd like.
- Storage: Leftover soup can be stored in a large airtight container or individual airtight containers. You can also freeze this soup in a freezer-safe container for up to six months. Keep in mind when reheating leftovers that the pasta may absorb more of the broth. You can always add a little bit of extra vegetable broth when reheating.
Notes
- Note 1: This soup comes together quite quickly and we don't want our carrots or celery to be too crunchy in the finished soup, so chop them small or plan to simmer the soup a little longer before adding the pasta.
- Note 2: There's already pasta in this recipe, so you don't have to add the potatoes. It's a small amount and we really like them in there so we kept them in. Sweet potatoes are also a nice option.
- Note 3: Use whatever fresh veggies you like! We used yellow squash and fresh green beans, but zucchini, red/orange/yellow bell pepper, butternut squash, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. Keep in mind some veggies take longer to cook than others, so if it's a heartier vegetable like a winter squash, cut it smaller and plan to simmer until they're just soft enough to pierce a fork into before adding the beans and pasta.
- Note 4: Use reduced sodium vegetable broth or vegetable stock if you'd like. We have a big tub of Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Broth Base that we like to use.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Soup
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: American, Italian