Classic Italian Minestrone Soup

Classic Italian Minestrone Soup is loaded with fresh vegetables, red kidney beans, white beans, fresh and dried herbs, and mini pasta shells.  This soup is totally delicious, comforting, and loaded with flavor!  Perfect for lunch or dinner on a cold winter’s day.  Cooked in one-pot and simmered for 25 minutes, this minestrone soup is ready to serve in no time. 

It’s been very cold these past few days, and even snow has fallen across the country, so making a pot of comforting soup fits the season.

Classic Italian Minestrone Soup…

Our mom made her classic Italian minestrone soup with mostly fresh vegetables, along with beans, and often would even toss in some frozen peas as well.  And as always, we adore her recipe for Easy Pasta Fagioli Soup, but this soup is different. 

This is her recipe for minestrone soup.  …and, it is perfect in every way – a real winner!

Best of all, no need for any fancy equipment for this recipe. 

One-pot is all you need and a good knife to chop the vegetables.  It is an effortless and straightforward soup to make once all the vegetables have been chopped.

Our Mom’s Method and Secret…

First you should know, her secret to making her minestrone soup so flavorful is cooking all the vegetables together first before anything else goes in. 

The vegetables need to be cooked all together before the liquid goes in.  Basically, this method allows them to infuse all their flavors before tossing in the other ingredients. 

Next, she allows the soup to simmer for a while before the pasta is tossed in, and it is not until the very last few minutes before serving.

Our mom’s method truly makes sense, and her broth always turns out so much more flavorful, making this the most delicious tasting minestrone soup ever. 

Cook’s Notes and Best Tips…

• Minestrone soup is best when cooked with “mini” pasta, like shells, ditalini, and even orzo. 

• If you prefer, this minestrone can be made ahead – but without the pasta.  Then toss in the pasta when you’re ready to serve.

• Always bring the soup to a low-boil before adding the pasta to it.

• It’s best to toss in the pasta when you’re ready to serve.  The pasta takes only about 3 to 4 minutes to cook and it’s done. 

• Use your favorite “gluten-free” pasta or even quinoa with this soup. 

• Keep in mind, when pasta is added to soups, it will absorb some of the broth. Therefore, if you prefer more brothy soup, you can add in a little more broth, or water, to your liking.

Classic Italian Minestrone Soup is a very soothing, flavorful, and satisfying meal. 

Your family will love this recipe.  Guaranteed! 

Serve it with a simple grilled cheese sandwich or our grilled cheese and pear sandwich on the side, and or maybe a salad for a delicious dinner. 

Try it.

… and Buon Appetito! 

More Delicious Italian Soups!

• Easy Pasta Fagioli Soup

• Baby Lima Bean Soup

• 15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil

• Tuscan Swiss Chard and Beans Soup

Yield: 6 servings

Classic Italian Minestrone Soup

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Classic Italian Minestrone Soup is loaded with fresh vegetables, red kidney beans, white beans, fresh and dried herbs, and mini pasta shells.  This soup is totally delicious, comforting, and loaded with flavor!  Perfect for lunch or dinner on a cold winter's day.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Tbps. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large-size onion - chopped
• 4 garlic cloves- diced
• 4 carrots - peeled and sliced
• 4 to 6 stalks of celery - sliced
• 1 ripe tomato - chopped
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 (15.5 -ounces) can of red kidney beans - rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-5-ounces) can white Northern beans - rinsed and drained
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. salt.
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 1/ 4 cup freshly chopped parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 rind of Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 cups of water
• 2 + 1/2 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 cup mini pasta shells
• freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving

Instructions

1. In a large Dutch oven pot, or any large saucepan, heat olive oil on moderate heat. Toss in the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, tomato, and frozen peas and saute all the vegetables together until they are softened about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Add in both beans, fresh and dried herbs and seasonings, water, vegetable broth, and 1 rind of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir to combine and cover with the lid of the pot.
3. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer the soup, covered, for 20 minutes. The broth will thicken and reduce as it simmers. Then turn off the heat. Here is where you can leave the soup (without the pasta) on the stove until you are ready to serve it for dinner. The soup will slowly continue to cook, even though the heat has been turned off.
4. When ready to serve this minestrone, remove the cover and fish out, and discard the cheese rind. Next, toss in the mini pasta shells, and continue to simmer for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Taste to see if the pasta is ready, and season with additional salt and black pepper, to taste. If ready, turn off the heat, and remove the pot over to the side - away from the heat.
5. Then serve into individual soup bowls. Serve with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese at the table.
6. Note: Keep in mind, when pasta is added to soups, it will absorb some of the broth. Therefore, if you prefer more brothy soup, you can add in a little more broth, or water, to your liking.
7. Serves 8

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8 servings

Serving Size:

1 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 227Total Fat: 0.7gSaturated Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 344mgCarbohydrates: 42.6gFiber: 11gSugar: 4.7gProtein: 14.2g

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Thanks for stopping by! 

xo Anna and Liz