Minestrone Vegetable Soup (Printable Version)

Hearty Italian soup with seasonal vegetables, beans, pasta and fresh herbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
08 - 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
09 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
10 - 4 cups vegetable broth
11 - 2 cups water

→ Beans & Pasta

12 - 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
13 - 3/4 cup small pasta such as ditalini or elbow macaroni

→ Seasonings & Herbs

14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
16 - 1 bay leaf
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
18 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
19 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, optional

→ Garnish

20 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
02 - Add carrots, celery, zucchini, potato, and green beans. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until slightly softened.
03 - Stir in diced tomatoes with juices, vegetable broth, and water. Add dried oregano, dried basil, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
04 - Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
05 - Add cannellini beans and pasta. Continue to simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, or until pasta and vegetables are tender.
06 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in fresh parsley and basil. Adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like a warm hug, especially on days when you need comfort but don't want to spend hours cooking.
  • Every vegetable plays a role—nothing gets lost or overcooked if you follow the timing, and that balance is secretly what makes it so craveable.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans or skip the step where you let everything simmer—both changes I made out of laziness resulted in a noticeably cloudier, less fresh-tasting soup.
  • The pasta will continue absorbing broth even after you turn off the heat, so if you're not eating it immediately, keep the broth a touch looser than you think it should be.
03 -
  • Toast your pasta in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding it to the soup—it prevents sticking and adds a subtle nuttiness that nobody ever expects but everyone notices.
  • If your soup tastes a little flat, it's usually not salt but acid you need; a squeeze of fresh lemon juice added at the very end wakes everything up without making it taste lemony.
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