Minestrone Vegetable Soup (Print view)

Hearty Italian soup with seasonal vegetables, beans, pasta and fresh herbs—ready in just one hour.

# 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 juices
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

# Cooking Steps:

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 Ideas:

01 -
  • It transforms humble pantry staples into something that tastes like you've been simmering it all day, even though it's done in an hour.
  • You can swap vegetables based on what's in your crisper or what the season offers, so it never feels stale or repetitive.
  • One pot, minimal cleanup, and enough warmth in a bowl to make almost any moment feel better.
02 -
  • If you add the pasta too early, it will absorb too much liquid and turn mushy; the timing matters, so add it only after the vegetables have simmered for fifteen minutes.
  • Bay leaves look innocent but are intensely bitter when bitten—I learned this the hard way and will never forget the shock of it, so always remove it before serving.
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans; the cloudy liquid around them makes the broth murky and dull.
03 -
  • Toast your pasta separately in a dry skillet for a minute before adding it to the soup if you want each piece to maintain its texture and not become overly soft.
  • Make a double batch and freeze half in individual containers—minestrone actually tastes better the next day when all the flavors have had time to settle and deepen together.
Go back