This minestrone soup is a cozy, satisfying bowl of comfort made with tender vegetables, hearty beans, small pasta, and a rich tomato broth. It is warm, flavorful, and filling without feeling too heavy, making it a wonderful option for a nourishing lunch or an easy weeknight dinner. With simple pantry ingredients and fresh vegetables, this homemade minestrone soup comes together in one pot and delivers classic comfort in every spoonful.
Olivia’s Personal Note
When the weather cools down, I always appreciate simple soups and one-pot meals. They make it easy to prepare a balanced dinner with plenty of flavor, without spending the whole evening cooking or washing dishes.
Minestrone soup is one of my favorites because it is easy, flexible, and full of ingredients that make the meal feel complete. You get vegetables, beans, pasta, and a savory broth all in one pot. It is also a great recipe for using what you already have in the fridge or pantry.
I like serving this soup with crusty garlic bread and homemade garlic butter, especially on chilly days. Since the soup is already packed with vegetables, a simple arugula salad with a light vinaigrette is usually all I add on the side. It makes a cozy, delicious, and complete cold-weather meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need
All ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
This easy minestrone soup recipe uses classic ingredients such as olive oil, onion, celery, carrots, garlic, crushed tomatoes, broth, zucchini, green beans, red kidney beans, cannellini beans, Italian seasoning, and elbow macaroni. Fresh parsley and parmesan cheese are added at the end for extra flavor and a beautiful finishing touch.
The best part about homemade minestrone soup is how adaptable it can be. You can keep the recipe as written for a traditional vegetable and bean soup, or adjust the vegetables based on what is in season. The combination of tomatoes, broth, beans, and pasta creates a hearty base that works well with many simple swaps.
Instructions To Make This Minestrone Soup
Sauté aromatics, add tomatoes and broth:
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrots. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, just until fragrant.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, then stir well so the vegetables are evenly coated in the tomato broth.
Add zucchini, beans, and macaroni:
- Add the chopped zucchini, fresh green beans, red kidney beans, white kidney beans, and Italian seasoning. Stir until everything is combined.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
- Add the uncooked elbow macaroni and continue simmering for about 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Stir occasionally so the pasta does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
Season and simmer:
- Season the minestrone soup with salt and pepper to taste.
- Let it simmer for 5 more minutes so the flavors can come together.
- Serve hot with fresh chopped parsley and freshly grated or sliced parmesan cheese.
Recipe Variations
- Add protein: This minestrone soup is hearty enough on its own, but you can make it even more filling by adding cooked Italian sausage or extra-lean ground turkey.
- Use seasonal vegetables: Change the vegetables depending on the season. In warmer months, spinach, squash, corn, or cherry tomatoes work well. In colder months, hearty greens and root vegetables are great options.
- Make it gluten-free: Replace the elbow macaroni with your favorite gluten-free pasta. You can also leave the pasta out and add extra beans, diced potatoes, or chickpeas instead.
- Adjust the broth: For the best flavor, use a good-quality broth. Chicken broth gives the soup a savory base, while vegetable broth is a good option if you prefer a meat-free version.
More Hearty Soup Recipes
Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
1 hr
Ground Beef Butternut Squash Kale Soup
30 mins
Sweet Potato Chicken Soup
25 mins
Meatball Soup
1 hr 5 mins
Minestrone Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 sticks celery, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 small zucchini, chopped
- ½ cup fresh green beans, chopped
- 1 can (14 oz) red kidney beans, drained
- 1 can (14 oz) white kidney beans or cannellini beans, drained
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3/4 cup elbow macaroni
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
- Freshly grated or sliced parmesan cheese, to taste
Instructions
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Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
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Add the onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent.
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Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.
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Add the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Stir well to combine.
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Stir in the zucchini, green beans, red kidney beans, white kidney beans, and Italian seasoning.
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Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
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Add the uncooked elbow macaroni. Continue simmering for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender.
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Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 5 more minutes so the flavors blend together.
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Serve hot with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Cut the vegetables into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- If fresh green beans are not available, frozen green beans can be used.
- Use a high-quality broth for the best flavor.
- Add the pasta near the end of cooking so it does not become overcooked.
- To Store: Let the soup cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze: Freeze the soup without the pasta in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Leave space in the container for the liquid to expand.
- To Reheat: Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally. If needed, cook pasta separately and add it before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 235kcal,
Carbohydrates: 36g,
Protein: 14g,
Fat: 1g,
Cholesterol: 11mg,
Sodium: 193mg,
Potassium: 622mg,
Fiber: 7g,
Sugar: 5g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.