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–+ servings
a bowl of Minestrone soup
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5 from 3 votes

Minestrone

Full of hearty beans, tender veggies, al dente pasta, and a savory tomato broth, this Minestrone soup is a great comfort meal on any night.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: minestrone
Servings: 8
Calories: 253kcal
Author: Kelsey Crist

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2 celery ribs diced
  • 2 carrots diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 zucchini cubed
  • 1 cup frozen sweet peas
  • 4 cups vegetable broth plus more for thinning if needed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 14 ounces white beans rinsed and drained
  • 14 ounces kidney beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • 1 cup small shells pasta
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrot, and celery. Cook until veggies are soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
    Soffrito cooking in a pot
  • Add the tomato paste and stir to coat the veggies. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste turns a darker red color.
    soffrito in a pot with tomato paste
  • Add zucchini and peas and cook until peas are thawed.
    veggies sautéing in a pot
  • Add broth, bay leaves, beans, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for at least 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
    Broth, veggies and spices simmering in a pot
  • Add pasta, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until pasta is cooked al dente. Add parsley, stir and serve.
    a spoonful of Minestrone soup from a bowl

Video

Notes

  • If too much of the broth is absorbed when cooking the pasta, you may need to add more vegetable broth. Depending on how much broth you add, you may also want to add more oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. 
  • You can use any small pasta shape you like! Ditalini, wagon wheels, and orecchiette all work great! 
  • Serve with a green salad and some breadsticks for a delicious meal! 

Nutrition

Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 331mg | Potassium: 726mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2947IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 4mg