Description
Hearty Italian Minestrone soup brings robust flavors from Mediterranean gardens straight to your kitchen. Generous vegetables, tender beans, and rich broth combine for a nourishing meal you’ll savor with comfort and warmth.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Vegetables:
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 cup green beans, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Protein and Legumes:
- 1 can (15 ounces / 425 grams) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup small pasta (like ditalini, elbow macaroni, or orzo)
Liquid and Seasoning:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 can (14.5 ounces / 411 grams) diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (to taste)
- Freshly grated Parmesan (optional for garnish)
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a spacious cooking vessel over medium flame, gently sautéing diced onions until they become translucent and fragrant, approximately 5 minutes.
- Introduce chopped carrots, celery, and minced garlic to the pot, allowing them to soften and release their aromatic essence for 3-4 minutes.
- Layer in zucchini, green beans, crushed tomatoes, and vegetable broth, elevating the heat to create a rolling boil before reducing to a gentle simmer for 20 minutes until vegetables reach a tender consistency.
- Incorporate kidney beans and pasta, then sprinkle in dried oregano, fresh basil, sea salt, and cracked pepper, continuing to cook for 10-12 minutes until pasta achieves a perfect al dente texture.
- Conduct a flavor assessment, calibrating seasonings with additional herbs, salt, or pepper to enhance the soup’s depth and complexity.
- Ladle the steaming soup into warm bowls, crowning each serving with a generous dusting of freshly grated Parmesan and a vibrant garnish of chopped basil or parsley for a final flourish of color and freshness.
Notes
- Customize veggie selection by swapping seasonal produce to keep the soup exciting and budget-friendly.
- Replace pasta with quinoa or cauliflower rice for a gluten-free and lower-carb version that maintains the soup’s hearty texture.
- Use low-sodium vegetable broth and control salt levels by adding salt gradually while tasting to prevent over-seasoning.
- Enhance protein content by adding cooked chicken, ground turkey, or plant-based protein crumbles for a more substantial meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg