Minestrone Soup

A hearty Italian soup packed with vegetables, beans, and pasta.

By Cressio Rinaldi

Minestrone isn’t so much a recipe as an idea: a thick vegetable soup made from whatever is good and available, with beans and a little pasta to make it a full meal. There are as many versions as there are Italian kitchens, and this one is a solid, everyday version that you can make from a few supermarket vegetables.

The method is as simple as soup gets. You soften the onion, carrot and celery in olive oil, add garlic, then the zucchini, broth, tomatoes, beans and Italian seasoning. After a simmer, the pasta goes in at the end, so it cooks in the broth and doesn’t turn mushy.

The recipe serves six and keeps well, though the pasta continues to absorb liquid, so there is one trick for leftovers.

Read this first

1. Soften the vegetables first. It builds the base flavor.
2. Add the pasta late, so it stays firm.
3. Taste at the end, and season. Vegetable broth varies a lot in saltiness.

Prep time: 15 mins · Cook time: 30 mins · Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 cups Mixed vegetables: carrots, celery, onion, diced
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 medium Zucchini, diced
• 4 cups Vegetable broth
• 1 can (14 oz) Diced tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) Kidney beans, rinsed
• 1/2 cup Small pasta (ditalini or elbow)
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the mixed vegetables (carrots, celery, onion) until softened, about 5 minutes. Look for: Soft, sweet-smelling vegetables, with the onion turning translucent.
2. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Look for: A fragrant pot, with the garlic not browned.
3. Add the zucchini, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine. Look for: A colorful pot, with the broth just covering the vegetables.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Look for: Tender vegetables, and a broth that tastes savory and sweet.
5. Add the pasta and cook for another 8-10 minutes until the pasta is tender. Look for: Pasta that is tender, with a slight bite, and a thicker broth from its starch.
6. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot topped with grated Parmesan cheese and crusty bread. Look for: A hot, savory soup that tastes balanced, with parmesan melting on top.

Nutrition

Amount per serving. Nutritional values are estimates calculated from the ingredients above and can vary.

• Calories: 130
• Fat: 6g
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Carbohydrates: 16g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 4g
• Protein: 4g
• Sodium: 620mg
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Notes

• Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Freezing: Freeze the soup without the pasta for up to 3 months — pasta gets mushy when frozen, so cook it fresh and stir it in after reheating if planning ahead.
• Pasta Timing: Add the pasta only for the last 8-10 minutes, as directed, so it doesn't overcook and turn to mush in leftovers.

Cook It With Me

Soften the base

Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the 2 cups of diced carrots, celery and onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until they are softened.

Garlic

Add the 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.

Add the rest

Add the diced zucchini, 4 cups of vegetable broth, the 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, the rinsed kidney beans and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Stir to combine.

Simmer

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the broth is flavorful.

Add the pasta

Add the 1/2 cup of ditalini or elbow pasta and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, until the pasta is tender but still has some bite.

Season and serve

Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot, topped with grated parmesan and with crusty bread on the side.

The Ingredients, One by One

Carrots, celery and onion

The Italian soffritto. Dice them evenly, about 1/2 inch, so they cook at the same speed.

Zucchini

Adds a mild sweetness and softens quickly. Add it after the base vegetables.

Vegetable broth

Four cups. A good broth makes a big difference, because there is no meat. Low-sodium lets you control the salt.

Diced tomatoes and kidney beans

The tomatoes add acidity, and the beans add protein and body. Rinse the beans.

Small pasta

Ditalini or elbows hold in the soup and cook quickly. Other small shapes work too.

Italian seasoning

A simple blend of dried herbs for a savory, herbal flavor.

Parmesan

A grating on top adds salt and depth. A parmesan rind simmered in the broth adds even more.

The Technique Behind It

Why soften the vegetables first

Cooking them in oil releases their sweetness and builds a flavor base. Adding them raw to broth gives a thin flavor.

Why add the pasta late

Pasta keeps absorbing liquid as it sits. Adding it near the end means it is tender when you serve it and doesn’t turn mushy.

Why season at the end

The broth and tomatoes contain salt, and the soup reduces as it cooks.

Mistakes That Cost You the Dish

• Adding the pasta too early It turns soft and swallows the broth.
• Not softening the vegetables The soup tastes flat.
• Underseasoning The soup tastes like hot water.
• Overcooking the zucchini It turns to mush.
• Skipping the parmesan It adds depth.

Fix It: If This Happens, Do This

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Soup is too thick	The pasta absorbed the broth	Add water or broth.
Soup is bland	Needs salt and acid	Add salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
Pasta is mushy	Cooked too long	Add it later next time.
Soup is thin	Too much broth	Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
Soup is too salty	Salty broth	Add water and more vegetables.

What Each Ingredient Does (and What You Can Swap)

Ingredient	Its job	Swap, and what changes
Kidney beans	Protein	Cannellini or chickpeas work.
Small pasta	Body	Rice or small shells work.
Zucchini	Mild vegetable	Green beans or potatoes work.
Vegetable broth	Liquid	Chicken broth works.
Italian seasoning	Herbs	Fresh basil and oregano work.

Plan Ahead

• Make ahead: It tastes better the next day.
• Fridge: Up to 4 days. The pasta softens.
• Reheat: Add a splash of broth.
• Freezer: Freeze without the pasta for up to 3 months.

What to Serve With It

Serve with grated parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil and crusty bread. A spoonful of pesto stirred in is a good touch.

Questions People Ask

About the Author

Cressio Rinaldi

Cressio Rinaldi is the recipe developer behind Cressio Recipes. He cooks, tests, and writes every recipe on the site himself — refining each one until it's simple enough for a weeknight and good enough to make again. He's not a trained chef, just someone who cooks constantly and pays close attention to what actually makes a recipe work.