This vegetable soup is full of fresh veggies and great taste. It’s an easy, nice meal for any time.
Why a Good Vegetable Soup is Great
Vegetable soup is more than just soup; it’s like a warm hug. It’s full of veggies, beans, and pasta, cooked in a tasty broth. Best of all? A good vegetable soup recipe is very easy to change. Use what’s in season or in your fridge. Each time you make it, it’s a little different.
What Makes This Vegetable Soup Special
This vegetable soup recipe uses fresh items and flavor. We use veggies, spices, and tricks to make a soup you’ll love. This isn’t plain soup – it’s tasty, filling, and very good.
What You Need: The Soup Shopping List
What’s nice about vegetable soup is that it’s so easy to change. Use what you have!
Here’s what we use for this vegetable soup recipe:
- 2 spoons of olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery sticks, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup small pasta (ditalini or elbow macaroni)
- 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed
- 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed
- 1 cup chopped green beans
- 1 cup chopped zucchini
- 1/2 cup chopped spinach
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving (optional)
Changes You Can Make to Your Soup
- Broth: Use chicken broth if you don’t have vegetable broth.
- Beans: Use Great Northern beans or chickpeas instead of kidney or cannellini beans.
- Pasta: Any small pasta works. Use gluten-free if needed.
- Vegetables: Add other veggies like potatoes, kale, or peas.
How to Make It: Easy Steps for Great Soup
Follow these steps to make this yummy vegetable soup recipe.
- Cook the Onions and Celery: In a big pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook one more minute.
- Make the Soup Base: Add the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, oregano, basil, and bay leaf. Boil, then lower heat and cook for 15 minutes.
- Add Pasta and Beans: Add the pasta, kidney beans, and cannellini beans. Cook for 10 minutes, until the pasta is soft.
- Put in the Veggies: Add the green beans and zucchini. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until it wilts, 1-2 minutes.
- Add Salt and Serve: Take out the bay leaf. Add salt and pepper. Serve hot, with cheese and parsley if you like.
Tips for Making Great Soup
- Don’t Cook the Pasta Too Much: No one likes mushy pasta. Add it later.
- Fresh Spices are Great: If you have fresh spices, use them! They make the soup taste better.
- Make it Vegetarian: This vegetable soup recipe is easy to change. Use vegetable broth and no cheese.
Different Ways to Make Minestrone Soup Recipe
Vegetable soup is easy to change. Here are some ways to make it your own.
Add More Protein
Want a bigger meal? Add cooked chicken, sausage, or chickpeas for protein.
Make it Spicy
Add red pepper flakes or hot sauce for a little heat.
Add Pesto , Add a spoon of pesto at the end for flavor.
What to Eat With Minestrone Soup Recipe
Vegetable soup is great alone, but also goes well with other foods.
- Bread: Good for dipping in the broth.
- Grilled Cheese: A classic.
- Salad: A light side.
How to Keep Your Soup
Vegetable soup tastes better the next day!
- Fridge: Keep leftover soup in a closed box in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Soup freezes well. Keep in freezer boxes for 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge before heating.
Why Vegetable Soup is Good for You
This vegetable soup recipe isn’t just good, it’s good for you. It has vitamins, good stuff, and fiber from the veggies.
Lots of Good Things
Veggies are low in calories and have vitamins. Beans have protein and fiber.
Good for Your Stomach
The fiber in this soup is good for your stomach.
Questions About Minestrone Soup Recipe
Here are some questions about vegetable soup.
What makes the soup thick?
The pasta makes the soup thick. You can also mash some veggies and add them back to make it creamy.
What’s the most important thing in soup?
The broth is most important. Good broth makes good soup.
What’s different about vegetable soup and bean soup?
Vegetable soup is made with veggies, pasta, and beans. Bean soup has more beans and pasta, and fewer veggies.
What’s in Yes vegetable soup?
Store-bought soups are all different. They usually have tomatoes, pasta, beans, carrots, celery, and other veggies. Check the box.
Minestrone Soup Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 cup green beans, chopped
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup small pasta (like ditalini or elbow macaroni)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for serving)
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and garlic; sauté until soft and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the carrots and celery; cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the zucchini, green beans, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and dried herbs.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the cannellini beans and pasta; cook until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot, garnished with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- Variations: Add spinach or kale for extra greens or substitute kidney beans for cannellini.
- Tips: Use whole-wheat pasta for added fiber or gluten-free pasta for a gluten-free version.
- Allergies: Check pasta and broth ingredients for gluten if necessary.
- Serving Suggestion: Serve with crusty bread and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for a complete meal.