The Best Minestrone Soup

Key Ingredients For Homemade Minestrone soup

The best minestrone soup recipe, this classic comfort food comes together with simple pantry staples for a nutritious meal that will satisfy your tastebuds without breaking the bank. Here’s everything you’ll need: 

• Olive Oil – This is used to sauté the veggies, adding depth to their flavor along with a boost of healthy fats.
• Vegetables – Onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, celery, carrots, green beans, and zucchini combine adding bulk, vitamins, nutrients, fiber, and flavor to this minestrone soup recipe. 
• Broth – We use vegetable broth, but chicken broth would work, too. For the best results, look for low-sodium varieties. 
• Red Wine – Light red wines such as Chianti are best. 
• Beans – Kidney and white beans provide extra texture and plant-based protein. 
• Seasonings – Dried oregano, dried basil, fresh parsley, salt, and pepper help enhance the savoriness of the soup, taking it from good to great. 
• Pasta – Any small shell-shaped or elbow pasta will do. 
• Parmesan Cheese – Technically optional, but we all know everything tastes better with parmesan! 

Minestrone Soup Serving Suggestions

Inspired by Olive Garden minestrone soup, this recipe can be served on its own for a completely satisfying meal. Or, serve it as a side or appetizer with main courses like Parmesan bruschetta chicken bake or mussels with garlic and tomatoes. For a lighter option, it also pairs well with all your favorite sides such as: 

• Rosemary Garlic Bread – this artisan style bread is easy enough for beginners, and has become a reader-favorite.
• Homemade Dinner Rolls – you can have soft, fluffy dinner rolls in 1 hour.
• Creamy Caesar Salad – once you taste this homemade caesar dressing, you won’t look at a store-bought bottle the same again.
• Bruschetta – it’s super easy to make perfectly crispy, tender bruschetta.

More to Cook and Eat

• The Best Lentil Soup (Vegan) – This vegan recipe is so scrumptious, it’ll have all your guests coming back for seconds and thirds. 
• Easy Lasagna Soup Recipe – This easy soup boasts all the flavor of lasagna with half the work!  
• Pasta e Fagioli (Olive Garden Copycat) – Every bit as delicious as Olive Garden’s version, this robust soup is guaranteed to become your new favorite weeknight dinner. 
• Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Copycat) – One bite is all it takes to fall head over heels for this comforting recipe.  
• Roasted Tomato Basil Soup – Chock full of nutrients and big, bold flavors, this nutritious soup is a light meal you won’t be able to wait to sink your spoon into.

Also Try Chicken Madeira (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)

The Best Minestrone Soup

5 from 72 ratings

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The best minestrone soup recipe you’ll ever make, the warm flavors and hearty texture of this classic comfort food rival that of Olive Garden’s infamous dish. Pair it with a side of crusty bread for a comfort food dinner that will have all your guests coming back for more!

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 50 mins

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• 3 TB olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, chopped
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 14 oz diced tomatoes, from a can, with juices
• ½ cup light red wine, such as Chianti
• 2 TB tomato paste
• 1 large celery stalk, thinly sliced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned
• 1 cup green beans, cut
• 15 oz kidney beans, from a can, rinsed and drained
• 15 oz white beans, from a can, rinsed and drained
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 2 TB fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ cup elbow pasta, or shell pasta, dry
• kosher salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Optional: freshly grated Parmesan to serve

Instructions

• In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic. Cook until translucent, stirring frequently.
• Add the broth, tomatoes with juices, wine, tomato paste, celery, and carrots. Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the ingredients to a boil for 15 minutes.
• Add the green beans, kidney beans, white beans, zucchini, herbs, and pasta. Bring the mixture back to a boil, cooking for 10 minutes or until the pasta reaches the desired tenderness.
• Season with additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan, if desired. Serve with bread.

Equipment

• 1 Dutch Oven

Notes

Please see original article for variations and substitutions.

 

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Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 730mg | Potassium: 790mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 937IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 5mg

Course: Dinner, Main

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Low Fat, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Method: Stovetop