Classic Italian Minestrone Soup

Nothing beats a pot of homemade soup when you're craving something warm, hearty, and comforting. This Classic Minestrone Soup is one of my family's favorites, and it's easy enough to make on a weeknight.

This Italian vegetable and pasta soup is packed with vegetables, beans, tomatoes, and pasta, then finished with Parmesan and fresh parsley. You can make the whole pot on the stovetop in about 30 minutes, making it a practical choice when you want a satisfying homemade meal without much fuss.

Classic Minestrone Soup

Name: Classic Italian Minestrone Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tsp olive oil; 1 medium yellow onion, chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced; 1 medium all-purpose potato, peeled and cut into ½ -inch cubes; 1 medium yellow or green squash (or both), cut into ½-inch cubes; 2 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning; 2 large bay leaves; 1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes; 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock; ¼ pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (frozen is fine); 4 oz pasta, tiny shells or tubettini; 1- can Great Northern white beans, drained and rinsed, or cannellini beans; salt and pepper, to taste; Grated Parmesan cheese to taste, for garnish; 3 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

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A cup of minestrone soup topped with Parmesan cheese.

Minestrone soup is hearty enough to stand on its own with some crusty bread, or when paired with a sandwich or panini of your choice.

This is a classic version of the Italian vegetable and pasta soup we know as minestrone. If you've enjoyed the minestrone soup at Olive Garden, this homemade version has that same familiar combination of vegetables, beans, tomatoes, pasta, and Italian flavor.

Jump to Recipe

Why You'll Love This Minestrone Soup Recipe

It's an easy one-pot meal. Everything cooks together in one pot, making this a simple dinner with minimal cleanup.

It's packed with vegetables. Carrots, onions, potatoes, squash, green beans, and tomatoes make this a hearty vegetable soup.

It comes together quickly. You can have a pot of homemade minestrone on the table in about 30 minutes.

It's flexible. Use fresh or frozen green beans and your favorite small pasta. You can even adjust the vegetables based on what you have available.

It makes great leftovers. This recipe makes enough for dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow, and it freezes well, too.

What You'll Need

Classic Minestrone Soup

Vegetables

Minestrone is all about the vegetables. You'll need onion, carrots, potato, squash, green beans, and tomatoes. Cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces so they're easy to eat from a soup spoon.

Beans

Great Northern white beans or cannellini beans add protein and substance to the soup. I use whichever I have available.

Pasta

Small tube-shaped pasta such as ditalini or tubettini works especially well. A little pasta goes a long way, so don't be tempted to add too much.

Stock

Chicken stock adds flavor and richness to the broth. You can substitute vegetable stock if you'd prefer a vegetarian version.

Italian seasoning

Italian seasoning gives this soup its classic Italian flavor. If you don't have it, your recipe card includes a simple substitution using basil and oregano.

Canned tomatoes
Canned crushed tomatoes will give the soup flavor and color.

Tips for Minestrone Soup Success

Cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Think about the size of the vegetables you want to fit on your soup spoon. Keeping the pieces similar in size also helps them cook evenly.

Taste and season as you go. The amount of salt you'll need can vary depending on your stock and canned tomatoes, so taste the broth before serving and adjust as needed.

Don't overdo the pasta. Pasta continues to absorb broth as it cooks and as the soup sits. Keep additional chicken stock or water on hand to thin the soup when reheating leftovers.

Use fresh or frozen vegetables. Frozen green beans work perfectly well in this soup, making it an easy pantry and freezer meal.