Classic Italian Minestrone Soup

The calendar says it's time for soup. Italian minestrone soup is a flavorful, hearty choice to make today.

Wintery weather in the Northeast cries out for the comfort of hot soup. This minestrone soup is my go-to soup recipe and my family's favorite soup. I try to change our soup options often by introducing a new soup, but this one remains my family's top choice.

Classic Minestrone Soup

Name: Classic Italian Minestrone Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
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 Minestrone soup recipe is a classic version of the very popular Italian vegetable and pasta soup. You may have had Olive Garden's minestrone soup and thought you'd like to make it at home. Well, now you can make a similar version of Olive Garden's minestrone soup. with this recipe.

Why You'll Love This Minestrone Soup Recipe

You'll love minestrone soup because it makes a hearty, healthy one-pot dinner option. This soup is chock-full of vegetables. Go ahead and add more of what you love for a thicker vegetable soup.

You don't need any fancy equipment to make this soup. A heavy pot like a cast iron dutch oven is a perfect soup pot. You do not need a slow cooker or an InstaPot.

This soup cooks quickly on your stovetop. You can make this soup in less than an hour.

This soup freezes well. This recipe makes enough for dinner tonight, lunch tomorrow, or to save in the freezer for next week.

The Soup Ingredients

Minestrone soup is all about vegetables. You'll use two kinds of beans. Choose fresh or frozen green beans, and great northern white beans or cannellini beans. I substitute great northern white beans and cannellini beans depending on what I can get at the grocery store.

Chicken stock adds depth of flavor and richness to the soup. I always have my favorite on hand in my pantry for quick soup-making during winter months.

Potato and pasta add starch and some bulk to the soup. Cut your potato into small chunks. I choose any version of small tubed pasta like ditalini or tubettini. A little pasta goes a long way.

Yummy Minestrone Soup

Canned crushed tomatoes will give the soup flavor and color.

Tips for Minestrone Soup Success

Use a heavy pot that cooks evenly. You'll want your soup to be able to gently simmer for most of the cooking time.

Cut your vegetables into bite-sized pieces that will fit easily on your soup spoon. Consistency in size also helps with consistent texture.

Taste and season as you go. Frequently tasting your soup ensures a delicious soup in the end.

Measure the pasta. Too much pasta will absorb all the broth from the soup. I like to keep additional chicken stock at the ready to thin the soup when I reheat it.

More Soups to Make for Dinner

Red Lentil and Sausage Soup