This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Minestrone Soup: A Whole Garden in One Pot 🍲
The smell of onion, carrots, and celery cooking in olive oil takes me right back to my mom and Nonna’s kitchens. It’s so familiar, and it makes me want to stay close to the stove with a piece of bread in my hand. My one-pot minestrone soup has that same comfort, with vegetables, beans, and pasta simmered together in a tomato broth.
I also love that I can use what’s already in the fridge. Zucchini and green beans are great here, but chopped cabbage, peas, or a handful of spinach work too. Add firmer vegetables earlier and stir tender greens in near the end. There’s room to make it your own without another trip to the store.
This is the soup I want on a chilly night when I’m craving something cozy that also gives us plenty of vegetables. The beans add fiber and plant-based protein, and the pasta makes it hearty enough for dinner. Finish your bowl with Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil, and don’t forget the bread!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven with a lid
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small white or yellow onion diced small
- 2 carrots sliced
- 2 celery ribs sliced
- 3 garlic cloves grated
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes diced tomatoes work, too
- 1 15.5oz can cannellini beans rinsed and drained
- 1 cup green beans bite size pieces
- 1 cup zucchini diced
- 5 cups chicken broth veggie or bone works too
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon
- 1 tsp salt more to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- rind of Parmesan Cheese optional
- 1 cup uncooked, small pasta D'italini is traditional, small shells or elbow macaroni work too
- grated parmesan cheese for serving
- drizzle of olive oil for serving
Instructions
- Soften the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery with a sprinkle of salt. Cook for 7–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add tomato paste and garlic. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes.
- Simmer the soup. Add the canned tomatoes, beans, green beans, zucchini, broth, bay leaves, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and rind of parmesan cheese (if using). Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Stir in the uncooked pasta. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.
- Finish and serve. Remove the bay leaves and parmesan rind (if used). Taste and adjust the salt and pepper, then ladle into bowls. Top with grated Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Tips for Making This Recipe
Let the onion, carrot, and celery soften slowly at the start; that base is where a lot of the deep flavor comes from.
Stir the tomato paste in and let it cook for a minute before adding liquid so it loses its raw edge and deepens the broth.
Add quick-cooking vegetables like zucchini and green beans later so they stay vibrant instead of mushy.
If you add pasta, cook it separately and add it to bowls so it does not soak up all the broth as leftovers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is minestrone soup healthy?
Can I add pasta to minestrone?
Does minestrone freeze well?
Never Run Out of Dinner Ideas
One new family-favorite dinner in your inbox each week, made with love.
My 5 Most-Loved Pastas, yours when you join
Truly a 10/10 dinner. So comforting and nutritious and totally customizable. I hope you love it 🙂
I made this recipe for dinner last night for my family of six. It was a 10 out of 10! Everyone loved it and it made enough for a second night! I love zucchini, but my children aren’t crazy about it. So after I let it cook in the soup – I pulled the zucchini out and put it in a blender. Once it was blended, I poured it back into the soup.
OHHH THIS IS GENIUS GIRLFRIEND!! I love it. And so glad your family enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing <3