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Minestrone — A Whole Garden in One Pot 🍲
Minestrone is what I make when the vegetable drawer is full of odds and ends and nothing in particular. Everything goes in one pot, vegetables, beans, tomato, and simmers into something hearty and savory that somehow tastes better than the sum of its parts. It is naturally vegetarian and it freezes beautifully, so I usually make extra. This is the kind of soup Mom and Nonna always seemed to have going on the stove, and making it brings them right back.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive/avocado oil
- 1 white/yellow onion diced
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 celery ribs sliced
- 2 tsp salt + more to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 15.5oz can cannellini beans rinsed and drained
- 1 cup green beans
- 1 cup zucchini
- 4 cups broth chicken, veggie or bone works too
- 2 bay leaves
- 1.5 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon optional
- 1 cup small pasta D’italini is traditional, small shells or Cocciolini work too
- rind of parmigiano cheese optional
- parmigiano cheese + drizzle of olive oil for serving
Instructions
- On medium heat, heat oil in a large pot/stock pot. Add onion, carrots, celery, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for about 7-8 minutes until veggies soften.
- Add tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add can of tomatoes, can of beans, green beans, zucchini, broth, bay leaves and Italian seasoning. Cover and simmer on medium-low for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, add pasta and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, or until pasta is cooked through.
- Top with cheese and a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!
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?
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Shop What I Used
A few recipe-appropriate kitchen tools that make this one easier:
- A large stockpot or Dutch oven
- A good vegetable peeler and knife
- Quality canned tomatoes and beans for the pantry
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