Vegetable Minestrone Variations (Printer View)

Hearty Italian soup with seasonal vegetables, pasta, and beans for year-round comfort.

# Components:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 1 small zucchini, diced (summer variation) or 1 small butternut squash, diced (winter variation)
06 - 1 cup green beans, chopped or 1 cup chopped kale or spinach (winter variation)
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
09 - 1 medium potato, peeled and diced (optional)

→ Broth and Beans

10 - 6 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini or borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
12 - 3.5 ounces small pasta such as ditalini, elbow, or shells
13 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Herbs and Seasonings

14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus additional for serving
18 - Grated Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

# Method:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, diced zucchini or squash, and green beans or kale. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - Add diced tomatoes, diced potato if using, and bay leaf. Cook for 2 minutes, then pour in vegetable broth.
04 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
05 - Add drained beans and pasta to the pot. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes until pasta and vegetables are tender.
06 - Season soup with dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf. Stir in chopped fresh parsley.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top with grated Parmesan cheese if desired and serve with crusty bread and extra virgin olive oil.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes homemade and nourishing without the fussiness that makes weeknight cooking feel like a chore.
  • You can swap vegetables based on what's actually in season or what you have lingering in the fridge, so it never feels wasteful or boring.
02 -
  • Don't add the pasta at the beginning or it'll absorb all the broth and turn the soup into something thick and stodgy instead of letting it stay liquid and elegant.
  • Taste the soup in stages rather than seasoning it all at once; dried herbs and salt have different impacts at different temperatures, so what seems right at a simmer might be too much once it cools.
03 -
  • Don't be shy about tasting and adjusting; a squeeze of lemon juice or an extra pinch of salt in the last minute can suddenly make everything come alive.
  • If you find yourself with leftover soup that's gotten thick, thin it with a bit more broth or water and it becomes a completely different, still delicious version of itself.
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