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This hearty minestrone soup recipe is a comforting tomato-based soup loaded with fresh vegetables, beans, and pasta. Feed your army on a budget with this delicious soup inspired by the famous Olive Garden minestrone!
Try my Italian Sausage Soup and Lasagna Soup next!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
This easy soup recipe is more than just a meal—it creates cozy moments when you need them most. The fresh vegetables and pantry staples like beans and pasta make it a versatile, budget-friendly option for weeknight dinners and feeding a crowd. Plus, it’s endlessly customizable and a great way to enjoy healthy comfort food during the colder months.
What Is Minestrone?
Minestrone is an Italian vegetable and pasta soup with beans and a tomato base. It’s so hearty and filling that it often serves as a main course. This classic minestrone recipe is a staple in our healthy meal rotation, offering the same cozy comfort as white bean kale soup but with a thicker tomato base.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Olive Oil: Adds richness and helps sauté the vegetables.
- Carrots, Celery, Onion, and Garlic: Budget-friendly aromatics that build the soup’s flavorful base.
- Zucchini: A versatile vegetable available year-round; swap for another seasonal veggie if needed.
- Beans: White and red kidney beans add protein and texture.
- Pasta: Use thicker pasta for the pressure cooker and thinner pasta for stovetop cooking.
- Canned Tomatoes: Crushed tomatoes make the sauce thick and tomato-ey, but diced or whole peeled tomatoes are also delicious in this soup.
- Vegetable Broth: Substitute with chicken broth or turkey stock if preferred.
- Italian Seasoning & Oregano: Provide classic Italian flavors.
- Salt and Pepper: Adjust to taste.
- Fresh Spinach or Kale: Or use another leafy green.
- Optional Garnishes: Fresh parsley, Parmesan cheese, or croutons.
What Makes Minestrone Different from Vegetable Soup?
Minestrone features a hearty tomato broth, pasta, and beans, making it more substantial than traditional vegetable soup. These additions give it the texture and nutrients to serve as a main dish.
Best Pasta for Minestrone
Thick pastas like orecchiette or elbow macaroni are great for the pressure cooker because you can easily prevent them overcooking. However, I love to use medium shells for the stove method because they cook faster.
How to Make Minestrone Soup
Start by sautéing onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat. Add beans, tomatoes, broth, and seasonings. Bring the soup to a boil, add pasta and zucchini, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until the pasta is tender. Stir in fresh spinach at the end and garnish with your favorite toppings before serving.
Stir in tomatoes and bring everything just to a boil. Then, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until the pasta is fully cooked.
Now it's time to garnish this scrumptious soup with your favorite toppings. I love the combination of Parmesan cheese, parsley, and croutons. Then serve and devour! You'll love the minimal effort it takes to make a delicious minestrone soup that feeds an army on a budget.
Recipe Tips
- Avoid overcooking pasta: For perfectly cooked pasta, monitor cooking times closely.
- Flavor builder: Sautéing the vegetables first deepens the soup’s flavor, so try not to skip this step.
- Enhance the flavor: Add fresh herbs or a splash of lemon juice before serving to brighten the flavor.
- Freezing tip: To freeze, portion cooled soup into freezer-safe containers and label. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Recipe Variations
- Add vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, or green beans can be added before simmering.
- Boost protein: Stir in shredded chicken or leftover meat during the final minutes of cooking.
- Spicy kick: Add cayenne pepper, red chili flakes, or serve with hot sauce.
- Fresh herbs: Garnish with fresh basil, oregano, or thyme for extra flavor.
Can I Freeze Minestrone Soup?
Absolutely! Let the soup cool completely before portioning into freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 90 days. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and warm on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding broth as needed.
Serving ideas
Serve this minestrone soup with homemade French bread or my quick yeast dinner rolls, homemade crostini, or top it with Parmesan cheese and croutons for an extra layer of flavor. Make this quick focaccia recipe for an irresistible combo!
Easy soup recipes you'll love
- Zuppa Toscana
- Old Fashioned Ham and Bean Soup
- Easy Vegetable Soup Recipe
- Kale Chickpea Soup In A Hurry
📖 Recipe
Minestrone Soup Recipe (Olive Garden inspired)
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Video
Note about scaling
When scaling, the light gray ingredient notes after the comma don’t change. Adjust as needed.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 medium Onion, diced
- 2 ribs Celery, diced
- 3 medium Carrots, diced
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 (15-ounce can) Red Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15-ounce can) White Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano, or 2 teaspoons fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Salt, or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 (28-ounce can) Crushed Tomatoes
- 6 cups Vegetable Broth, or more to adjust consistency
- 1 cup Shell Pasta, or pasta of choice
- ½ pound Zucchini, 2 small, halved and sliced
- 2 cups Fresh Spinach or Kale, finely chopped
Optional Toppings
- Fresh Parsley, Croutons, Parmesan Cheese.
Instructions
- Heat a 4.5-quart soup pot over medium-high heat and add OLIVE OIL.
- Sauté ONION, CELERY, CARROTS, and GARLIC until tender.
- Stir in KIDNEY BEANS, WHITE BEANS, OREGANO, ITALIAN SEASONING, SALT, PEPPER, CRUSHED TOMATOES, and VEGETABLE BROTH. Bring to a boil briefly.
- Reduce heat, add SHELL PASTA and ZUCCHINI, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.
- In the last 5 minutes, stir in the SPINACH.
- Serve warm, garnished with your favorite toppings.
- To store, cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
See footnotes for pressure cooker instructions.
Recipe Notes
Equipment
- 4.5-quart Dutch oven or stockpot or 6-quart pressure cooker
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on brands, ingredients, and portions.
Laura says
Thank you for sharing this recipe! We've made it several times and love it. Plus, it's kid and family friendly. 🙂
Traci says
Yayy! So glad your family is enjoying this one. We love minestrone and make it regularly 🙂 Thanks for the feedback - much appreciated!
Marlene Wilkins says
Thankyou Traci for a very nice recipe. M
The Kitchen Girl says
You're so welcome 🙂 Always my pleasure and thanks for taking the time to comment.
Kendall says
I’ve made this twice in 3 weeks. My picky husband and my 7 and 2 year old kids actually love this soup and it’s a sure fire way to get them to eat vegetables. I add a little cayenne pepper to my bowl for a little kick. The rest of my family is happy with it as is. Thank you for such a delicious soup recipe that is a crowd pleaser.
The Kitchen Girl says
Kendall, you're so welcome and yayy! This makes my day, truly 🙂 I'm so glad the family is enjoying it and, I'm with you, gimme heat LOL. Thanks so much for the feedback. Cheers!!
Liz says
This is SOOO GOOD! I used northern beans and so spinach and it’s amazing
The Kitchen Girl says
Yayy! So glad to hear it! Yes, I love Minestrone with northern beans too. Thanks for taking the time to review...much appreciated!
Kim says
It is a gloomy fall day and I have a cold. This soup is so comforting and delicious. I did add Italian sausage because my husband can’t live without his meat. 🙃
The Kitchen Girl says
Lol I have no problem with Italian sausage being added to Minestrone. And thanks so much for taking the time to leave feedback. I super appreciate it and glad you both enjoyed!
Hillary says
Hubby said "Feel free to make this anytime!" It's a winner! I added sausage and used macaroni noodles.
The Kitchen Girl says
Glad to hear he loved it and I'm sure your meaty version was delicious. Thanks for commenting!
Arlene Wagner says
I find it difficult to find really tasty and nutritious recipes. I made your minestrone for my husband after his surgery and served warm French bread with garlic butter and parsley and cheese. He went crazy because he loved it so much. It made me so happy that he enjoyed it so much. I overheard him telling two friends on the phone what I made for him. This may seem old fashioned but, it made me smile. PS I used vegetable pasta and it was really wonderful. PPS Garlic bread isn’t weight conscience but, he was feeling badly and it made him so happy. Thank you for the wonderful recipe. More low calorie recipes please.
The Kitchen Girl says
Arlene, this makes my day! I'm with you … I love low calorie soups so I can eat things like French bread and strike a balance 🙂 Also, surgery is a stressful time and I'm so glad my recipe found its way into your home. Thanks for letting me know
Marina says
My husband had surgery yesterday and this is what I chose to make today too! Looking forward to tasting, it's almost done!
The Kitchen Girl says
What a nice choice of soups for post procedure. Hope your husband heals quickly and hope he enjoys the soup. Thanks!
Ellen says
The soup was so delicious we all loved it! Thanks for posting such a wonderful healthy recipe.
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay Ellen, so glad to be part of your healthy dinner inspiration 🙂 Thanks for letting me know
Jeff says
This Minestrone is going into the rotation! Made it in the Instant Pot last night and the whole house smells amazing. Might even freeze some! Serving it with your French bread is the icing on the cake. Boom!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yayyy! I'm glad you love it as much as I do! The French bread with minestrone is ALWAYS a bonus lol.
Ann says
This was delicious! I did use chicken broth and fire roasted tomatoes. I was careful to cook the vegetables in the broth until they were just tender. Do not over cook.
Traci Antonovich says
So glad you enjoyed it, Ann! Yes, this would be great with those substitutions. Thanks so much for the feedback 🙂
Trish Bozeman says
Ooooh a good minestrone soup recipe is a must have! This one sounds perfect with the short spaghetti noodles and zucchini. My toddler would gobble this up so fast. A must try!
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Trish! Hope your family loves this one like we do 🙂
Marisa F. Stewart says
Every time I see a soup recipe my mouth starts to water. We love our soup and I was brought up on Minestrone soup. I think it's a bowlful of nutrition and taste. You can always make the recipe in your own way and I love the noodles that you use.
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Marisa! Love hearing the feedback...I'm so hooked on Minestrone too 🙂
Annissa says
I love the options you give for customizing this soup! It looks so flavorful. Bone broth is my favorite soup base--so nutritious. I feel like I know so much more about minestrone soup after reading this.
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Annissa! So glad to hear it! 🙂
Dana says
Minestrone is one of my most favorite soups. I've only ever had it with pasta shells, but I'm loving these little cut up spaghetti morsels! I've never even seen them before! I could totally go for a huge bowl of this right now.
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Dana! Yep, these are a winner every time! 🙂
Annemarie says
What a great way to get a big bowl of veggies any time of year! We love minestrone here and I'm always on the lookout for new versions of the classic to try. And I really like your idea to roast the veggies first and give them another layer of flavor.
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Annemarie...always love hearing that! I'm crazy about minestrone and ALL the veggies 🙂
Charity says
I'm still slowly figuring out the Instant Pot. Soups are the one thing I feel 100% comfortable with so I'm looking forward to trying this minestrone. I love that it's packed with veggies because we are trying to eat smarter lately. Thanks!
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Charity...we love hearing that 🙂 Hope you enjoy this soup!
Tracy says
Only 30 minutes! And I love those short noodles- my toddler loved them and definitely made her way more excited about the soup vs. a vegetable soup. Now she only wants this minestrone soup! Thanks for a great recipe!
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Tracy! That makes my day...so glad to hear it! 🙂
Debra says
Totally soup weather here. Thanks for the tips on how to pull this off on a week night. A great way to sneak in some additional veggies!
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Debra! Always love sneaking those veggies in 🙂
Julie Menghini says
That is a beautiful bowl of soup! I like that it includes pasta because my vegetable-resistant crowd will call it a pasta soup instead of a vegetable soup. I'll be making this one on Sunday while another round of snow rolls through. It makes me want to stay home and enjoy the comfort of home!
Traci Antonovich says
Beautifully said, Julie...and thank you! I almost titled it pasta soup LOL, but I went with minestrone 😉 Hope you love this one like we do!
Amanda says
I've had some pretty horrid minestrone's. This is not one of them!! Absolutely delicious!
Didn't have shortcut pasta so just crumbled some long-strand. Only had dried herbs in pantry, so I just let it sit for an hour after turning off the stove. Added leftover oven-baked beans, also from this site. Baked a loaf of damper for dipping. Very hearty and wonderful soup, and much enjoyed.
Thank you! 🙂
Traci Antonovich says
Amanda, you just made my day! Thank you soooo much for this feedback. I'm crazy about this soup and I always love it when someone else discovers it...the oven-baked beans too! I'm making those today due to countless cravings 🙂 Cheers!
Gloria says
I have been making homemade soup for weeks now. Here in Canada, we have been getting so much snow this month, soup is the best thing to warm up from all the shovelling. It has been a long time since I made minestrone. I think it will be next on my list.
Traci Antonovich says
Awesome Gloria! Hope you love this one! 🙂
Liz says
Minestrone soup is one of my favorites, especially when the weather is cold like this! Thank you for the recipe!
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Liz! And you're so very welcome 🙂
Lisa | Garlic & Zest says
First, let me say that your photo has me salivating -- seriously. I've never used fideo in my minestrone, but I love the quick cooking and just the overall look of it. Where do you find fideo?
Traci Antonovich says
Well thank you, Lisa...this makes my day! I get it at my local grocery store (Safeway), but it's not very common. It's def on Amazon 🙂
Sherri says
Some people drool over decadent desserts, but I have to admit I am totally drooling over these gorgeous veggies! Love how easy this soup is to make and how healthy and delicious it is! A perfect meal to satisfy the whole family!
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Sherri! I love those words...thanks for saying so 🙂
Kelly Anthony says
This minestrone soup looks delicious and I wish I had a bowl right now. I love the added dried parsley and oregano.
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Kelly! Love hearing that...those herbs add so much flavor 🙂
Karen @ Seasonal Cravings says
This looks so flavorful and delicious I want to dive right in. I have never put shortcut spaghetti noodles in my minestrone but my kids would love it. Anything with noodles works for them!
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Karen! Yep, the short cut noodles gets everyone eating and loving minestrone soup 🙂