Classic Minestrone Soup

A Classic Minestrone Soup loaded with vegetables, beans, pasta and flavorful tomato broth. Serve topped with a spoonful of basil pesto, a sprinkle with parmesan and a side of grilled bread.

Course Soups, Stews & Chilis

Cuisine Italian

Keyword beans, homemade, minestrone, pasta, spring, vegetables, vegetarian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Servings servings

Calories 189

Author Laurie McNamara

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
3 short stalks celery diced
2 carrots diced
1 zucchini diced
1 medium yellow onion diced
4 cloves garlic minced
kosher salt
6 ounces canned tomato paste
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
8 ounces canned tomato sauce
15 ounces canned diced tomatoes
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth if vegetarian (2 quarts)
15 ounces canned cannellini beans drained and rinsed
15 ounces canned dark red kidney beans drained and rinsed
2 cups cut green beans frozen - no need to thaw
6 ounces dried short pasta like cavatelli or orecchiette
3 handfulls (or 3 cup) fresh spinach (not baby) coarsely chopped

FOR SERVING:

basil pesto
parmesan cheese freshly grated
8 slices grilled bread for serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large dutch oven add olive oil, diced celery, carrots, onion, zucchini and garlic with a generous pinch of kosher salt.
Stir, cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
Next add the tomato paste, italian seasoning, dried thyme and rubbed sage. Stir and cook 1 minute.
Add in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes (and juices), low-sodium chicken broth, red kidney beans, cannellini beans, (frozen) cut green beans and 1 bay leaf.
Stir well to combine, cover and increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to simmer and add in 6 ounces short pasta, like cavatelli or orecchiette. Simmer the soup on medium-low to low heat witht the lide askew for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally, making sure the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
When the pasta is cooked, chop up 3 generous handfuls of spinach (remove and discard stems) and add that into the pot of soup. Stir until wilted.
Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste and season with kosher salt and black pepper to preference. For me, I measured 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and a heaping 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. I eyeball the black pepper because it's freshy ground.
Ladle soup into wide shallow bowls and top with a dollop of basil pesto and some freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Serve with grilled bread or soup crackers.

Nutrition