Italian Soup Dishes: Hearty Homemade Minestrone Recipe

Minestrone is a hearty Italian vegetable soup made with beans, seasonal vegetables, pasta, and a savory tomato broth. This flexible version is filling enough for a main meal, and its ingredients can shift with the season or what is already in your kitchen; Italian regions and families have their own variations.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (30 ml)
1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup / 150 g)
2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup / 130 g)
2 celery ribs, diced (about ¾ cup / 90 g)
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon / 9 g)
1 tablespoon tomato paste (16 g)
1 medium zucchini, diced (about 1½ cups / 200 g)
1 cup trimmed green beans, cut into ½-inch pieces (120 g)
1 medium Yukon Gold potato, diced into ½-inch pieces (about 1½ cups / 225 g)
1 can diced tomatoes, including their juices (14.5 ounces / 411 g)
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (1.4 L)
2 cups water (475 ml)
1 teaspoon dried oregano (1 g)
½ teaspoon dried thyme (0.5 g)
1 bay leaf (about 0.2 g)
1 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste (6 g)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (0.5 g)
1 cup small pasta, such as ditalini or small shells (4 ounces / 115 g)
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (15 ounces / 425 g can; about 1½ cups / 255 g drained)
3 packed cups chopped Tuscan kale or baby spinach (about 90 g)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml)
½ cup finely grated Parmesan, for serving (about 45 g; optional)

Instructions

Prepare the vegetables. Dice the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, and potato into small, fairly even pieces so they cook at a similar pace. Trim and cut the green beans, chop the garlic, drain and rinse the beans, and wash and chop the kale if using it. Measure the broth, water, pasta, and seasonings before you start cooking. Allow about 25 minutes for this preparation.
Soften the aromatic vegetables. Set a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once it is warm, stir in the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring every minute or two, until the onion looks translucent and the carrots begin to soften. If the vegetables start to brown quickly, lower the heat; the goal is gentle softening, not crisp edges.
Build the base. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute, just until fragrant and evenly mixed through the vegetables. Add the zucchini and green beans, then cook for 3 minutes, stirring so the vegetables pick up some of the tomato and oil. This brief step starts their cooking without letting the zucchini turn mushy later.
Simmer the vegetables. Stir in the diced tomatoes and their juices, broth, water, potato, oregano, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring the soup to a steady boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot and simmer for 18 minutes, stirring once or twice. Check a potato piece with a fork: it should be nearly tender, but not falling apart.
Cook the pasta and beans. Stir in the pasta and cannellini beans. Keep the soup at a gentle simmer and cook for 9 minutes, or follow the package timing if your pasta shape needs slightly more or less time. Stir occasionally, especially along the bottom of the pot, to prevent pasta from sticking. The pasta should be just al dente because it will soften further as the hot soup stands.
Finish and season. Stir in the kale and cook for 2 minutes, until wilted and tender; baby spinach usually wilts even faster, so add it near the end. Remove the bay leaf, stir in the lemon juice, and taste the broth. Add more salt or pepper if needed. Ladle into warm bowls and offer grated Parmesan at the table. The listed cooking stages take about 41 minutes.

Tips

Cut vegetables evenly. Small, similar-sized pieces cook more consistently and make the soup easier to eat by the spoonful. Keep the potato pieces close to ½ inch; larger pieces may still be firm when the pasta is ready. If you have larger carrots or a particularly firm potato, test them before adding the pasta and give them a few extra minutes if necessary.
Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil can break up the potato and zucchini and make the broth cloudy. Once the pot reaches a boil, lower the heat until you see small, steady bubbles. Stir now and then, but avoid constantly agitating the vegetables.
Adjust the broth rather than overcooking. Pasta absorbs liquid as it sits, and different shapes absorb different amounts. If the soup becomes thicker than you like, add a splash of broth or water when serving or reheating. Taste again after thinning, since the added liquid may call for a small pinch of salt.
Use the beans you have. Cannellini beans are mild and creamy, but drained great northern or navy beans work well too. Rinse canned beans to remove excess canning liquid and salt. If using cooked dried beans, measure about 1½ cups (255 g) in place of the can.

Serving Suggestions

Serve minestrone hot in deep bowls, with Parmesan and a little extra-virgin olive oil for anyone who wants them. A piece of crusty bread, garlic toast, or focaccia is useful for soaking up the tomato broth. For a larger meal, pair the soup with a simple green salad dressed with lemon and olive oil. The soup already contains vegetables, beans, and pasta, so small accompaniments are usually enough.

For a more substantial bowl, add another spoonful of beans or a little extra cheese at the table. If you are serving several people, keep the Parmesan separate so diners can choose how much to add. A small squeeze of lemon just before eating can brighten a bowl that tastes especially rich or has thickened as it stands.

Variations

Minestrone is not a single fixed formula: vegetable choices vary with the season, region, and household. In summer, use ripe zucchini and green beans; in cooler months, try chopped cabbage or extra kale. Add vegetables with similar cooking times together, and give firm vegetables such as potato or cabbage enough time to soften before the pasta goes in. Avoid adding a large amount of watery vegetables at once, which can dilute the broth.

For a gluten-free pot, use a small gluten-free pasta and follow its package timing; some gluten-free shapes soften quickly, so check them early. For a grain-based alternative, use cooked rice or a small pasta substitute and stir it in near the end rather than simmering it for the full pasta time. To make the soup dairy-free, omit the Parmesan or offer a dairy-free alternative. A Parmesan rind can simmer in the broth for extra savory flavor if you have one; remove it before serving. If you do not have one, the soup is still flavorful without it.

You can also leave out the pasta for a bean-and-vegetable soup, or increase the beans by about ½ cup (85 g) for a heartier bowl. If you prefer a thinner, more brothy minestrone, start with an extra 1 cup (240 ml) of broth. These changes affect thickness and texture, so season the finished soup after adjusting the liquid.

Storage and Reheating

Cool the soup promptly and refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking. Store it in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. The pasta will continue to absorb broth, so leftovers will be thicker than freshly served soup. Add a little water or broth when reheating to bring it back to the consistency you like.

Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, or in a microwave-safe bowl in short intervals with a stir between them. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS safe temperature, and check the center with a food thermometer. If freezing, cool and portion the soup into freezer-safe containers, leaving room for expansion; freeze for about 2–3 months for best quality. Pasta may become softer after thawing. For the best texture, freeze the soup before adding pasta and cook fresh pasta when you reheat it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make minestrone ahead of time?
Yes. The broth and vegetables can be cooked a day ahead and refrigerated once cooled. For the best pasta texture, prepare the soup without pasta, then bring it to a simmer and cook the pasta shortly before serving. If you have already cooked everything together, it is still fine to serve later; just expect the pasta to be softer and the broth thicker.

Why did my minestrone turn out too thick?
Pasta and beans take up liquid, particularly while the pot stands or the soup is refrigerated. Stir in warm broth or water a little at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Next time, cook the pasta separately if you want leftovers to remain especially brothy.

Can I use dried beans instead of canned?
Yes, provided the dried beans have already been fully cooked. Use about 1½ cups (255 g) cooked beans in place of the drained can. Add them with the pasta so they warm through without breaking apart. Do not add dry beans directly to this timed recipe: they need separate soaking and cooking, and their cooking time is much longer than the soup’s simmer.

What pasta shape works best?
Small shapes that fit comfortably on a soup spoon are easiest to eat. Ditalini, small shells, elbow macaroni, and small tubular pasta all work. Follow the package cooking time, since shapes and brands differ. If the label calls for a longer simmer than the vegetables need, cook the pasta separately and add it to bowls or the pot just before serving.

Can I make this soup without tomatoes?
You can omit the canned tomatoes and tomato paste, but the result will be a different, lighter vegetable-and-bean soup with less acidity and sweetness. Replace the tomato can with about 1½ cups (355 ml) extra broth, and taste before serving; a little lemon juice can add brightness. Keep the rest of the recipe the same, checking that the vegetables are tender before adding pasta.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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