Hearty Italian Vegetable Soup (Printable)

Italian vegetable soup with pasta, beans, tomatoes, and aromatic herbs. Comforting and wholesome in 50 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, diced
03 - 2 celery stalks, diced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
08 - 1 cup baby spinach or chopped kale

→ Base & Liquids

09 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
10 - 6 cups vegetable broth
11 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Pasta & Beans

12 - 3/4 cup small pasta such as ditalini or elbow
13 - 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini or kidney beans, drained and rinsed

→ Herbs & Seasonings

14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
17 - 1 bay leaf
18 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
19 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, diced zucchini, and green beans. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until fragrant and partially tender.
03 - Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth, oregano, basil, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
04 - Add pasta and drained beans to the simmering broth. Cook for 10 minutes or until pasta reaches al dente texture.
05 - Stir in spinach or kale and fresh parsley. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until greens are wilted and tender.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls, garnish with additional parsley, and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and actually tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup and maximum flavor, so you can spend time eating instead of scrubbing.
  • The vegetables soften just enough to be comforting without turning into mush, which took me longer to figure out than I'd like to admit.
02 -
  • Don't skip the soffritto step where you soften the onion celery and carrots, this is what gives minestrone its soul and it actually can't be rushed.
  • The pasta will continue to absorb liquid as the soup sits, so if you're making it ahead, you might need to add more broth when you reheat it.
03 -
  • Brown the tomato paste in the oil for just a minute before adding the broth, this deepens the flavor in a way that feels like a secret shortcut.
  • Save the pasta water and add a splash to the finished soup if it's too thick, the starch actually helps bring everything together.
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