Minestrone Soup Recipe
A hearty Italian soup with tender-crisp vegetables and small pasta.
What Is in Minestrone Soup?
To make minestrone soup, soften the onion, carrot and celery in olive oil, then simmer them with tomatoes, potato and vegetable stock. Add the green beans and zucchini in stages. Cook the precooked white beans and small pasta toward the end, adding the spinach just before removing the soup from the heat. This keeps the vegetables distinct while creating a flavorful, hearty Italian soup.
- Yield
- A large pot of soup serving 6
- Servings
- 6 servings
- Total time
- 1 hr 10 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Prep time
- 25 min
- Cook time
- 45 min
Ingredients for Minestrone Soup
For the Flavor Base
For the Soup
For Serving
How to Make Minestrone Soup
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01
Cut the Vegetables Evenly
10 minutesCut the onion into small dice and the carrot and potato into approximately 1 cm dice. Thinly slice the celery stalk and crush the garlic. Cut the zucchini into similarly sized pieces and the green beans into 2 cm lengths. Trim and wash the spinach.
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02
Soften the Aromatic Base
8–10 minutesHeat the olive oil in a deep pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened without browning the vegetables.
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03
Cook the Garlic and Tomato Paste
2 minutesAdd the garlic and stir for 30–45 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute, until the raw smell cooks out; do not burn the garlic.
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04
Simmer the Potato Soup Base
15 minutesAdd the potato, canned diced tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and 1.2 liters unsalted vegetable stock. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 15 minutes with the lid slightly ajar.
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05
Add the Zucchini and Green Beans
7 minutesAdd the green beans and zucchini. Cook for 7 minutes, maintaining a gentle simmer. If too much liquid has evaporated, add a small amount of hot water.
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06
Cook the Beans and Pasta
9–10 minutesAdd the fully cooked, drained white beans and 90 g small dried pasta. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring and following the package cooking time; adjust the thickness with hot water if needed.
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07
Finish with Spinach and Seasonings
2 minutesRemove the bay leaf. Add the spinach, fine salt, and black pepper, and stir for about 2 minutes, until the spinach wilts. Taste and adjust with a little hot water or salt if needed.
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08
Serve with Basil and Parmesan
2 minutesDivide the soup among bowls. Sprinkle the chopped fresh basil and 30 g Parmesan cheese evenly among 6 servings, then serve hot.
Mastery Guide
Review the technical details, common mistakes and correct practices that determine the recipe result.
Critical Tips
Add the Pasta at the End
Pasta added too early absorbs too much liquid, becomes soft, and changes the soup’s texture.
Best practice: Add the small pasta to the boiling soup 9–10 minutes before it is done.
Add Vegetables in Order of Firmness
Potatoes and zucchini do not retain the same texture when cooked for the same amount of time.
Best practice: Add the potatoes first, then add the fresh green beans, zucchini, and spinach.
Maintain a Gentle Simmer
A rapid boil breaks up the vegetables and makes the liquid reduce too quickly.
Best practice: Cook the soup at a gentle simmer with only a few bubbles.
Use Cooked Beans
Dried beans take much longer to soften than the pasta and vegetable soup.
Best practice: Add drained, fully cooked beans along with the pasta.
Common Mistakes
Adding the Pasta Too Early and Boiling It Too Long
Boiling cooked pasta for too long makes it fall apart and causes the soup to become too thick.
Best practice: Finish cooking the pasta toward the end, according to the package timing; keep it separate if the soup will sit for a long time.
Burning the Garlic over High Heat
Burned garlic makes the entire vegetable broth bitter.
Best practice: Stir the garlic for 30–45 seconds at the end of sautéing, then add the tomato paste.
Adding Cold Water All at Once
It unnecessarily lowers the temperature of the sautéed base and slows the cooking.
Best practice: If possible, add the unsalted vegetable broth at room temperature or lukewarm.
Using Undercooked Beans
Partially cooked beans may still be firm when the pasta is tender.
Best practice: Use beans that are fully cooked ahead of time.
Why Does This Happen?
Why Does Soffritto Add Depth of Flavor?
Slowly softening the onion, carrot, and celery in oil releases aromatic compounds.
Best practice: Cook the sautéed base for 8–10 minutes without letting it turn dark brown.
Why Does Pasta Thicken the Broth?
Starch released from the cooking pasta moves into the liquid while the pasta absorbs water.
Best practice: Check the consistency; add a small amount of hot water if needed.
Why Do Tomatoes Bring the Flavors Together?
The tomato’s acidity and natural umami balance the flavors of the vegetables and beans.
Best practice: Cook the tomato paste briefly, then cook the chopped tomatoes to remove the raw smell.
Why Is Spinach Added Last?
Leafy greens lose their color and texture during prolonged boiling.
Best practice: Add the spinach during the last 2 minutes and cook just until wilted.
Mayana Tips
Keep the Pasta Separate for the Next Day
Small pasta left in the soup absorbs the broth and becomes overly soft the next day.
Best practice: When preparing ahead, cook the pasta separately and add it to each portion when serving.
Taste Before Serving
The saltiness of the tomatoes, vegetable broth, and cheese can vary by brand.
Best practice: Taste the soup before adding the cheese; add a little salt or hot water if needed.
Change the Seasonal Vegetables
Minestrone does not depend on a fixed list of vegetables.
Best practice: If using seasonal leeks or a small amount of cauliflower instead of zucchini, keep the vegetables in order from firmest to tenderest.
Add the Cheese to the Bowl
If Parmesan boils in the soup for too long, it may lose its flavor and become grainy.
Best practice: Sprinkle the finely grated cheese directly over the hot servings.
Ingredients & Measurements
Use the Beans’ Net Weight
The package weight of canned beans is not the same as their drained weight.
Best practice: Add 240 g drained, rinsed, cooked beans to the soup.
Choose Small Pasta
Large pasta shapes do not fit on the same spoonful as the vegetables and cook at a different rate.
Best practice: Use about 90 g dry pasta, such as pearl pasta or ditalini.
Choose Unsalted Vegetable Stock
Prepared vegetable stock and Parmesan can make the soup too salty together.
Best practice: Start with 1,2 liters unsalted vegetable stock, then adjust the salt before serving.
Cut Similar-Size Cubes
A large potato and very small pieces of zucchini will not cook at the same rate.
Best practice: Cut the potatoes, carrots and zucchini into pieces about 1 cm in size, keeping them similar in size.
Cooking Techniques
Use the Soffritto Technique
Onion, carrot and celery slowly absorb the oil and create a balanced flavor base.
Best practice: Cook over medium-low heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring and watching closely without allowing the color to darken.
Simmer in Stages
If firm and tender vegetables go in at the same time, they will not reach the right texture together.
Best practice: Cook the potato base first, then add the green beans and zucchini.
Watch the Pasta as It Cooks
The cooking time may vary by a few minutes depending on the type of pasta.
Best practice: Add it during the final 8–10 minutes, then turn off the heat when it remains slightly firm to the bite.
Wilt the Leafy Greens
Spinach needs only brief heating.
Best practice: Add it to the pot during the final 2 minutes and stir to preserve its color.
How to Store and Make Minestrone Soup Ahead
- Serving temperature
Serve hot; if holding the soup, keep it hot at 60°C or above or cool it quickly.
- Best resting time
Letting the soup rest for 5 minutes after cooking helps the flavors balance, but this resting time is not required.
- Refrigerator storage
Divide the large pot into small, shallow containers and refrigerate it within 2 hours; store at 4°C or below for 3–4 days. The pasta may soften.
- Room-temperature limit
Do not leave the soup at room temperature for more than 2 hours; if the room is above 32°C, use the 1-hour limit.
- Freezing
For the best texture, freeze the soup base without the pasta in portions for approximately 2–3 months; the texture of the beans and some vegetables may change.
- Thawing method
Preferably thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator; in an emergency, you can reheat it directly in a pot.
- Reheating
When needed, add a little hot water and bring the soup to a boil; when reheating leftovers, make sure they reach an internal temperature of at least 74°C.
- Make-ahead steps
You can prepare the vegetable-and-bean base 1 day ahead; cooking the pasta separately and combining it just before serving helps preserve its texture.
- Serving suggestion
Add the basil and finely grated Parmesan after ladling the soup into bowls.
Nutrition
1 serving: 1/6 of the recipe; including serving additions
Calculated approximately for six servings, including the vegetables, beans, pasta, olive oil and cheese served with the soup. Values are approximate calculations based on standard product averages and may vary depending on the ingredients used.
Frequently Asked Questions About Minestrone Soup
What kind of beans are used in minestrone soup?
You can use cannellini beans or thoroughly cooked dried beans. The drained, cooked amount should be 240 grams.
When should pasta be added to minestrone soup?
Once the potatoes and other firm vegetables have softened substantially, add the small dried pasta during the final 8–10 minutes of cooking.
Why does minestrone soup become too thick?
Pasta and beans contain starch, and the pasta absorbs the soup as it sits. Thin it with a little hot water, or store the pasta separately for the next day.
Can it be made with fresh tomatoes?
Yes. You can use approximately 400–450 grams of chopped, ripe tomatoes when they are in season, but adjust the seasoning at the end because their moisture and acidity may vary.
Can minestrone soup be made without meat?
This recipe's soup base contains no meat and uses unsalted vegetable broth. It contains no dairy if you do not add cheese; for vegan diets, check all product labels.
Can minestrone soup be frozen?
Yes. For the best texture, freeze the soup base without the pasta in individual containers. Reheat the thawed soup safely and add fresh pasta.
Can I make minestrone soup a day ahead?
Yes. Prepare the vegetable and bean soup base and store it in the refrigerator; cook the pasta separately and combine it just before serving.
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