Classic Minestrone Soup

Name: Classic Minestrone Soup
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large (about 1½ cups) (200 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 3 medium (250 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 3 medium (150 g) celery stalks, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 4 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste; 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano; 1 can (28 oz) (794 g) canned diced tomatoes, with their juices; 6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth; 1 piece (about 2 inches / 5 cm) (30 g) Parmesan rind (optional); 1 leaf (1 g) bay leaf; 1 medium (170 g) Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 1 can (15 oz) (425 g) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; 2 medium (350 g) zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced ½ inch (1 cm) thick; 1 cup (100 g) green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; ¾ cup (100 g) small pasta such as ditalini or small shells; 3 cups (loosely packed) (90 g) baby spinach, roughly chopped; kosher salt, to taste, about 1 teaspoon to start; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced; ½ cup (40 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated; 2 teaspoons (10 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A hearty Italian vegetable soup with cannellini beans, zucchini, carrots, celery and small pasta in a savory tomato broth, finished with Parmesan and fresh basil.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 45 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Makes: About 3 quarts (6 large bowls)

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Ingredients

6 servings

3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large (about 1½ cups) (200 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
3 medium (250 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
3 medium (150 g) celery stalks, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
4 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano
1 can (28 oz) (794 g) canned diced tomatoes, with their juices
6 cups (1420 ml) low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 piece (about 2 inches / 5 cm) (30 g) Parmesan rind (optional)
1 leaf (1 g) bay leaf
1 medium (170 g) Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
1 can (15 oz) (425 g) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 medium (350 g) zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced ½ inch (1 cm) thick
1 cup (100 g) green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
¾ cup (100 g) small pasta such as ditalini or small shells
3 cups (loosely packed) (90 g) baby spinach, roughly chopped
kosher salt, to taste, about 1 teaspoon to start
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
To finish
¼ cup (10 g) fresh basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced
½ cup (40 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
2 teaspoons (10 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Equipment (5)

6-quart (5.5 L) heavy-bottomed soup pot with lid
Wooden spoon
Chef's knife and cutting board
Ladle
Fine grater or microplane

Steps

Before you start

Chop all vegetables before you turn on the heat; the soup moves quickly once the onion is in the pot.
Drain and rinse the canned beans well to remove the starchy canning liquid, which can make the broth cloudy.
Keep the Parmesan rind if you have one; it adds deep savory flavor to the broth.
If you plan to store leftovers, read the storage note: the pasta absorbs broth, so you may want to cook it separately.

1
Sauté the base
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a 6-quart (5.5 L) heavy soup pot over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add the onion, carrots and celery with a generous pinch of salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and soft, and carrots have slightly softened without browning.
Tip: Keep the heat at medium; browning the vegetables changes the clean, sweet flavor of the soup.
2
Bloom aromatics
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste and oregano.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes so the paste darkens slightly.
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Ready when: Paste turns brick red and the pot smells fragrant and sweet.
Tip: If the garlic starts to brown, lower the heat immediately; burnt garlic turns bitter.
3
Add broth and tomatoes
- Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices and the broth.
- Add the Parmesan rind, bay leaf and potato.
- Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break steadily across the surface.
4
Simmer the foundation
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: A piece of potato and carrot is nearly tender when pierced with a fork.
Tip: Aim for a gentle simmer with small bubbles, not a hard boil.
5
Add beans and vegetables
- Stir in the cannellini beans, zucchini and green beans.
- Return to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Zucchini is tender but still holds its shape; green beans are bright and just tender.
6
Cook the pasta
- Stir in the pasta and cook at a steady simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick to the bottom, until the pasta is just al dente (tender with a slight bite in the center).
- Add up to 1 cup (240 ml) hot water if the soup looks too thick.
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Ready when: Pasta is tender with a slight bite; it will keep softening as it sits.
Tip: Pull the pot a minute early if serving later, since pasta keeps absorbing broth.
7
Wilt the spinach
- Stir in the spinach and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until wilted.
- Remove and discard the bay leaf and any remaining Parmesan rind.
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Ready when: Spinach is dark green and fully collapsed.
8
Season and rest
- Season with salt and several grinds of black pepper, starting with 1 teaspoon of salt, tasting and adjusting.
- Turn off the heat and let the soup rest for 5 minutes so the flavors meld.
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Ready when: Soup tastes savory and balanced, not flat; if flat, add more salt a pinch at a time.
Tip: Season at the end; the broth, canned tomatoes and Parmesan all add salt as the soup cooks.
9
Serve
- Ladle into warm bowls.
- Top each with torn basil, a spoonful of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and a drizzle of olive oil.

Good to know

Tips

Cut the vegetables to a similar size so everything cooks evenly and fits on a spoon.
Stir in a spoonful of basil pesto at serving for extra freshness.
Add the vegetables in stages as written so none turn mushy.
If the soup is too thick after resting, thin it with hot broth or water and re-season.

Make ahead

Make the soup through step 5 up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat to a simmer, then cook the pasta and add the spinach just before serving. Alternatively, cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container; the pasta will soften and absorb broth, so thin with a splash of broth or water when reheating. Freezer: up to 3 months (best frozen without pasta). Reheat gently in a pot over medium-low heat until steaming hot, stirring occasionally.

Substitutions

cannellini beans → Canned great northern beans or chickpeas. Use the same quantity, drained and rinsed.
small pasta such as ditalini or small shells → Small gluten-free pasta or 1 cup cooked rice. Gluten-free pasta cooks faster, so check 2 minutes early; stir in cooked rice at the end.
baby spinach → Chopped kale or Swiss chard. Add with the pasta, since they need about 8 minutes to become tender.
Parmigiano-Reggiano → Pecorino Romano or nutritional yeast. Pecorino is saltier, so use slightly less; omit the Parmesan rind for a vegan version.