Minestrone Soup (2024)

Minestrone Soup is the sort of soup that keeps life interesting – it’s filled to the brim with a variety of vegetables, potato, beans and pasta, in a thick tomato broth that’s full of savoury flavour. Nobody ever leaves the table dissatisfied after hoovering down a bowl of this!

Minestrone Soup (1)

Minestrone Soup

It’s hearty, it’s chunky, it comes fully loaded and the savoury tomato soup broth is full of flavour thanks to a few extra little touches that make all the difference: bacon sautéed until golden, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and the final touch – parmesan stirredin the soup as well as sprinkled on top.

So if you’ve ever made and been unimpressed by a Minestrone Soup before – I promise you, this one will not disappoint! (Because I’ve been there too, which is essentially why I ended up just creating my own. 😇)

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What goes in Minestrone Soup

Fair warning – I put everything but the kitchen sink in my minestrone soup! 😂 I like mine with lots of variety. But actually, it means the add ins for minestrone soup are highly customisable (circled in the photo below).

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Thesecret ingredients for the minestrone soup broth are bacon, parmesan and Worcestershire sauce, and a touch of tomato paste which thickens the broth nicely as well has driving home the tomato flavour. Together, they add extra flavour that takes what can sometimes be a prettymeh! soup into give me seconds! Thirds!

Best pasta for Minestrone Soup?

Small pasta works best for easier eating and also they don’t bloat as much as large pasta (like rigatoni) when leftovers are left in the broth.

I used Ditalini (very small tubes, pictured above) but any small pasta works fine – try tiny shells, risoni / orzo, small macaroni or even alphabet or tiny star shaped pasta!

How to makeMinestrone Soup

There’s no denying there’s a fair amount of veggie chopping involved, but the good news is that the cooking part all happens in one pot!

After sautéing the bacon, garlic and onion, the veggies get added in the time it takes to cook. So if you’re customising your add ins – and I thoroughly encourage you to – start with the vegetables that can hold up to long cook times first, and faster cooking vegetables last.

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PRO TIP:Cook the pasta to just before al dente– take the pot off the stove at the recommended cook time per packet MINUS 1 1/2 minutes. The pasta will finish cooking in the residual heat to perfect al dente, then the pasta will hold up fine even stored IN the broth for 2 to 3 days. It does soften more butit doesn’t go unpleasantly mushy.

Using small pasta also helps with this (larger pasta and long string pasta bloats more, breaks apart etc).

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What to serve with Minestrone Soup

The nice thing about Minestrone Soup is that it comes fully loaded with plenty of vegetables (not just the chopped fresh vegetables, but also the canned tomato and onion counts towards your daily veg intake!) plus starch (beans, pasta, potato).

So it’s a complete meal in a bowl that’s hearty, satisfying, and keeps you full. And pretty healthy too, if you opt for lean bacon!

But nobody says no to crusty bread for dunking – especially if it’s warm and slathered in butter. Try this crustyArtisan Bread (pretty sure it’s officially the world’s easiest yeast bread recipe). And if you’re out of yeast, try this no yeast Sandwich Bread, Irish Soda Bread or Flatbread – all easy, all terrific! – Nagi x

Breads to serve withMinestrone Soup

Watch how to make it

Note on video error! One of the cans of tomato I tipped into the pot was WHOLE tomato instead of crushed. So off camera, I stuck my hand into the pot and crushed them myself. 😂

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Minestrone Soup (12)

Minestrone Soup

Author: Nagi

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 45 minutes mins

Mains, Soup

American-Italian, Italian, Western

4.95 from 98 votes

Servings5 - 6 people

Tap or hover to scale

Recipe video above. The heartiest of all chunky soups, filled with anything your heart desires! While the add ins are endlessly customisable, stick with the soup broth recipe because I've made it extra tasty!

* Asterix marked items can be substituted with any cookable vegetables, 6 cups in total.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 150g / 5oz bacon , finely chopped
  • 1 onion , chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 800g/ 28oz crushed tomato (or 700g passata)
  • 2 cups chicken stock/broth , low sodium
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 400g/ 14oz canned kidney beans , drained
  • 1 tsp EACH salt and pepper
  • 1 cup small pasta , like ditalini, tiny shells, risoni/orzo, baby macaroni, alphabet or star pasta
  • 1/4 cup parmesan , grated

Minestrone Vegetables (Note 1):

  • 1 celery rib* , chopped 1.5cm / 1/2" pieces
  • 1 large carrot* , peeled and diced 1.5cm / 1/2" pieces
  • 1 zucchini* , chopped 1.5cm / 1/2" pieces
  • 1 potato* , cut into 1.5cm / 1/2" pieces (peel if needed)
  • 100g / 3oz green beans* , trimmed then cut into 2cm / 3/5" lengths
  • 2oz/ 60g baby spinach (or frozen spinach, kale or similar - can leave out)

For serving - optional:

  • More parmesan
  • Chopped parsley
  • Crusty bread for dunking!

Instructions

  • Heat oil over high heat in a very large pot.

  • Add bacon, cook until starting to turn golden (~2 min) then add garlic and onion.

  • Cook until onion is translucent and bacon is light golden ~ 2minutes.

  • Add carrot, celery and zucchini. Stir for 1 minute to coat in flavour.

  • Add crushed tomato, chicken stock, water, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, kidney beans, salt and pepper.

  • Stir, bring to simmer, then place lid on and adjust heat so it's simmering gently.

  • Simmer 20 minutes, then add potato and beans.

  • Simmer 5 minutes, then add pasta. Cook for time per pasta packet MINUS 1 1/2 minutes.

  • Remove from stove, stir through parmesan and baby spinach. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.

  • Serve, garnished with extra parmesan and a sprinkle of parsley if desired. Warm crusty bread on the side would certainly be the cherry on top!

Recipe Notes:

Any vegetables -use any vegetables you want that are suitable for cooking in soup form. Add them into the pot based on how long they take to cook.

Vegetarian option -skip the bacon, use vegetable rather than chicken stock. Then give the broth a flavour bump with one of these options:

  • Increase parmesan to 3/4 cup (75g)
  • Add 2 tsp Vegeta(or other vegetable stock powder) instead of salt (then add salt at end to taste)
  • (For meat free vegetarians) Use 3 anchovies (finely chopped) or 2 tsp anchovy paste - add it halfway through cooking onion, it will dissolve. Adds a good hit of umami into broth, no sign of fishiness once simmered

Storage -if you use small pasta and cook it for 1 1/2 minutes less than per packet time (as per recipe directions), then it keeps fine in the soup broth. Keeps for 3 to 4 days - pasta does absorb liquid so it gets thicker, almost stew like. You can add a bit of water to thin it out, but not too much because it will dilute flavour. Consider it a soup on day 1, Minestrone Stew on day 2 and beyond!

Freezes well too - cool, freeze, thaw, reheat using preferred method.

Nutrition is for 5 people (VERY big bowl!) assigning lean bacon is used.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 394cal (20%)Carbohydrates: 46g (15%)Protein: 23g (46%)Fat: 14g (22%)Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)Cholesterol: 33mg (11%)Sodium: 1373mg (60%)Potassium: 911mg (26%)Fiber: 8g (33%)Sugar: 7g (8%)Vitamin A: 3617IU (72%)Vitamin C: 19mg (23%)Calcium: 144mg (14%)Iron: 4mg (22%)

Keywords: chunky soup, Minestrone Soup, winter soup

Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

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Minestrone Soup (23)

Minestrone Soup (2024)

FAQs

What is Olive Garden's minestrone soup made of? ›

2 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained 2 (15 ounce) cans small white beans or 2 (15 ounce) cans great northern beans, drained 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes 1/2 cup carrot (julienned or shredded) 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper ...

What is minestrone made of? ›

This favorite Italian soup is made with fresh seasonal vegetables, often with the addition of pasta or rice. Common ingredients include beans, onions, celery, carrots, stock, and tomatoes. There is no set recipe for minestrone, since it is usually made out of whatever vegetables are in season.

What's the difference between minestrone and vegetable soup? ›

Minestrone soup is unique because it typically includes beans, pasta, or rice, as well as vegetables, and the ingredients are always left chunky (it's never blended), making it a heartier option. Vegetable soups are usually simpler and don't typically include beans or pasta, and you could have a blended vegetable soup.

What is the difference between minestrone and fa*gioli? ›

The answer is that traditionally, yes, there's a difference, even if you can't spot it right away. While Pasta e fa*gioli tends to be a thick and hearty bowl of beans and pasta, the thing it lacks is chunks of veggies. That's where Minestrone comes in…to fill the veggie void left by its country cousin.

What is the thickening agent for minestrone? ›

Use Tomato Paste For A Hearty, Thick Minestrone

Tomato paste is commonly used as a thickening agent for soups, sauces, stews, and chilis. Think of it as a concentrated tomato sauce that imparts a savory flavor to dishes. You can prepare it at home or buy it in a tube and mix it with other food ingredients as needed.

What is the most popular soup at Olive Garden? ›

Zuppa Toscana – Olive Garden Copycat (VIDEO) Zuppa Toscana is Olive Garden's most popular soup. This one-pot, homemade Zuppa Toscana recipe is hearty and loaded with Italian sausage, kale, bacon and potatoes.

Why is minestrone soup so good? ›

Made with lots of vegetables, greens and various beans, this dish can provide you with super nutrients that slow aging and help you stay fit. Minestrone has always been a symbol of traditional Italian cuisine and the Mediterranean diet. Made with vegetables, greens and beans, it is a super-healthy mixture.

Does minestrone soup contain potatoes? ›

This Vegetarian Minestrone Soup is a classic Italian dish that's comforting, nutritious, and packed with hearty, wholesome ingredients like leeks, beans, and potatoes.

How to make minestrone soup Gordon Ramsay? ›

Method:
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the onions, carrots, celery and some seasoning. ...
  2. Add the thyme, bay leaf and bacon. ...
  3. Tip in the borlotti beans and cherry tomatoes, then pour in the chicken stock or water to cover. ...
  4. Add the spaghetti and cook for 10 minutes.
Nov 6, 2023

What's in Campbell's minestrone soup? ›

Each satisfying spoonful of Campbell's® Condensed Minestrone Soup brims with a bounty of farm-grown veggies—from carrots, potatoes, green beans, peas, tomatoes, zucchini and more! —combined with beans and enriched pasta shells. You'll find comfort in this Italian classic.

How to make canned minestrone soup better? ›

Frozen peas and carrots add heft to minestrone soup. You can boost the veg load of a basic chicken noodle soup with some frozen carrots, onions, or corn. There's also no shame in adding more vegetables to vegetable and barley soup. Lastly, if you plan to buy vegetables to add to your soup, look toward the leafy greens.

What is a thick vegetable soup called? ›

To make potage, you take a variety of vegetables that you grow together in your garden add some meat and then boil it all together with water to form a thick mush. Similar to potage is pottage. Pottage is an ancient thick soup made by boiling vegetables and grains.

What is Olive Garden minestrone soup made of? ›

This is one of our favorite Olive Garden™ soups!! The recipe is budget-friendly and can be customized based on what you have on hand. Fresh vegetables, red and white beans, and tender pasta are simmered in a rich tomato broth for a hearty, filling meal.

Do Italians eat minestrone? ›

The tradition of not losing rural roots continues today, and minestrone is now known in Italy as belonging to the style of cooking called "cucina povera" ('the cuisine of the poor'), meaning dishes that have rustic, rural roots, as opposed to "cucina nobile" ('the cuisine of the nobles'), or the cooking style of the ...

Why is minestrone soup called minestrone? ›

Minestrone comes from the word minestra, which means soup in Italian. There are written recipes describing Minestrone as early as 30 A.D. That is almost 2,000 years ago. A cookbook called De Re Coquinaria has a recipe called Polus which could have been the original classic Italian minestrone.

Is Olive Garden minestrone soup healthy? ›

In terms of calories, the minestrone soup at Olive Garden is the lightest option at just 110 calories per bowl. The soup only has 1 gram of fat and no saturated or trans fat. The entree also has no cholesterol, 5 grams of protein, packs 4 grams of sugar, has 17 grams of carbs, and 4 grams of fiber.

Does Olive Garden minestrone soup have pork? ›

Does Olive Garden minestrone soup have meat in it? Olive Garden Minestrone is vegetarian and even vegan as long as you don't sprinkle the cheese in the dish. No meat is present in this soup, and as long as you use vegetable broth you will keep this hearty soup vegetarian/vegan.

Is the soup at Olive Garden made fresh? ›

10% delivery fee up to $500, then 5% for every dollar thereafter. Our soup and sauce masters create dishes by hand and from scratch, every day. With fresh, whole ingredients like kale, peppers and squash.

Why is minestrone soup healthy? ›

Made with lots of vegetables, greens and various beans, this dish can provide you with super nutrients that slow aging and help you stay fit. Minestrone has always been a symbol of traditional Italian cuisine and the Mediterranean diet. Made with vegetables, greens and beans, it is a super-healthy mixture.

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