There's something about a big pot of soup bubbling away on the stove that just makes everything feel right. Last winter, I was staring at a fridge full of random vegetables and thought — why not throw them all into one pot? That's basically how my love for minestrone soup started. And honestly? It turned out to be one of the best things I've ever made.
This homemade minestrone soup is loaded with colorful veggies, kidney beans, and ditalini pasta, all simmered in a rich tomato broth. It's warm, it's cozy, and it comes together faster than you'd think. Emily actually asked for seconds the first time I made it, which almost never happens with soup.
If you love a good hearty bowl, you might also want to check out my Tuscan White Bean and Kale Soup — it's another one of those feel-good recipes that hits the spot on a cold day.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Minestrone Soup
- Ingredients For Homemade Minestrone Soup
- How To Make The Best Minestrone Soup
- Storage And Reheating
- Tips And Variations For Your Minestrone Soup
- Frequently Asked Questions About Minestrone Soup
- Recipes You May Like
- A Warm Bowl Of Minestrone Soup Is Always A Good Idea
- Minestrone Soup
Why You Will Love This Minestrone Soup
- Ready in about 45 minutes from start to finish — perfect for a weeknight dinner
- Packed with fiber-rich vegetables and protein from kidney beans
- The tomato-based broth is light but still feels filling and satisfying
- You can swap veggies based on what's sitting in your fridge (no judgment!)
- It's a true one pot soup recipe — less mess, less stress
- Tastes even better the next day once all those flavors get to know each other
Ingredients For Homemade Minestrone Soup
- 2 Tbsp. light olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
Vegetables:
- ¾ cup onion, diced medium
- 1 ½ cups carrots, washed, peeled, and diced (2 large)
- 1 cup celery, washed and diced (2 stalks)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup potato, washed, peeled, and cut into small cubes (1 small)
- 1 cup fresh green beans, washed and cut into ½" pieces
- 1 cup zucchini, washed and quartered with skin on (1 medium)
- 2 cups baby spinach, washed and roughly chopped
Pantry Items and Spices:
- 15 oz. diced tomatoes with liquid
- 3 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 ½ cups tomato sauce (try to find one with very low sugar or make your own)
- 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (I used red)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
- Fresh parmesan cheese, shaved or grated
How To Make The Best Minestrone Soup
Sauté The Vegetables
- Add the olive oil to a large stockpot over medium heat. When it's warm, drop in the butter and let it foam up. Add the onions and sauté for about 4 minutes.
- Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Toss in the diced carrots and celery. Sauté for another 4 minutes, stirring often so nothing sticks.
- Season again with a pinch of salt and pepper. Then add the garlic, oregano, basil, Italian seasoning, and sugar. Give it all a good stir.
Build The Broth
- Pour in the broth, water, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Bring everything to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer and add the potatoes, kidney beans, green beans, and zucchini. Partially cover the pot with a lid. Let the soup simmer for 25 minutes or until the carrots and green beans are fork tender.
- Taste for seasonings and adjust if it needs a little more salt or pepper.
Add The Finishing Touches
- Stir in the baby spinach and simmer (partially covered) for 5 more minutes. The spinach will wilt down quickly — don't worry if it looks like a lot at first.
- Cook the ditalini pasta separately according to package directions. Ladle the soup over the pasta in each bowl. (Trust me on this — keeping the pasta separate is the move.)
- Top with fresh shaved parmesan cheese and serve right away!
Storage And Reheating
Store the soup and the pasta in separate containers in the fridge. This is important because the pasta will soak up all the broth if you store them together. Nobody wants mushy pasta, right?
The soup keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you're ready to eat, reheat the soup on the stove over medium heat and cook a fresh batch of pasta if needed.
For longer storage, freeze the soup (without the pasta) in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge and warm it up the next day. The flavors actually get better after sitting for a while.
Tips And Variations For Your Minestrone Soup
- Switch up the beans. Cannellini beans, chickpeas, or navy beans all work great in this recipe. I've tried chickpeas before, and they added a nice nutty bite.
- Add some greens. Kale holds up really well if you want something heartier than spinach. Just add it a few minutes earlier since it takes longer to soften.
- Make it low-carb. Skip the pasta entirely. The soup is still thick and filling without it. I did this once when we were trying to eat lighter, and nobody even noticed.
- Spice it up. A pinch of red pepper flakes adds a nice little kick. Emily isn't a fan of spicy food, so I add it to my own bowl instead.
- Ever tried adding a parmesan rind to the broth while it simmers? It melts into the soup and adds this amazing depth. I learned this the hard way after throwing out rinds for years!
- Use whatever vegetables you have. Corn, peas, butternut squash — they all work. That's the beauty of a good vegetable minestrone soup.
Frequently Asked Questions About Minestrone Soup
Yes! Store the soup and pasta separately in the fridge for up to 3 days to prevent the pasta from getting mushy.
Absolutely — freeze it without the pasta for up to 3 months, then cook fresh pasta when reheating.
Small pasta shapes like elbow macaroni, small shells, or orzo work as great substitutes.
Yes, it's packed with fiber-rich vegetables, kidney beans for protein, and a light tomato-based broth, making it a nutritious and low-calorie meal.
Recipes You May Like
- Slow Cooker Beef Stew — another warm, cozy one-pot meal that's perfect for chilly evenings.
- Loaded Baked Potato Soup — thick, creamy, and so satisfying when you want something extra comforting.
- Classic Chili Con Carne — if you love bean-based soups, this hearty chili is a must-try.
A Warm Bowl Of Minestrone Soup Is Always A Good Idea
Making minestrone soup from scratch is one of those things that sounds fancy but is actually so simple. You chop up some veggies, toss everything into one pot, and let the stove do the work. It's the kind of recipe that makes your whole house smell amazing.
I make this at least once a month during the colder months, and it never gets old. Emily even helps me chop the zucchini now (she's getting pretty good with a butter knife!).
Give this recipe a try and let me know how it turns out! Drop a comment below with your favorite veggie combo, and don't forget to save this to Pinterest so you can find it next time soup season rolls around.
Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Add the oil to a LARGE stockpot over medium heat. When warm, add the butter and allow it to foam. Add the onions and sauté for 4 minutes.
- Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add the diced carrots and celery and sauté an additional 4 minutes, stirring often.
- Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the garlic, oregano, basil, Italian seasonings and sugar. Stir to combine.
- Add the broth, water, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the potatoes, beans, green beans and zucchini. Partially cover the pot with a lid and allow the soup to simmer for 25 minutes or until the carrots and green beans are fork tender.
- Taste for seasonings and adjust if necessary.
- Lastly, add the spinach and simmer (partially covered) 5 more minutes.
- Before serving, cook pasta according to instructions and ladle soup over the pasta in a bowl.
- Top with fresh shaved Parmesan cheese.
