This veggie-packed, herby noodle dish is the classicminestrone soupyou love with simple ingredients and flavors, perfect with some grated parmesan on top!

minestrone soup in a white bowl with blue rim on a blue and white checkered towel

Have you had minestrone before?It’s a classic Italian soup that is chock-full of colorful veggies, hearty beans, yummy herbs, and the tastiest finale ever: noodles! So it’s definitely filling and filled with flavor, but it’s also super healthy thanks to all that veggie power loaded into it. I love a classic minestrone on cool evenings when all you want is a big bowl of something warm and homemade.

Don’t let the ingredients list intimidate you!It’s all hearty vegetables and flavorful herbs with beans, broth, and noodles to even it out. It’s a comforting soup that’s super easy to make any night of the week. It’s good enough to eat solo (and get seconds), or pair it with a simple sidesaladand a piece ofcrusty, rustic bread, perfect for dipping.

ladle filled with classic minestrone soup over a pot of soup

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Versatile Ingredients: You can customize the soup with whatever vegetables you have on hand. It’s a great way to use up leftover produce and clean out your refrigerator.
Vegetarian Friendly: This recipe is naturally vegetarian. It’s great for those times when you need a meatless meal.
Comfort Food: There’s just something incredibly comforting about a warm bowl of homemade soup.

Ingredients

Olive Oil
Onion
Carrots
Celery
Tomato Paste
Garlic
Oregano
Thyme
Vegetable Broth
Canned Diced Tomatoes:the large can, 28 ounces
Water
Mixed Seasonal Vegetables:Potatoes, Yellow Squash, Zucchini, Green Beans and/or Peas all work
Bay Leaves
Salt & Pepper
Small Pasta:such as small shells, orecchiette, or elbow macaroni
Great Northern Beans or Cannellini Beans:1 can or 1 ½ cups home cooked beans
Baby Spinach or Kale
Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese:for garnishing – delicious but optional.

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities

how to make minestrone soup collage image

How to Make Classic Minestrone Soup

Step #1.Heat oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook until tender. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, oregano, and thyme.

Step #3.Bring the soup to a boil and simmer until the vegetables are tender. Add the pasta and cook another 10 minutes, stirring often, until pasta is cooked.

Step #2.Add the broth, diced tomatoes, and water. Stir in the seasonal vegetables, bay leaves, and salt.

Step #4.Add the beans and spinach or kale and simmer 5 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with parmesan if desired.

Recipe FAQs

What is minestrone soup?

Minestrone soup is a thick Italian soup made with a bunch of veggies, beans, and usually either rice or pasta (or sometimes both!). There’s not one set recipe for minestrone because it’s sort of one of those everything-but-the-kitchen-sink recipes, which is great news for easy dinners and clearing out the pantry!

Where does minestrone soup come from?

Minestrone originated in Italy. The name literally means “big soup” and that is the perfect description of it! It’s thick, rich, hearty, and full of great flavors and bunches of fresh ingredients.

What vegetables are in this minestrone soup recipe?

Common vegetables in a classic minestrone include onions, celery, carrots, and tomatoes, but you can throw in anything you like and have around! This is a great soup to use what you like, add veggies that are in season, and clean out the vegetable drawer with. I’ve never made a batch of minestrone soup that I didn’t like.

What spices do you put in minestrone soup?

Minestrone is definitely a herbaceous soup and has garlic, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper in it to give it that classic Italian flavor!

Can you make minestrone soup in the Instant Pot?

You can! Set it to the high sauté setting and add the olive oil, onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until onion is tender. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, oregano, and thyme, and stir for another 1 minute. Stir in vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, water, mixed seasonal veggies, salt, bay leaves, pepper, pasta, and beans, and select the manual setting. Adjust pressure to high and set timer for 5 minutes. After it’s finished cooking, quick-release the pressure. Stir in the spinach or kale and season with salt and pepper to taste! Serve hot with fresh grated parmesan on top.

Can you make minestrone soup in the crock pot?

Minestrone in the slow cooker is the easiest thing ever! Simply add all the ingredients to the crock pot, minus the spinach or kale, and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours. Stir in the spinach or kale before serving — it wilts quickly so it doesn’t need to cook along with everything else!

Can you add meat to minestrone soup?

Traditional minestrone soup is not made with meat, but if you want to up the protein and make the soup even heartier, feel free to brown some ground beef, turkey, or pork when you’re sautéing the onion, carrots, and celery!

bowl of classic minestrone soup with spoons on blue checkered towel

Expert Tips

It’s best to add the vegetables in stages.Add the sturdier vegetables like potatoes and carrots several minutes before the quick cooking vegetables like zucchini and yellow squash so they don’t get mushy.
If you’re lucky enough to have a parmesan rind, add it to the soup while it simmers, then remove before serving. It adds a delicious creaminess and flavor.
Different beans have different textures so switching up the kind you use is a fun way to add variety to your minestrone.
Use quinoa or rice instead of pasta to make the soup gluten free.

bowl of minestrone soup with cup of kale next to spoons

How to Freeze Minestrone Soup

Minestrone soup is a great freezer item. Store in airtight, freezer-safe containers after it’s completely cooled, and freeze for up to 4 months. To thaw, place container in the fridge overnight and reheat the soup in a large stock pot over medium heat until warmed through when ready to serve.