Classic Italian Minestrone Soup

*Updated October 31, 2023.

It’s snowing out West and up North today and we’re having hurricane like storms down in the southeast east. So wherever you are, it’s a good day to stay in (especially since Corona is still in full force #stayhome #staysafe).

So, I decided to make a yummy soup with some of our long-lasting fridge veggies (aka celery, carrots and onions) and the rest came from the pantry. And I’m so glad I did. Even though I typically make any food I can in the Instant Pot, I wanted to warm the house with enchanting soup smells. So, I cooked this on the stovetop and I’m glad I did. It smells like an Italian grandma’s kitchen, which is obviously an amazing smell. It’s so so good.

A few tips – if you don’t have spinach, add in any green you do have (fresh or frozen). If you have some ground meat or meatballs hanging around that need to be repurposed, this would be a great soup to throw it in to. The soup is a great basic soup for warming your home and your belly!

Happy cooking!

Classic Italian Minestrone Soup

Servings: 6
Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cups carrots (about 2-3), chopped
1 1/4 cups celery stalks, chopped (about 3)
1 small onion, chopped
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped (2-3 cloves)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and washed
1 cup small dried pasta (elbows, small shells or ditalini)
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups dark leafy greens (spinach, chard or kale) roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery and onion and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables become softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and herbs. Cook one minute, until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, canned beans, pasta and 2 teaspoons salt. Pour in the broth and bring to a simmer. Cook 25 minutes, uncovered.
Add the greens until they wilt. Add the parsley. Taste the soup for seasoning. The starch from the pasta will thicken the soup as it sits. Serve and enjoy!