Minestrone Soup
User Reviews
4.9
327 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Servings
5 - 6 people
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Calories
394 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Soup
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Cuisine
Italian, American, Italian-American Fussion
Minestrone Soup
Report
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.
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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!
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:
- 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.
- 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
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
394cal
(20%)
Carbohydrates
46g
(15%)
Protein
23g
(46%)
Fat
14g
(22%)
Saturated Fat
4g
(20%)
Cholesterol
33mg
(11%)
Sodium
1373mg
(57%)
Potassium
911mg
(26%)
Fiber
8g
(32%)
Sugar
7g
(14%)
Vitamin A
3617IU
(72%)
Vitamin C
19mg
(21%)
Calcium
144mg
(14%)
Iron
4mg
(22%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 5- 6 people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 394 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 394cal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 46g | 15% |
| Protein | 23g | 46% |
| Fat | 14g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 33mg | 11% |
| Sodium | 1373mg | 57% |
| Potassium | 911mg | 19% |
| Fiber | 8g | 32% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 3617IU | 72% |
| Vitamin C | 19mg | 21% |
| Calcium | 144mg | 14% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
327 reviews
Excellent
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