Minestrone Soup
User Reviews
4.8
Minestrone Soup
Description
The recipe for Minestrone Soup starts with sautéing onion, carrot, and celery to develop savory depth. Adding garlic briefly builds aroma. Potatoes, beans, Italian seasoning, and tomato elements contribute to a rich vegetable base, thickened by tomato paste and complemented by vegetable or chicken broth. Pasta cooks directly in the broth, absorbing flavors and softening to a pleasant texture. Lemon juice added at the end gives slight acidity to balance richness. The soup is garnished with parmesan cheese if desired.
Cooked thoroughly, the vegetables become tender but distinct, while the beans add creamy texture and protein. Pasta adds body and carbs, transforming it into a fuller meal. This soup can be served warm as lunch or dinner, with fresh crusty bread or a simple salad.
Tips include cutting vegetables evenly for uniform cooking and optional omission of pasta for a lower-carb option. Leftovers store well and reheat easily. Parmesan rinds can be added during cooking to enrich flavor and removed before serving. For freezing, omit pasta until ready to serve. The soup keeps up to 4 days refrigerated and 4-6 months frozen for convenience.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 medium carrot chopped
- 2 talks celery chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 medium potato peeled and chopped (yellow squash, zucchini, green beans would also work
- 15 ounce red kidney beans or Great Northern beans or cannellini beans (1 can), drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 28 ounce diced tomatoes (1 can or 2 small 15 oz cans)
- 2 bay leaf
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 6 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth, no sodium added or low sodium
- 1 cup pasta such as elbow, tubular or small shells
- Parmesan Cheese optional, rinds
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Saute the veggies: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery to the pot and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
- Make the soup: Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the potatoes, red kidney beans, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, pepper, bay leaves, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, pasta and stir well to combine. If using Parmesan rinds add them now. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through. Discard the parmesan rinds if using and the bay leaves.
- Finish the soup: Add the lemon juice and cook for another minute.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese and serve warm.
Notes
- Chop vegetables uniformly to ensure even cooking times.
- Skip Parmesan cheese to make the soup dairy-free or vegan.
- Omitting pasta lowers carbohydrates without sacrificing soup’s substance.
- Store leftovers in a covered pot or airtight container; cool completely before refrigerating for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat gently on the stove or microwave; add broth if it thickens too much.
- For freezing, exclude pasta and add it fresh when thawing to maintain texture; freeze soup up to 4-6 months.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 252 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 252kcal | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 43g | 14% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 1227mg | 51% |
| Potassium | 809mg | 17% |
| Fiber | 8g | 32% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 3220IU | 64% |
| Vitamin C | 24mg | 27% |
| Calcium | 82mg | 8% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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