Italian Vegetable Minestrone Soup with Beans and Pasta
Minestrone is an Italian vegetable soup built on a soffritto (slowly sautéed onion, carrot, and celery), seasonal vegetables, beans, and small pasta. Its deep flavor secret is simmering a Parmesan rind directly in the broth.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Calories
- 280
Photo: Katrin Morenz from Aachen, Deutschland — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Minestrone is not a rigid recipe — it is a method. Any seasonal vegetable works, and the name literally translates to "the big soup." The soffritto base and the simmering Parmesan rind are what make it authentic Italian soup, rather than just boiled vegetables.
Method
-
1
The Soffritto
Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery in olive oil over low heat for 15 minutes with a pinch of salt. Do not rush — the vegetables must soften and sweeten without browning. This foundational base gives the soup its rich, deep sweetness.
-
2
Garlic and Tomato Paste
Add the garlic for 1 minute, then stir in the tomato paste and cook it for 2 minutes until it deepens in color. Sautéing transforms the raw acidity of the paste into a rich, deep sweetness.
-
3
Tomatoes and Broth
Add the crushed tomatoes and stir for 5 minutes, then pour in the broth and drop in the Parmesan rind along with the rosemary and thyme sprigs. The Parmesan rind infuses the broth with umami and savoriness throughout simmering — the single best trick in this recipe.
-
4
Vegetable Staging
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add vegetables according to their firmness: the carrots and celery are already in; after 15 minutes, add the green beans; and after another 5 minutes, add the zucchini.
-
5
The Beans
Add the cooked beans, then mash 1 cup of them with a fork and return them to the pot. This released starch gives the soup a thicker, velvety texture without adding any thickeners.
-
6
The Pasta
Add the small pasta and cook according to the package directions minus 1 minute. If you plan to enjoy the soup over several days, cook the pasta separately and ladle soup over it in individual bowls — in the pot, it will absorb all the broth and become soggy.
-
7
Greens and Finishing
Add the spinach or kale in the last 3 minutes only. Discard the Parmesan rind and herb stems, and adjust the salt to taste. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over each bowl and finish with grated Parmesan.
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Tips that actually matter
- Cook the soffritto for 15 minutes over low heat — it is the bedrock of the entire flavor.
- Simmering a Parmesan rind in the broth yields incredible, effortless umami.
- Mash a portion of the beans to thicken the soup naturally without cornstarch.
- Boil the pasta separately if you plan to store leftovers across several days.
- A swirl of good extra virgin olive oil over each bowl at the end is essential.
People also ask
What is a good substitute for the Parmesan rind?
A teaspoon of miso paste, dried mushrooms rehydrated along with their soaking liquid, or a dash of soy sauce. All of these boost umami. You can also save leftover Parmesan rinds in the freezer — they keep for months.
Can I make it without pasta?
Yes — replace it with rice, pearl barley, or diced potatoes, or simply omit it and add more beans. In Tuscany, a variation called ribollita uses stale crusty bread instead of pasta, creating a very hearty stew.
How can I make it richer without meat?
Mash a quarter of the beans, drizzle extra virgin olive oil generously over each bowl, and simmer a Parmesan rind in the broth. Adding a spoonful of basil pesto to each bowl (Genoese style) completely elevates the soup.
How long does minestrone keep in the fridge?
It keeps for 4 days in the refrigerator and tastes even better on day 2. It also freezes well for up to 3 months — just freeze it without pasta and add freshly cooked pasta upon reheating, as frozen pasta turns mushy and soaks up all the liquid.
Cook mode
Italian Vegetable Minestrone Soup with Beans and Pasta
-
1
The Soffritto
Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery in olive oil over low heat for 15 minutes with a pinch of salt. Do not rush — the vegetables must soften and sweeten without browning. This foundational base gives the soup its rich, deep sweetness.
-
2
Garlic and Tomato Paste
Add the garlic for 1 minute, then stir in the tomato paste and cook it for 2 minutes until it deepens in color. Sautéing transforms the raw acidity of the paste into a rich, deep sweetness.
-
3
Tomatoes and Broth
Add the crushed tomatoes and stir for 5 minutes, then pour in the broth and drop in the Parmesan rind along with the rosemary and thyme sprigs. The Parmesan rind infuses the broth with umami and savoriness throughout simmering — the single best trick in this recipe.
-
4
Vegetable Staging
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add vegetables according to their firmness: the carrots and celery are already in; after 15 minutes, add the green beans; and after another 5 minutes, add the zucchini.
-
5
The Beans
Add the cooked beans, then mash 1 cup of them with a fork and return them to the pot. This released starch gives the soup a thicker, velvety texture without adding any thickeners.
-
6
The Pasta
Add the small pasta and cook according to the package directions minus 1 minute. If you plan to enjoy the soup over several days, cook the pasta separately and ladle soup over it in individual bowls — in the pot, it will absorb all the broth and become soggy.
-
7
Greens and Finishing
Add the spinach or kale in the last 3 minutes only. Discard the Parmesan rind and herb stems, and adjust the salt to taste. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over each bowl and finish with grated Parmesan.
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