Easy Minestrone Soup

Tastes of Lizzy T participates in affiliate advertising programs. We may earn a commission when you make a purchase through links on our site.

A winter and fall favorite, this Easy Minestrone Soup combines seasonal root vegetables into one pot. It’s a loaded comfort soup with vegetarian option.

Is your kitchen still loaded down with garden veggies? Our garden produced vegetables in abundance this year. I have a table in my basement loaded with squash, plus tomatoes and beans in the freezer. I just love it!

But because we have so many, I always need to find a new way to serve them. This easy minestrone soup is the perfect comfort food for fall or winter.

overhead view of bowl of soup


Why you’ll love this soup:

  • Veggie packed.
  • Loaded with flavor.
  • Easy vegetarian option.
  • Low calorie
  • Ready in under one hour.

What is minestrone soup?

Minestrone comes from Italian origin. It is a meatless soup so is often considered vegetarian (just consider the stock). The vegetables can vary from soup to soup, but it is traditionally loaded with beans, pasta, tomatoes, onions, carrots and celery.

If you love minestrone soup, try our oven roasted veggie minestrone soup. Roasting brings out the sweetness of the veggies. It’s amazing!

ingredients for soup on table

Ingredients for Minestrone Soup

  • Onion & garlic
  • Bell pepper: Any color of Bell pepper will work for this recipe.
  • Carrots
  • Butternut squash: You can substitute butternut squash for your favorite type of squash or even potatoes. Sweet potatoes are delicious in this soup!
  • Zucchini
  • Salt and pepper
  • Diced tomatoes: Use canned tomatoes or fresh tomatoes.
  • Chicken stock: The chicken stock can be replaced with vegetable stock for a vegetarian option. And just so you know, Olive Garden’s minestrone soup is vegan. If you’re looking for a copycat recipe, use vegetable stock.
  • Tomato paste
  • Bay leaves
  • Beans: Use cannellini or Great Northern Beans for this soup, but if you have a favorite type of bean it will work as well.
  • Pasta: When choosing a pasta to use in minestrone soup, look for a smaller pasta like macaroni, shell, bow tie, rotini, or fusilli pasta. The pasta shouldn’t be the star of this show. You really want it to blend in with all the other vegetables so that you achieve a nice variety every time you take a bite.
  • Spinach: Spinach can be substituted for shredded green cabbage if you prefer.
  • Cooking oil

How to Make Minestrone Soup

  • Saute. Heat oil in a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables (bell pepper, carrots, zucchini, butternut squash) and stir occasionally for 5-6 minutes or until the vegetables have softened slightly.
  • Season. Add salt and pepper for seasoning.
  • Simmer. Pour the canned tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato paste, and bay leaves into the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and leave to simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
  • Simmer again. Add the beans, pasta, and green beans and stir. Leave to simmer, covered, until the pasta is al dente, about 10-12 minutes.
  • Add greens. Once the pasta is cooked through, add in the spinach and cook for 1 additional minute or until the spinach has wilted. If using cabbage, you may need to cook it for slightly longer until it is tender.
overhead view of pot of soup

Can I add any other types of vegetables to my soup?

At its core, minestrone soup contains seasonal or root vegetables, pasta, and a form of stock. This is a great soup to get rid of all your uneaten vegetables, especially if they are seasonal or root vegetables. Any type of root vegetable is always a great option: potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, turnips, parsnips, etc.

close up of bowl of soup

How do I store my minestrone soup?

Your minestrone soup will last for an additional three to four days in the refrigerator. This soup tastes best the day of. The pasta tends to soak up a lot of the chicken broth after a couple of days. It still tastes really great and the flavors are wonderful, but I prefer it on the first day.

Can you freeze minestrone?

You can always freeze this soup for up to three months. Make sure to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

overhead view of bowl of soup
overhead view of bowl of soup

Easy Minestrone Soup

5 from 1 vote
A winter and fall favorite, this Easy Minestrone Soup combines seasonal root vegetables into one pot. It's a loaded comfort soup with vegetarian option.
Servings 8
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 green bell pepper chopped
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and chopped
  • 3 cups butternut squash chopped
  • 1 zucchini chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 15 ounces diced tomatoes (undrained)
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 30 ounces cannellini or Great Northern beans (rinsed and drained)
  • 1 cup macaroni pasta
  • 1 cup frozen green beans
  • 2 cups spinach or shredded green cabbage
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  • Optional garnishes: grated parmesan cheese chopped fresh parsley

Instructions
 

  • Heat oil in a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and stir for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the rest of the vegetables (bell pepper, carrots, zucchini, butternut squash) and stir occasionally for 5-6 minutes or until the vegetables have softened slightly.
  • Add salt and pepper for seasoning.
  • Pour the canned tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato paste, and bay leaves into the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and leave to simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
  • Add the beans, pasta, and green beans and stir. Leave to simmer, covered, until the pasta is al dente, about 10-12 minutes.
  • Once the pasta is cooked through, add in the spinach and cook for 1 additional minute or until the spinach has wilted. If using cabbage, you may need to cook it for slightly longer until it is tender.
  • Garnish with grated parmesan cheese or parsley (optional) and serve warm.

Notes

The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 8. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**

Nutrition

Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 837mg | Potassium: 773mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 9154IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 4mg
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Calories 268
Keyword comfort food, easy soup, italian food


About Julie Clark

I'm Julie Clark, CEO and recipe developer of Tastes of Lizzy T. With my B.A. in Education and over 30 years of cooking and baking, I want to teach YOU the best of our family recipes.

Get 5 Classic Recipes with a Deliciously Secret Twist

You might also like

Join the Discussion

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments