July 20, 2019
updated
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This stovetop Vegetarian Minestrone recipe is the real deal brimming with veggies, beans, and pasta in a robust tomato broth. Watch this recipe video to see how it’s made.
Whether you forgot to set the slow cooker to cook this morning or haven’t made it to the grocery store in a week, this minestrone soup is the answer. It’s made with mostly pantry staples and it hits the spot after a long day.
What is Minestrone Soup
My friend, soup doesn’t get much better than a hearty, robust bowl of Minestrone. It’s a combination of vegetables, beans, and pasta simmered in a robust tomato broth. This is what you want on a cold, blustery day.
Okay, time for a tiny backstory on this classic soup:
Minestrone originated in Italy as a way to use leftover odds and ends of pasta and vegetables.
Short, simple, and sweet.
And today, we’re keeping the concept the same with this stove top recipe so you can enjoy it anytime with whatever ingredients you have on hand; such as canned beans, the last cup of macaroni shells, and those lonely veggies in your vegetable bin or fridge.
How to Make Minestrone
After making the Instant Pot Minestrone I wanted to make this stove top version since not everyone owns an Instant Pot, and there’s something special about a simmering pot of homemade soup on the stove. This is also where a dutch oven comes in handy.
Thankfully, from fridge to table, this soup takes less than 30 minutes. More good news, it tastes better the second day. Soup always does that.
So let’s get to it:
- Chop the veggies
Onions, garlic, celery, zucchini, and any other vegetable you wish to include. Brownie points if you do this ahead of time. - Sauté
Add the onions and the garlic and saute until fragrant, then comes the celery, carrots, tomato paste, basil, oregano, thyme, diced tomatoes, and broth. Stir, bring to a boil, and simmer for ten minutes. - Add the remaining ingredients
Now we can add the zucchini, beans, green beans, and pasta. Simmer for another 15 minutes while you finish whatever you were watching on Netflix. Not kidding. - Toast the bread
You will WANT a toasted crust of bread to soak up the juices left in the bowl. This is an important step, so don’t skip it. - Add the cheese
Don’t forget a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan. It’s the “cherry on top”.
Italian Minestrone Soup Ingredients
The concept of Minestrone is to use what you have in the fridge and pantry, and I like to stick to that. For this recipe we use:
- Onions
- Garlic
- Carrots
- Zucchini
- Italian green beans
- Pasta
- White beans
But you can also include whatever veggies prefer or better yet, what’s in season. Other great add-ins would be:
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Red Kidney Beans
- Cabbage
- Spinach
When it comes to seasonings, I kept it simple with the classic Italian seasoning blend, but you can’t go wrong Herbs de Provence or making your own blend:
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
Combine the ingredients in a small jar, top with lid, seal, shake to combine and use as needed.
Vegetarian Minestrone Soup
Once again, we’re sticking to the original concept of Minestrone which contained no meat, to save money and keep it healthy.
Coming from a family of meat eater’s I can proudly say no one can turn down a bowl of this Minestrone. With all the vegetables, beans, and pasta it’s super hearty and filling. If you want to double up on the protein, add an extra can of beans.
Craving more epic meatless recipes?
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How to thicken Minestrone
The key to an amazing bowl of soup is in the broth! Minestrone should have a rich, thick tomato broth laced with the essence of basil and Parmesan cheese. In fact, think of it more as a chili of pasta and vegetables.
Unfortunately, some versions are a bowl of broth with bits of vegetables and pasta. This should never happen and the good news is, it’s fixable.
Here are a couple of pointers:
- Add more beans and pasta. Both have a higher starch content which creates a nice, thick soup.
- Using the back of a stirring spoon, mash some of the beans and vegetables. This will release the starches and cause the soup to thicken up.
Like this recipe or soup in general? Good! Then you’ve got to check out these easy, homemade recipes you’ll crave year-round:
Stove Top Chicken and Rice
Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
Paleo Chicken and Veggie Chili
Easy Tortellini Soup
Healthy Enchilada Soup
Which soup will you try next?
Vegetarian Minestrone Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 32- ounce can diced tomatoes
- 32- ounce carton vegetable broth
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced
- 15- ounce can white beans
- 15- ounce can Italian green beans
- ¾ cup shelled pasta
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until translucent. Add the celery and carrots, sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste, basil, oregano, thyme, diced tomatoes, and broth, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the zucchini, beans, green beans, and pasta. Simmer until the pasta is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve with Parmesan cheese.
Esmeralda Gonzalez
Super easy minestrone soup, quick to make and it was delicious!!
Jenna
I made this stove top minestrone yesterday. Leftovers tasted so good today!!! thanks for a great recipe again!