Italian Minestrone Soup

I love using Jovial Foods gluten-free pasta in this soup. I think the trick to adding pasta to minestrone soup is to cook it separately then scoop a spoonful of pasta into each bowl before serving.

This is especially important if you want to eat leftover soup the next day. If the pasta sits in the soup overnight if will absorb too much liquid and get soggy. I like to toss the shell pasta in a little olive oil and store it in a separate container for later.

TIP: Cook the pasta separately and scoop a spoonful of pasta onto each bowl just before serving. 

What is the difference between minestrone soup and vegetable soup?

Great question! Minestrone soup is a classic, thick Italian soup that usually has all kinds of vegetables and can contain beans, potatoes or pasta.

So basically minestrone soup IS a just a traditional version of vegetable soup. It’s versatile, easy-to-make and well-loved for a reason. 

Tips for Making The Best Italian Minestrone Soup

• • Add tomato paste and tomato sauce along with the usual diced tomatoes to up the tomato flavor.
  • Use chicken stock instead of water for more depth of flavor.
  • Add two kinds of beans for a variety of flavor and texture.
  • Italian seasonings and a pinch of red pepper flakes are key to the perfect seasoning.
  • Cook the pasta separately and top each bowl with a spoonful of noodles just before serving to prevent soggy pasta. 

More Flavorful Soup Recipes: 

Minestrone Soup by Healthy Seasonal Recipes

White Bean Soup – A little pancetta and the addition of artichokes make this a show-stopper! 

Sweet Corn Soup – So easy to make and always a hit! Made with fresh summer corn. 

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Italian Minestrone Soup

Author: Erin Collins

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 40 mins

Total: 50 mins

A classic vegetarian Italian soup that’s full of fresh vegetables and herbs. Canned tomatoes, tomato paste and Italian seasoning give this soup an amazing depth of flavor. It’s better than any restaurant favorite!

5 from 2 votes

Servings: 6 servings

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced1 medium onion, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 14.5 oz can tomato sauce1 14.5 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 quart 4 cups chicken stock1 quart 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup water1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1-2 zucchini, chopped (2 small or 1 large)1-2 zucchini, chopped (2 small or 1 large)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage, or chopped kale1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage, or chopped kale

For serving:

• Cooked gluten-free shell pastaCooked gluten-free shell pasta
• Parmesan CheeseParmesan Cheese

Instructions

• In a large dutch-oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook for 10 minutes or so, until softened. 
• Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  
• Pour in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken stock, water and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. 
  
• Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes, until the vegetable are tender. 
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Serve topping each bowl with a spoonful of pasta and parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

• Adapt this recipe for the Instant Pot by cooking it on high pressure for 10 minutes with 5-10 minutes natural release.
• Chicken stock will give this soup more flavor than just water.
• Use both chickpeas and kidney beans for a variety of flavor and texture.
• I love cabbage in soups - but feel free to swap it out for any other hearty green like kale. 
• Cook the pasta separately and scoop a spoonful of pasta onto each bowl just before serving. Store leftover pasta separately. 

Nutrition Facts

Italian Minestrone Soup

Amount Per Serving

Calories 329 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 5mg2%

Sodium 1607mg70%

Potassium 1178mg34%

Carbohydrates 48g16%

Fiber 12g50%

Sugar 13g14%

Protein 16g32%

Vitamin A 5740IU115%

Vitamin C 29.9mg36%

Calcium 163mg16%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

NUTRITION INFORMATION:

Calories: 329kcal

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