Best 7 Main Dish Minestrone Soup Recipes

SIMPLE ITALIAN MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add onions, carrots and celery. Raise heat to medium-high, if you need to, and cook, tossing regularly, until the veggies soften a bit (about 5 minutes or so). Add the garlic and cook another minute, tossing regularly.
• Add the zucchini or yellow squash and green beans. Season with paprika, rosemary, and a generous pinch of kosher salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
• Now add the crushed tomatoes, broth, fresh thyme, bay leaf and Parmesan rind (if using.) Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and partially cover the pot. Let simmer for about 20 minutes or so.
• Uncover the pot and add the kidney beans. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
• Finally, Stir in the parsley and fresh basil. And, if serving immediately, stir in the cooked pasta and simmer ever so briefly till the pasta is warmed through; do not overcook. (See Cook's Tip #2)
• Remove the cheese rind and bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Serve the minestrone hot in dinner bowls with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan (optional.)

CLASSIC MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• Warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, tomato paste and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened and the onions are turning translucent, about 7 to 10 minutes.
• Add the seasonal vegetables, garlic, oregano and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring frequently, about 2 minutes.
• Pour in the diced tomatoes and their juices, broth and water. Add the salt, bay leaves and red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper.
• Raise heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot with the lid, leaving about a 1" gap for steam to escape. Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.
• Cook for 15 minutes, then remove the lid and add the pasta, beans and greens. Continue simmering, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until the the pasta is cooked al dente and the greens are tender.
• Remove the pot from the heat, then remove the bay leaves. Stir in the lemon juice and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Taste and season with more salt (I usually add about 1/4 teaspoon more) and pepper until the flavors really sing. Garnish bowls of soup with grated Parmesan, if you'd like.

MINESTRONE SOUP (OLIVE GARDEN COPYCAT)

Steps:

• Preheat the pot with olive oil, add zucchini, carrots, celery and onions. Sautee for about 10 minutes, until vegetables soften.
• To the pot, add canned diced tomatoes. Season with Italian seasoning and dry basil.
• Add vegetable broth, noodles, kidney and Great Northen beans. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Depending on the thickness of the soup, you can add 2 more cups of water to the mix.
• Press garlic into the mixture and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Serve while the minestrone soup is still warm.

CONTEST-WINNING EASY MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute the carrots, celery and onion in oil and butter until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer., Stir in the broth, tomato sauce, beans, chickpeas, tomatoes, cabbage, basil, parsley, oregano and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add macaroni; cook, uncovered, 6-8 minutes or until macaroni and vegetables are tender., Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with cheese. Freeze option: Before adding cheese, freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little broth or water if necessary.

MAIN DISH MINESTRONE (SOUP)

Steps:

• 1. In a large pot, over medium high heat, in hot butter, cook carrots,celery,onions, garlic and cabbage. You will want to carmelize these vegetables, so this will take some time. (at least 20 minutes) The carmelized vegetables are what gives this soup such great flavor, so dont hurry this step! You want the vegetables to brown up a bit, to release the natural sugars. (it is worth the time and rewarded with a very rich flavor!)
• 2. When the above are carmelized, add the rest of the ingredients except for the Parmesan cheese. Cook over high heat, heat to boiling. Then turn down to low and simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables and rice are tender. Add more water if necessary as the barley and rice can suck up some of the moisture. Serve with Parmesan cheese. Makes about 18 cups. Very low in calories too!

MAIN-DISH MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In large heavy saucepan, heat oil and butter.
• Add sausage; brown lightly.
• Add onion, garlic, celery, carrot and green pepper; cook until softened but not browned.
• Stir in parsley, basil, thyme, bay leaf and a little salt& pepper.
• Stir in tomatoes and stock.
• Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Add cabbage, beans and macaroni.
• Cover and simmer about 30 minutes.
• If too thick, dilute with water to desired consistency.
• Taste and adjust seasoning.
• A nice variation on this soup is to add ground beef instead of sausage, and beef stock instead of chicken stock.
• Add 3/4 cup dried lentils and 1/4 cup barley instead of macaroni and kidney beans.

FROZEN VEGETABLE MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onions, red pepper flakes, garlic and potatoes with a generous pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 2 cups water and continue cooking until the tomatoes start to break down and mellow out, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Add the beans, peas, corn and celery and simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
• Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with a few dollops of pesto and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Serve with garlic bread on the side if desired.