Minestrone is a classic Italian soup, hearty and flavorful, made with a variety of vegetables, beans, and pasta. It is a versatile dish that can be customized to your liking, with different vegetables, beans, and pasta shapes. This article provides three delicious recipes for minestrone soup, each with its own unique flavor profile. The first recipe is a traditional minestrone soup with a rich tomato broth, featuring a variety of vegetables, beans, and small pasta. The second recipe is a Tuscan-style minestrone soup with a creamy broth made from cannellini beans and pancetta, and the third recipe is a summer minestrone soup with fresh vegetables and a light broth. All three recipes are easy to follow and packed with flavor, making them perfect for a comforting and nutritious meal. Whether you're looking for a classic, hearty minestrone soup or a lighter, summery version, these recipes have you covered.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
CONTEST-WINNING EASY MINESTRONE
This minestrone soup recipe is special to me because it's one of the few dinners my entire family loves. And I can feel good about serving it because it's full of nutrition and low in fat. -Lauren Brennan, Hood River, Oregon
Provided by Taste of Home
Time 1h5m
Yield 11 servings (2-3/4 quarts).
Number Of Ingredients 18
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.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 180 calories, Fat 4g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 4mg cholesterol, Sodium 443mg sodium, Carbohydrate 29g carbohydrate (7g sugars, Fiber 7g fiber), Protein 8g protein. Diabetic Exchanges
MINESTRONE
Vegetables and herbs fresh from my garden make this one of our favorite soups. This recipe makes a lot, so it's perfect for large gatherings or to freeze in smaller containers for fast meals.-Virginia Bauer, Botkins, Ohio
Provided by Taste of Home
Time 1h50m
Yield 20 servings (5 quarts).
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- In a stockpot, saute the onions, celery and parsley in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, cabbage, carrots, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour. , In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir into soup along with the zucchini, beans and pasta. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables and pasta are tender. Top each serving with cheese.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 209 calories, Fat 9g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 26mg cholesterol, Sodium 538mg sodium, Carbohydrate 19g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 14g protein.
SHELLFISH MINESTRONE WITH BASIL PESTO
This is quite similar to minestrone al pesto or soupe au pistou. But this rustic soup goes aquatic, adding shellfish (or bivalves and cephalopods if you want to quibble), which seem to go perfectly with beans, peas and basil (no nuts or cheese in the pesto, by the way).
Provided by David Tanis
Categories dinner, soups and stews, main course
Time 1h15m
Yield 4 to 6 main course servings
Number Of Ingredients 22
Steps:
- Make the basil pesto: Put basil, parsley and 2 chopped garlic cloves in a blender. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup olive oil and purée on high speed, scraping down sides as necessary. Pour into a small serving bowl, cover tightly and set aside.
- Make the soup: Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot, season generously with salt and pepper and stir to coat. Cook for about 2 minutes, until softened. Add red pepper, saffron, 8 cloves minced garlic, bay leaf and thyme and let sizzle, then add tomato and simmer a few minutes more.
- Stir in cannellini beans. Add clams, in one layer if possible, and 1 cup water. Turn heat to high and put on lid. Keep at a rapid simmer until all clams have opened, about 5 minutes. (If desired, remove clams, shuck them and return shucked clams to pot.) Add fish stock and bring to a simmer. Taste broth and adjust seasoning.
- Just before serving, add squid, peas and fava beans, if desired, and simmer for 2 minutes. Ladle into shallow soup bowls and stir 2 teaspoons basil purée into each.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 464, UnsaturatedFat 21 grams, Carbohydrate 25 grams, Fat 27 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 32 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 1332 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams, TransFat 0 grams
SIMPLE ITALIAN MINESTRONE SOUP
Simple and hearty Italian minestrone soup, brimming with vegetables, beans and a little pasta. The draw here is in the thick, flavorful tomato broth with piney rosemary, lots of fresh herbs, and Parmesan rind (a secret ingredient that Italian grandmothers have been using for years to flavor their soups)!
Provided by Suzy Karadsheh
Categories Soup
Number Of Ingredients 20
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.)
Nutrition Facts : Calories 211.9 kcal, SaturatedFat 1.5 g, Carbohydrate 26.7 g, Fiber 7.4 g, Protein 6.8 g, Cholesterol 0.7 mg, ServingSize 1 serving
SUMMER MINESTRONE WITH FRESH BASIL
You can finish this hearty summer soup with slivered fresh basil, or with pistou, the Provençal version of pesto (it's pesto without the pine nuts). A Parmesan rind, simmered in the soup and then removed, adds great depth of flavor without adding fat. On a hot summer day in Italy the soup might be served at room temperature, or just barely warm.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Time 1h20m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes, and add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Continue to cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 more minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for about a minute, and stir in the tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Stir in 2 quarts water, the turnip, zucchini, and the bouquet garni, and bring to a simmer. Add 2 teaspoons salt, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in the canned beans. Taste and adjust salt. Remove the bouquet garni.
- While the soup is simmering, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the green beans. Boil 5 minutes, until just tender but still bright green. Transfer to a bowl of ice water, allow to cool, and drain. Retain the cooking water in case you want to thin out the soup later.
- Add the pasta to the soup and simmer another 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked al dente. Stir the cooked green beans into the soup. Grind in some pepper and taste and adjust seasonings. It should be savory and rich-tasting.
- Stir in the basil or pistou, or place a spoonful of pistou in each bowl and stir in. Serve in wide soup bowls, with a sprinkling of Parmesan over the top.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 146, UnsaturatedFat 2 grams, Carbohydrate 26 grams, Fat 2 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 7 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 547 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams
CLASSIC MINESTRONE
Steps:
- In a casserole heat the olive oil. Add the onions and cook until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Then add the carrots and celery and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the beans, bay leaf and thyme and toss for 1 minute. Then add the beef stock, Parmesan rind (if using), plum tomatoes and their juice, and salt and pepper to taste. (Careful with the amount of salt since Parmesan rind will add a salty flavor.) Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Add the potatoes, zucchini and savoy cabbage and cook for 20 minutes more or until the vegetables are tender. Finally, add your pasta and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, ladle into bowls and serve with some pesto.
MINESTRONE WITH BASIL
Categories Soup/Stew Blender Bean Pasta Tomato Vegetable Vegetarian Lunch Basil Healthy Cabbage Bon Appétit Pescatarian Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added Kosher
Yield Serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Place beans in medium bowl. Add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches; soak overnight. Drain.
- Place beans in large Dutch oven. Add 5 cups water and next 11 ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until beans are tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
- Transfer 2 cups soup and whole potato to blender and puree. Return puree to soup in pot. Add pasta and 1/4 cup basil; simmer uncovered until pasta is cooked through and flavors blend, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in 1/4 cup basil. Serve with Parmesan cheese.
CLASSIC MINESTRONE
This beloved Italian soup isn't just hearty and healthy -- it's really flexible. Minestrone typically includes lots of leafy greens, other veggies, and beans. Which to choose? You're only limited by the contents of your refrigerator and pantry.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Soups, Stews & Stocks Soup Recipes
Time 1h
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- In a large pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, carrots, celery, red-pepper flakes, rosemary, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to turn golden, 5 to 8 minutes.
- Add tomatoes; cook until some of the liquid evaporates, 1 minute. Add potato, cabbage, cannellini beans, and 7 cups water; bring to a boil. Stir in green beans.
- Reduce to a simmer, and cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; stir in garlic, if using, and basil. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan and, if using, torn basil. Drizzle with more oil, if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 183 g, Fat 8 g, Fiber 6 g, Protein 8 g
CLASSIC MINESTRONE SOUP
Whip up this classic Italian vegetable soup with a rich tomato base and pasta. It's low in calories and packed with fibre and vitamin C
Provided by Esther Clark
Categories Lunch, Starter
Time 1h5m
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan or casserole pot over a low-medium heat and gently fry the onion, celery, carrot, courgette and pancetta for 10 mins. Add the garlic and oregano, and cook for 1 min. Tip in the beans, chopped tomatoes, purée, stock and bay leaf. Season to taste. Bring to the simmer and cook for 30 mins.
- Add the pasta and greens, and cook for a further 10 mins. Ladle into bowls and scatter with the basil and some parmesan.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 225 calories, Fat 10 grams fat, SaturatedFat 2 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 22 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 8 grams sugar, Fiber 7 grams fiber, Protein 9 grams protein, Sodium 0.98 milligram of sodium
CLASSIC MINESTRONE
This famous Italian soup has been much imitated around the world with very different results. The homemade version is a delicious revelation and is also extremely healthy, as it has pasta, beans and fresh vegetables. Try to make the minestrone a day early and refrigerate as this improves the flavors. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley.
Provided by Anonymous
Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Soup Recipes Vegetable Soup Recipes Minestrone
Time 1h15m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan, over medium heat. Add leek, carrots, zucchini, green beans and celery. Cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.
- Stir in the stock, tomatoes and thyme. Bring to a boil, then replace the lid, and reduce heat to low; simmer gently for 30 minutes.
- Stir in the cannellini beans with liquid and pasta. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 320 calories, Carbohydrate 44.5 g, Fat 12 g, Fiber 10.1 g, Protein 12 g, SaturatedFat 1.7 g, Sodium 470.9 mg, Sugar 7.8 g
CORRIGAN'S MINESTRONE
Hearty and filling vegetarian soup with potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, beans and pasta. Make sure you have the storage for the left-overs.
Provided by CORRIGAN GOMMENGINGER
Categories Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Soup Recipes Vegetable Soup Recipes Minestrone
Time 1h
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir potatoes, carrots, celery, onion and garlic into pot. Mix in tomato paste, beans, broth and water. Season with basil, oregano and salt. Cook and stir 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
- Mix macaroni into pot. Continue cooking 10 minutes, or until macaroni is tender.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 221.1 calories, Carbohydrate 41.8 g, Fat 3.1 g, Fiber 6.7 g, Protein 7.5 g, SaturatedFat 0.4 g, Sodium 873.9 mg, Sugar 4.9 g
Tips:
- Use a variety of vegetables. The more vegetables you use, the more flavorful your minestrone will be. Some good choices include carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, zucchini, green beans, and tomatoes.
- Don't overcook the vegetables. You want them to be tender but still have a bit of a bite to them.
- Use a good quality broth. The broth is the base of your minestrone, so it's important to use a good one. Look for a broth that is flavorful and has a rich color.
- Add some beans or pasta. Beans and pasta are a great way to add protein and substance to your minestrone. Some good choices include kidney beans, cannellini beans, and small pasta shapes like ditalini or elbow macaroni.
- Season to taste. Add salt, pepper, and other seasonings to taste. You may also want to add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little bit of heat.
- Garnish with fresh herbs. Fresh herbs like basil, parsley, or oregano add a pop of flavor and color to your minestrone.
Conclusion:
Minestrone is a delicious and versatile soup that can be enjoyed all year round. It's a great way to use up leftover vegetables and it's also a good source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. With a few simple tips, you can make a minestrone that is sure to impress your family and friends.
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