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    Home » Recipes » Soup Recipes

    Classic Minestrone Soup Recipe

    Published: Mar 24, 2022 · Modified: Apr 3, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley

    384 shares
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    • Yummly
    5 from 68 votes
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    pinterest images for minestrone

    Classic Minestrone Soup is not only delicious, it warms the soul. My version of this Italian classic is packed with fresh vegetables, cannellini beans, and ditalini pasta in a rich tomato broth.

    Seasoned to perfection with a chef’s secret ingredient will set this Minestrone Recipe apart from other minestrone soup recipes you may have tried.

    overhead shot of minestrone in a white bowl

    There is a lot to be said for a good soup, and the best thing about Minestrone is how easily adaptable it is. Minestrone is a seasonal soup, and that means whatever vegetables are in season can be added to this hearty soup.

    close up view of minestrone in a white bowl

    The vegetable broth is the starting point, but the added tomato paste, fresh thyme, bay leaves and dried oregano round out the flavor profile.

    *If you really want to boost the flavor, switch out the vegetable broth for chicken broth it will add a world of flavor to the soup! This is the Chefs Secret Ingredient for non-vegetarians.

    Try adding a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce to perk up the flavors.

    What ingredients do I need to make Minestrone?

    ingredients used to make minestrone

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Classic Minestrone Soup. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.

    Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

    (chicken broth is not pictured)

    Using vegetable broth and not adding grated cheese at the end, keeps this soup Vegan as well as Vegetarian.

    What other ingredients can I use to make minestrone?

    Since this is regarded as a seasonal soup, any fresh vegetables you enjoy eating that are available in your grocery store can find their way into the soup pot.

    Instead of cannellini beans, you can use dark or light kidney beans, chic peas, edamame, navy beans, cranberry beans or any of your favorite beans. You can even prepare dry beans if you’d rather not use canned.

    Pasta choices range from small shells, elbow macaroni, mini penne, meza rigatoni or any other small pasta shapes you enjoy eating.

    If you’re not a fan of kale, try swiss chard, spinach, broccoli rabe, escarole or whatever you have on hand.

    *Minestrone is vegetable soup, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add meat to it. Italian sausage, chicken, or beef can be added to the soup. I would cook it before cooking the vegetables, remove it from the pot and continue with the recipe, adding the meat back in with the tomatoes and broth.

    Some recipes call for a parmesan rind to be added to the soup as it’s cooking. This is a classical preparation, but not something people normally have on hand, so don’t worry about it.

    How to make minestrone soup

    four images showing hot to make minestrone
    • Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the carrots, onions and celery to the pan. Cook the veggies for 4-5 minutes over medium-high heat.
    • Add the green beans, zucchini, and garlic to the pan and continue to cook the vegetables for another 2-3 minutes. Then add the tomato paste, oregano, thyme, sea salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes, mixing well.
    • Add the broth, diced tomatoes (and juice), and bay leaves to the pot and mix well.
    • Raise to high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. When the mixture has reached a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and continue cooking for 40 -60 minutes.
    • Add the pasta, beans, and kale to the pot and continue simmering uncovered for 20-30 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente and the greens are tender.
    • Turn off the heat and remove the pot from the burner. Remove the bay leaves.
    • Serve the minestrone and garnish with grated Romano or Parmesan cheese, chopped Italian parsley and black pepper.

    overhead partial shot of minestrone in a white bowl

    Can you imagine sitting down to a bowl of this hearty soup with a loaf of crusty bread? I promise you won’t believe how delicious this homemade soup is and your family is going to love it!

    This is one of the easier soups to make. It does have more ingredients, but that’s because it’s loaded with deliciousness and well worth the effort!

    Recipe FAQ’s:

    What is the difference between minestrone and vegetable soup?

    Minestrone Soup is basically a heartier version of vegetable soup. Most vegetable soups just contain vegetables, whereas a minestrone is supplemented with beans and pasta.

    Does minestrone include meat?

    Classic minestrone does not contain meat or fish. The ingredients that make it different are beans and pasta. Of course, you can add meat or seafood if you like; it just won’t be classic minestrone.

    What makes minestrone, minestrone?

    The word minestrone translates into a thick vegetable soup. There is no set recipe for minestrone. It’s usually made out of whatever vegetables are seasonal or on hand. It can be vegetarian, Vegan, contain meat, or made with a bone broth, such as chicken stock or beef stock.

    More Soup Recipes You’ll Love!

    • Italian Wedding Soup Recipe
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    • Easy Pasta Fagioli Recipe

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    overhead partial shot of minestrone in a white bowl
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    5 from 68 votes

    Classic Minestrone Soup

    My minestrone is delicious, thick, rich vegetable soup that is easily made using seasonal vegetables or vegetables you have on hand, beans and pasta.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time1 hr
    Total Time1 hr 20 mins
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: Italian, Italian – American
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 281kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 cup onion large dice
    • 1 cup carrot sliced
    • 1 cup celery sliced
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 ½ cup green beans cut into 1 inch pieces
    • 1 ½ cup zucchini quartered and sliced
    • 3 ounces tomato paste
    • 6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
    • 30 ounces diced tomatoes canned undrained
    • 1 teaspoon thyme finely chopped
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1 cup ditalini pasta uncooked
    • 15 ounces kidney beans canned, drained and rinsed
    • 2 cups baby kale (or chopped) or your favorite green
    • fresh chopped parsley garnish -optional
    • grated Romano or parmesan garnish -optional
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    Instructions

    • Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat.
    • When the oil is hot add the carrots, onions, and celery to the pan. Cook the veggies for 4-5 minutes over medium-high heat.
    • Add the green beans, zucchini, and garlic to the pan and continue to cook the vegetables for another 2-3 minutes.
    • Add the tomato paste, oregano, thyme, sea salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper and continue cooking for another 2 minutes, mixing well.
    • Add the broth, diced tomatoes (and juice), and bay leaves to the pot and mix well.
    • Raise to high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. When the mixture has reached a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and continue cooking for 40 – 60 minutes.
    • Add the pasta, beans, and kale to the pot and continue simmering uncovered, for 20 – 30 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente and the greens are tender.
    • Turn off the heat and remove the pot from the burner. Remove the bay leaves.
    • Serve the minestrone and garnish with grated Romano or Parmesan cheese, chopped Italian parsley and black pepper.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 1232mg | Potassium: 1004mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 7836IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 378mg | Iron: 9mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis is a semi-retired Chef, writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis aka Ask Chef Dennis®. Chef Dennis worked professionally in White Table Cloth Restaurants for 40 years and has been developing easy to make, restaurant-style recipes since 2009. The second phase of his reinvention from chef to blogger has earned him a place at the Worlds Dinner Table. Join him on his Culinary Journey enjoying his easy to make Restaurant Style recipes and travel adventures. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cathleen

      April 11, 2022 at 1:50 pm

      5 stars
      It was particularly cold yesterday, and this was so perfect! Definitely going to be my go-to recipe on cold days!

      Reply
    2. Lauren Michael Harris

      April 11, 2022 at 7:06 am

      5 stars
      My husband bought me a can of minestrone when I was sick a couple weeks ago and it was terrible – but gave me a craving for the real thing. This recipe did not disappoint – sooooo good!

      Reply
      • Kevin McCarthy

        January 13, 2023 at 11:54 am

        How much does the recipe make?

        Reply
        • Chef Dennis Littley

          January 13, 2023 at 12:06 pm

          it makes about a gallon of soup

    3. Hayley Dhanecha

      April 11, 2022 at 3:58 am

      5 stars
      This classic minestrone soup is a delicious soup recipe that’s perfect for any day! Made yesterday, leftovers for today’s lunch, it’s so amazing!

      Reply
    4. Jenny

      April 11, 2022 at 3:11 am

      5 stars
      This is a winner! Such a classic, wonderful soup it was so flavorful. I love this recipe, fantastic– thank you. Deserves 5 stars.

      Reply
    5. Chenée

      April 11, 2022 at 2:01 am

      5 stars
      This is just like the minestrone I had growing up! Such a delicious recipe. I swapped out a couple of the veggies for what I had on hand and it was great!

      Reply
    6. Debbie

      April 10, 2022 at 8:37 pm

      5 stars
      Minestrone soup is one of my favorite things to order when we go out to eat. I was so happy to come across your recipe. It was super simple to make and full of so much flavor. Thanks for such a great recipe.

      Reply
    7. Uma

      April 08, 2022 at 2:23 pm

      5 stars
      This minestrone soup is so delicious and packed with so many flavors! I made this using vegetable broth and kidney beans. Came out very delcious.

      Reply
    8. Colleen

      April 08, 2022 at 1:17 pm

      5 stars
      My family loved this hearty, flavorful minestrone and I’ll be using this recipe again & again. Thank you!

      Reply
    9. Kathryn

      April 07, 2022 at 11:04 am

      5 stars
      This minestrone soup is so delicious and packed with so many flavors! This is a great way to enjoy veggies and I’ll be making this again this week. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    10. Gloria

      April 04, 2022 at 11:47 am

      5 stars
      Nothing beats homemade soup. This classic minestrone soup sounds so comforting. All the flavours and textures go so well together.

      Reply
    11. Lisa

      March 26, 2022 at 11:24 am

      5 stars
      This soup was the best Minestrone I’ve ever had!!

      Reply
    12. Barbara

      March 26, 2022 at 9:26 am

      5 stars
      This is one of my favorite soups when we go to a restaurant. I’m excited to try this recipe! Thank you so much for sharing your expertise with us.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        March 26, 2022 at 10:17 am

        you’re very welcome Barbara, the soup came out better than expected and hope you enjoy it as much as we did

        Reply

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