Classic Minestrone Soup
Warm up with this vegetarian minestrone soup! This classic minestrone soup recipe is healthy, easy to make, and tastes incredible. It's vegan, too, if you don't top it with cheese.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
Finally! It’s about time this blog offered a traditional minestrone soup recipe. Minestrone is a hearty Italian vegetable soup made with tomato-y broth and pasta or rice. I’ve been working hard on this recipe and I’m so excited to share it with you.
Minestrone was traditionally made to use up leftover vegetables, so feel free to use any seasonal vegetables and greens you have on hand. I used potatoes and spinach for the soup you see here, and it was absolutely delicious.
I listed some alternatives in the recipe, including yellow squash, zucchini, butternut squash, green beans or peas. That means that you can make seasonal minestrone on cool days from fall through spring!
I used canned beans here instead of cooking my own, which cuts the cooking time down to a reasonable weeknight level. The remaining ingredients are basic pantry items, including canned tomatoes, pasta, basic spices and onions.
Why is this the best minestrone soup?
- This hearty minestrone is easy to make and totally worth the effort.
- The recipe calls for seasonal vegetables and affordable pantry ingredients.
- The soup packs great for lunch, and tastes even better the next day.
- It freezes and defrosts well, too.
- This homemade minestrone is infinitely better than the Olive Garden or store-bought varieties!
I adapted this recipe from the lentil minestrone in my cookbook, which was based on my lentil soup. For this classic minestrone, I omitted the lentils, added white beans, upped the tomato paste, and reserved the final tablespoon of olive oil to mix in at the end.
Please let me know how you like this soup in the comments! I always love reading your feedback and I’m eager to hear which veggies you use in your soup.
If you’re looking for more soup recipes, definitely check out the two mentioned above, and I have even more soups here.
Watch how to make Minestrone Soup
Classic Minestrone Soup
Warm up with this vegetarian minestrone soup! This classic minestrone soup recipe is healthy, easy to make, and tastes incredible. It’s vegan, too, if you don’t top it with cheese. Recipe yields 6 bowls or 8 cups of soup.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 medium ribs celery, chopped
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2 cups chopped seasonal vegetables (potatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, butternut squash, green beans or peas all work)
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with their liquid (or 2 small 15-ounce cans)
- 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 bay leaves
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup whole grain orecchiette, elbow or small shell pasta
- 1 can (15 ounces) Great Northern beans or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked beans
- 2 cups baby spinach, chopped kale or chopped collard greens
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnishing (optional)
Instructions
- 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 ¼ teaspoon more) and pepper until the flavors really sing. Garnish bowls of soup with grated Parmesan, if you’d like.
Notes
Make it dairy free/vegan: Don’t garnish with Parmesan, or use homemade vegan Parmesan.
Make it gluten free: Substitute your favorite sturdy gluten-free noodle. I used DeLallo’s Whole-Grain Rice Shells and they worked great.
Parmesan note: Most Parmesans are not technically vegetarian (they contain animal rennet), but Whole Foods 365 and BelGioioso brands offer vegetarian Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I am in my 60s and my mom is in her 90s. She is still living on her own and doing very well except she can’t stand for any length of time to cook a recipe or meal. Only heating things up and making cereal…quick things. So when I visit I cook every meal, we eat it and I freeze the rest in individual containers with a label. This way she selects tomorrows meals and put them in the fridge the night before. Voila ready for the microwave. She loves loves loves this recipe! Rages over it with almost every bite. haha. Thank you so so much!!
Incidentally I follow several of your delicious recipes for her!!
:) happy daughter
Ok, my kids can be picky so I wasn’t sure how this would go over but they both loved it. They even had seconds! My son is dairy allergic so I left out the cheese in his but the rest of us added at the end. I’m also the only one in my family who likes green beans so I steamed some up and added them to my bowl upon serving. Both my kiddos asked for it to be sent in their lunch tomorrow so THANK YOU.
I’m glad they loved it, Jessica! Thank you for your review.
I make this soup when I’m taking a meal to a friend/family in need as it is such a healthy, hearty, warm dish. You literally feel better after eating this soup, and everyone I have made it for says as much. I usually send it with a baguette, fruit,and dessert and I feel like I gave the friend/family a big hug.
I made this exactly as written except I substituted chicken broth for vegetable broth. It took a while to make but was so worth it! The recipe made 12 cups of soup so there is plenty for leftovers. It’s hearty, satisfying, healthy and full of flavor. I think it was even better the second day! Definitely loved it with the grated Parmesan on top and will include it each time. I will make it again for sure!
I’m glad you liked the end result, Sue! Thank you for your review.
I’m about to make this soup later today, and judging from the comments it will be wonderfully delicious! I have canned borlotti beans, do you think they will be okay?
Rochelle
Brisbane, Aus
You could try it. Let me know what you think!
So good!!! We’ve had enough for 3 rainy days for lunch. One of those nice comfort foods. I used the whole can of tomato paste my husband is a finicky eater but does love tomatoes. We paired it with Ritz crackers and pepper jack cheese. Thank you!
This sounds great ! Do you think this would freeze well ?
I would add the noodles when you are ready to reheat since noodles don’t freeze the best.
Great recipe. I actually used home grown tomatoes which we had frozen whole last year because we had so many and had made tomato paste already and eaten many “fresh”.
Worked out great.
That’s great, Anne! I appreciate your review.
Very tasty, affordable and simple meal. I used what I had on hand plus some leftovers and the soup was delicious. Thank you Kathryne!
You’re welcome, Juliana! I appreciate your review.
I love the freshness of the original recipe. I have a garden and used a lot of Italian oregano in your recipe. I also used 4 ounces of pancetta and a dash of paprika along with chicken broth. I really like the lemon squeeze at the end with the splash of olive oil. Mine turned out great and I will definitely be using your recipe again.
Thank you for sharing.
This was excellent. I followed the recipe and we loved it. It’s a keeper.
Wonderful to hear, Janice!
OK I have made this dish about 100 times now, and it’s awesome every time. It ticks every box: cheap, variable, tasty, nutritious, cooks in one pot, pretty, veganable. But now I have to give something back and tell y’all my top tips after playing around with it. They’re from my authentically Italian™️ husband.
1. Don’t add the pasta if you’re making some to save… just drop it in to the portion you’re having tonight, or when you reheat. So the pasta doesn’t degrade in the fridge/freezer when you’re meal prepping.
2. If you’re not vegan, save the heel of your Parmesan, when it’s just about done and too thin to grate, cut it up into inch-long pieces, and drop it into this minestrone when you add the canned tomato. The flavor permeates throughout and adds an extra depth, and if you get a bit of it in your portion, the formerly thin and ungrateable Parmesan puffs up when cooked and is DELICIOUS.
Thanks for this life-saving recipe, I’ve shared it far and wide!
I’ve made lots of variations of minestrone over the years, as both myself and my husband are from large Italian American families…this however is my favorite. The only thing I do differently when I make this recipe is I use fresh herbs from my garden, and I throw in a parmesan reggiano rind let it really up the rich & hearty flavor of this soup. Fantastic recipe! If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would. It’s healthy, all 5 of our kids enjoy it & it’s incredibly affordable to make for those of us on a budget with large families. Keep these great recipes coming! Thank you Kate ;-)
Thank you, Laura! I appreciate your review. I’m glad it is a hit with everyone.
Just started pulling my sweet onions and have a bumper crop of green beans and carrots, so had to try this recipe. Not the time of year I usually think of soups, but had a hankering so went for it while we’re experiencing an unseasonably cool week. Great basic recipe with hearty flavor, easily adapted to personal tastes and veggies on hand! In addition to above and the celery and cannelini beans, I added zucchini, spinach, and cauliflower, ‘cuz that’s what I had that needed to be used. Also added some Parmesan cheese rinds that I’d stashed in the freezer for this very purpose, letting the flavor seep in while the soup simmered then fished out with the bay leaves at the end. I also precooked the pasta (chopped fusilli) to just under al dente before adding to the soup. Delicious! Made a huge batch for two people! Will likely freeze half. Thank you! Will make again with my fall crops later this year.
First time
Making minestrone , not only was this recipe so easy to follow it was delicious too …
Great to hear, Julie! I appreciate your review.
Can I freeze this soup?
Hi! If you want to freeze this soup, I recommend adding the noodles when you are ready to eat as they can soak up all the liquid and become mushy.
Fabulous soup! I used potato, green beans, zucchini and yellow squash for the veggies. The browned tomato paste added so much flavor. I make Kate’s lentil soup and it’s also really tasty. Thanks for sharing.
Have made this possibly 50+ times now & it is still so delicious. A hit in our house! Love this meal and have to rate it. Everything from Cookie & Kate is always a winner.
Thank you, Mel! I’m glad you loved it.
I made this soup last night for our tea and we really enjoyed it, I did not put potatoes in it as I don’t like double carbs together, but that was the only change I made, served it with blobs of home made pesto, delicious!
Thank you for sharing how you made it, Debs! I appreciate your review.
Very useful tq.
Thank you for your review, Benjamin!
SKIP THE LEMONNNNN
Perfect recipe until I added the lemon. Ruined the soup.
It was so gooooood before the godforsaken lemon.
I’m sorry to hear didn’t love the lemon, Keil. I appreciate you taking the time to review!
Best veggie soup. I’ve made it many many times and it never disappoints. I either cook the pasta separately or add chicken when heating it up. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Eileen! Thank you for taking the time to review.
The only minestrone recipe you’ll ever need!
Glad you loved it, Kenna! I appreciate your review.
Love this recipe! To me it’s not minestrone without the tiny pasta shapes! I used orzo because I had it but will be looking for (wholewheat) tiny stars next. I loved lifting my spoon to reveal these hidden treasures as a child!. I added shallots, courgette (zucchini), yellow pepper, spring (collard) greens, green beans from my parent’s garden, bay leaves from my tree, double the oregano and tinned borlotti beans and a good parmigiana all in the house already.
I didn’t measure anything as I kinda know how much pasta and stock works for me, I’ve made minestrone without a recipe for years but never put the pinch of chilli flakes in or the lemon juice and oil at the end. These touches make it extra delicious
Is this something that can be made in an instant pot? If so do you have instructions for it? Thank you!
I love a good minestrone, and while I have an old tried-and-true recipe, I am never disappointed with C&K recipes, so I gave this one a try, and much to my surprise, it did not deliver. I followed the recipe exactly, using gluten free Tinkyada brand pasta which always performs well, and it turned out kinda meh in flavor, but especially, mushy and way too thick. I would love to know what I did wrong, because your recipes are ALWAYS on target! Ideas?
I’m sorry you didn’t love this. It sounds like it may have been cooked to long and/or the pasta soaked up a lot of the liquid.
Best soup I’ve ever made! Thank you #cookieandkate! I started with the carrots, celery, and onion. I grow my own tomatoes, summer squash, string beans and herbs, so they were the basis of the start of the soup. I added an organic store bought vegetable broth, frozen corn, some curly pasta, and topped with grated cheese and parsley. My tomatoes were so ripe and sweet, so the flavor of the soup is out of this world. It tastes so fresh. The pasta, the beans, and all the vegetables make for a well balanced meal.
I love this soup, the perfect pick me up. Thanks guys
You’re welcome, Irene! I appreciate your review.
I love it! Warm and yummy
I’ve made your minestrone soup twice now except I add some bacon.
Best recipe fr miestrone!!!
My wife and I are huge fans of this soup.
I have made it over half a dozen times, and every time the flavours simply make my heart (and taste buds) sing.
Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work.
This is by far the most delicious minestrone soup ever!! Absolutely the best! I dropped a container off to my son, who also loved it! I added more than 2 cups butternut squash, simply because i had it. I also added chopped up collard greens, peas, green beans. Can’t wait to have some for lunch today!
So delicious! I used zucchini and yellow squash for my veges, spinach for my greens, cannellinis for my beans ,and orzo for my pasta. Love the lemon juice addition at the end-really brightens it up.
Love that, Carol! Thank you for your review.
I have made this so many times. It is delicious. I added a rind of parm/reggiano cheese. It’s great every time and so versatile. Make This Soup.
Love this recipe so much! Can it be made into work with an Instant Pot?
Hi! I haven’t tried it, sorry. If you do, let me know how it turns out.
Absolutely delicious!! I added red bell peppers and what was left of a smoked pork loin. Soooo good,
I’m excited you enjoy it! Thank you for sharing, Barbie.
This is our go-to fall/winter soup. I make a pot every other week for the past two years. I cook the pasta on the side and add it to the bowl as we pack our lunches (just so it doesn’t get soggy over a few days). So versatile, I throw in whatever greens/veggies I have (kale, spinach, baby bok Choy leaves). Absolutely one of our favorites.
I love to hear that, Jacinda! I appreciate your review.
I am going to try this tonight as it looks so good. Could sweet potato be used in this recipe?
Sure! That’s a great option, Annamaria. I appreciate your review!
Male no cooking experience. I fllowed the recipe and the result was amazing.
This is such a delicious recipe, and a go-to one for our family! We always blend the celery so it’s not in chunks and we use kale. Such a delicious recipe…so grateful for it! Just wondering if it will keep in the fridge overnight. I was planning on cooking everything in the soup except for the pasta. Any tips?
Hi! Yes, this soup makes great leftovers. Thank you for your review.
Best minestrone ever! I used delicata squash and green beans. I used butter beans and spinach! The lemon juice at the end made it special. I forgot to add the extra touch of olive oil at the end, but will next time. Wonderful!
Thank you for sharing, Chris. I’m glad you loved it.
My granddaughter and I made this recipe yesterday and we both absolutely loved it. Even the other granddaughter gave it a 7.5 out of 10 and that is good considering how picky she is. This will definitely be in rotation at both of houses from now on.
That’s great to hear, Yvonne! I appreciate your review.
Thank you so much Katherine for sharing this recipe! So great to be able to enjoy vegetables through a healthy but delicious meal such as this! The recipe is easy to follow. I have made this more than several times now and it is a staple meal. Thank you so much once again
You’re welcome, Imelda! I appreciate your review.
Hi there! What kind of potatoes did you use? I love this recipe. I made without potatoes twice because I was out, but would like to add tonight. Thank you for a great recipe!
Hi Russet work great here, or whatever type you want.
It was good, but following the directions all of my broth was absorbed by my small elbows. Will likely have to use less pasta, or at least a different type.
I’m sorry to hear that, Chantal! Did you use whole wheat or a different type of pasta?
Great , first time I tasted it in the hospital, delicious, tasty and nutritious, thank you
Hi! I made this soup last night and it was delicious,full of flavor. Definitely a keeper! I used fresh herbs, butternut squash, russet potato and spinach. Instead of water I used all vegetable broth and added more as needed, also cooked my pasta separate.
Unfortunately I forgot the lemon juice and olive oil, will use in my leftovers. Looking forward to our leftovers!
Awesome soup! Thanks for sharing
You’re welcome, Brad. I’m glad you loved it!
This was delicious!
I didn’t add potatoes in this one, and also stopped off the dish with parmesan along with a TBSP of pesto!
Thanks for sharing…this was amazing !
I’m happy you enjoyed it, Grishma!
This recipe is fantastic! I have received heaps of praise and demands for more of it, regularly. And I must say that I’m not surprised as I have received equal praise and delight serving many of the recipes that Cookie and Kate so generously share with us. Thank you tons!
Be well :)
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Nicolas! I appreciate your review.
Absolutely love this recipe! I love how versatile it is and you really can throw in any veggies. My husband is a huge meat eater so I like to add Italian sausage. Sometimes I use chicken broth instead for more flavor and serve it with a good crusty bread. Can’t wait to make this again!