This Minestrone Soup is our absolute favorite! A thick and hearty vegetable soup dotted with ditalini pasta and a rich tomato broth makes for a bowl of completely nourishing comfort food! Top each bowl with some grated Parmesan cheese and dunk in some crusty bread -- or even better, serve this soup in a bread bowl (yum!)
SAUTEVEGGIES: Add olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add in the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring frequently for 8-10 minutes or until the onion is golden and soft. Add in garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
TOMATO PASTE: Add in tomato paste and season to taste with salt and pepper (I add 1/2 teaspoon each of fine sea salt & pepper). Mix and then cook, stirring frequently for 8 minutes or until veggies are very tender and tomato paste has become very thick and darkened in color. Don't try to rush this step, we are adding flavor and richness while also ensuring the veggies don't end up crunchy. Next add in the 2 cans of diced tomatoes and seasonings: rosemary, oregano thyme, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir frequently, cooking for another 2 minutes. Scrape the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits.
STOCK & BEANS: Pour in the vegetable stock, drained and rinsed beans, and zucchini. Add bay leaves here if using. Stir. Increase heat to bring the soup to a boil and then lower the heat until soup is gently simmering (barely bubbling at the edges). Simmer, with the lid partially covering the pot (leave about a 1-inch gap for steam) for 10-15 minutes or until veggies are tender.
PASTA: Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil. Salt the water and follow package directions for cooking the pasta. Drain and set aside.
FINISH SOUP: Turn off the heat on the soup. Stir in the peas and corn. Taste and adjust seasonings here; I typically add another 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper -- flavors should be rich! If desired add in some lemon juice and drizzle in some olive oil (I add 1 tablespoon). Remove bay leaves and discard if used.
SERVE: Ladle soup into bowls and stir in a few spoonfuls of pasta into individual bowls. Serve bowls topped with Parmesan cheese, any fresh herbs if using, and crusty bread for dipping!
SLOW COOKER: Follow steps 1-2 either in a pot or the base of your slow cooker if it has a sautéing element. Add everything from the pot to the base of the slow cooker along with the drained and rinsed beans, zucchini, and bay leaves. Stir and cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 1-2 hours or until flavors are sufficiently melded and veggies are tender. Stir in the frozen peas and corn. Taste and adjust seasonings adding more salt and pepper as needed. If desired add in some lemon juice and drizzle in some olive oil (I add about 1 tablespoon). Remove bay leaves and discard. About 20 minutes before the soup is done, cook pasta separately according to package directions and stir into individual serving bowls. Serve bowls topped with Parmesan cheese, any fresh herbs if using, and crusty bread for dipping!
STORAGE: Minestrone soup will stay fresh for 3-5 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Unfortunately, it doesn’t freeze very well; the veggies get a bit mushy when thawed. If the yield of soup is too much to be eaten within those 4-5 days, I recommend halving the recipe initially.Reheat the soup gently in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. You’ll likely need to add in an additional splash of vegetable stock to slightly thin the soup. It does thicken as it sits and is stored.
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Notes
Note 1: Canned Tomatoes: This type of tomato is charred over a flame before being crushed and canned. Contact with the flame brings out the tomato’s sweetness and imparts a distinct, smoky flavor. You get more flavor without any extra work or additional ingredients needed — score! (We love the following brands: Cento Marzano®, Carmelina Marzano Italian®, or Muir Glen®.) If you don't want to use fire-roasted, plain is fine too! If you don't like the tomato chunks, use crushed tomatoes instead.Note 2: Stock: Use a high-quality, flavorful stock that will add loads of flavor; we highly recommend Swanson’s® vegetable stock! (not sponsored). Yes, 4 cups is correct -- this soup is supposed to be thick like a stew. If you'd like it to be less thick, feel free to add in some more and slightly increase seasonings!Note 3: Pasta: For this soup, I prefer to cook the pasta separately for texture preference and storage reasons. Pasta will continue to take on liquid as it sits in the soup which makes it bloat and become overly soft. This is especially apparent if you have leftovers — you’ll likely find the pasta will absorb just about all the liquid! For this reason, I like to cook the pasta separately and add spoonfuls to individual bowls right before eating and then store the two (soup and pasta) separately in the fridge. If you’d prefer to cook the pasta in the same soup pot, add it in with the beans and zucchini and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes (or until pasta is al dente) and increase the stock amount to 6 cups.