Easy Minestrone Soup

Name: Easy Minestrone Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon canola oil; 1 small onion ((finely diced)); 2 ribs celery ((sliced)); 3 large carrots ((peeled and finely chopped)); 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 tablespoon minced garlic ((2 large cloves)); 1½ teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon dried parsley; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon dried basil; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 2 cups fresh spinach ((roughly chopped)); 4 cups low sodium chicken broth ((use vegetable broth to make this vegetarian)); 28 oz canned diced tomatoes ((798 ml) no salt added); 1 cup canned red kidney beans* ((rinsed) 8 oz); 1 cup canned white kidney beans* ((rinsed) 8 oz); 1 cups small uncooked pasta ((I used medium shells)); Parmesan for serving

written by Ashley Fehr

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5 from 101 votes

Prep Time 15

Total Time 45

Servings 6 servings

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Last updated on February 1, 2024

This Easy Minestrone Soup is a healthy one-pot meal that’s loaded with veggies, beans, and pasta. It’s vegetarian, dairy-free, and can easily be made vegan or gluten-free. Make-ahead and freezer friendly!

overhead image of pot of minestrone soup with wooden spoon stuck in

What is Minestrone Soup?
Ingredients needed for Minestrone Soup:
How to make Minestrone Soup
How to make crockpot Minestrone Soup
Minestrone Soup FAQs
Tips and tricks:
Variations
Serving suggestions
More vegetable soup recipes you’ll love
Easy Minestrone Soup Recipe

This Minestrone Soup is one of my favorite ways to get a healthy meal on the table! It is absolutely loaded with vegetables (which, I’ll be honest, I don’t get a lot of otherwise!).

I’ve come up with a few other recipes for our favorite comfort foods that load up the veggies—Healthier One-Pot Skillet Lasagna, Healthier Slow Cooker Hamburger Helper, BBQ Chili Cheese Biscuit Casserole, One-Pot Turkey Chili Mac and Cheese—but this Easy Minestrone Soup may just be one of my favorites!

This soup is packed with vegetables, pasta, two types of beans, and so much delicious flavor. It’s a well-rounded, vegetarian meal that’s made in just one pot!

What is Minestrone Soup?

Minestrone Soup is an Italian soup that’s made with vegetables, beans, and pasta or rice. It’s hearty, healthy, and can be easily customized to your liking!

overhead image of two hands holding bowl of minestrone soup

Ingredients needed for Minestrone Soup:

This vegetarian minestrone soup is loaded with good-for-you ingredients!

Oil: I use canola oil to sauté the veggies before adding the other ingredients.
Onion, Celery, and Carrot: our classic soup flavor base.
Tomato Paste: this creates a thicker broth and adds a richness and body to the soup.
Minced Garlic: use freshly minced for the best garlicky flavor.
Seasonings: you’ll need salt, dried parsley, dried oregano, dried basil, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes!
Spinach: I recommend using fresh spinach in this recipe. You can use frozen, but you will need to add it sooner so it can cook all the way through.
Chicken Broth: I use low sodium chicken broth so I can control the saltiness of the soup. To make vegetarian use vegetable broth.
Canned Tomatoes: look for low sodium canned, diced tomatoes. You’ll need one 28 ounce can.
Beans: I use a both red and white canned kidney beans. Be sure to drain and rinse the beans before adding them to the soup.
Pasta: no need to cook first. The pasta cooks directly in the soup!
Parmesan: you can’t go wrong with a garnish of salty shredded parmesan.

overhead image of ingredients needed for minestrone soup

How to make Minestrone Soup

This Minestrone Soup Recipe is the perfect one-pot meal—and it takes just 15 minutes to prep!

Cook the aromatics: In a large pot, mix oil, carrots, celery, and onion over medium-high heat. Cook until the onion is soft, then add in the seasonings and cook for another minute.
Add other ingredients: Stir in the broth, tomatoes, and beans. Cover and simmer until the carrots are tender.
Cook the pasta: Mix in the pasta, then cover and simmer for another 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked to your liking.
Finish and serve: Add in spinach and serve with parmesan!

carrots onions celery and spices sauteeing in large pot — Saute vegetables and add spices

tomatoes and liquids added to minestrone soup base — Saute vegetables and add spices

How to make crockpot Minestrone Soup

Soup is one of my favorite things to cook in the crockpot, and crockpot minestrone soup is no exception!

This recipe is right up there with all of the best crockpot soups and makes a great alternative to the stovetop version when you’re looking for something you can prep further in advance.

Stir all of the ingredients (minus the pasta) together in the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 8-9 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours (this could be shorter or longer depending on how hot your slow cooker is and the size of your vegetables)
I recommend cooking the pasta separately when making this in the crockpot just to get the cook time exactly right. You can also add it 20 minutes before the cooking time is up, cover, and cook until al dente. Check the pasta at 10 minutes so as not to overcook it!

overhead close up image of minestrone soup in bowl with spoon

Minestrone Soup FAQs

Is Minestrone Soup good for you?

Absolutely! Minestrone soup is a complete meal made with tons of veggies, carbs, and plant-based protein. It doesn’t get much healthier than this!

Should you cook the noodles before adding them to the soup?

Nope! The beauty of this recipe is that it’s made in just one pot. The pasta cooks right in the broth! If you prefer to cook and add the noodles separately, you definitely can.

What kind of pasta do you use in Minestrone Soup?

I use medium shells in this recipe, but pretty much any smaller pasta shape will work. Try ditalini, macaroni, gemelli, farfalle, etc. I don’t recommend using any long pasta shapes because they won’t incorporate very well with the other ingredients.

How to store:

Leftovers will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, microwave or simmer on the stove until heated all the way through. Keep in mind that as the pasta sits in the broth, it will soften. If you know you’ll have leftovers and would rather cook and store the pasta separately, feel free to do that!

Can you freeze minestrone soup?

If you’re going to freeze this soup I recommend doing so without the pasta added. To freeze, assemble and cook the pasta as directed but stop after step 3 in the recipe card. Instead, cool completely and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve, thaw in the fridge, then continue with the recipe as instructed.

minestrone soup in beige bowl with blue towel and fresh parsley

Tips and tricks:

Cut the veggies evenly. The rule of thumb is to cut the veggies around the same size so they cook evenly.
Use low sodium ingredients. I use low sodium broth and canned tomatoes with no salt added so I can control the saltiness of the soup.
To keep the pasta al dente, you can cook it separately and add it when you serve it. This isn’t necessary but does help preserve the texture of the noodles!
Drain and rinse the beans before adding them to the soup!

Variations

While I love this minestrone soup recipe as-is, it’s also super customizable! Feel free to play around with ingredients!

Add more veggies. You can really add in whatever veggies you like! Try frozen corn or green beans, broccoli, butternut squash, kale, zucchini, etc.
Add meat. This soup is already pretty hearty, but you can take it up a notch by cooking Italian sausage, ground turkey, or ground beef right along with the celery, carrot, and onion. If you’re not using pre-seasoned meat like Italian sausage you may want to adjust the seasonings.
Make it gluten-free. Simply swap the regular pasta out for gluten-free. For the best results, cook gluten-free noodles separately and add them when you serve. They tend to be softer!
Make it creamy. You can make this soup richer and creamier by adding a splash of heavy cream or half-and-half after cooking.

Serving suggestions

Minestrone soup is a well-rounded meal as-is. However, it’s also versatile enough to be served next to your favorite side dishes or proteins. Try it with garlic bread, roasted green beans, or even baked chicken breast!

More vegetable soup recipes you’ll love

Dinner

Crockpot Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe (full of flavor!)

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!