Let me introduce you to this nutritious minestrone soup if you’re searching for a tasty method to incorporate more veggies into your diet.
One of my favorite meals to cook when I want to pack in the good stuff is minestrone soup, which has six different vegetables along with kidney beans that are high in protein and fiber.
Soup is the winter equivalent of salads, in my opinion. They are inexpensive when made with dried pasta and canned beans, and they are a simple way to eat several servings of vegetables at one meal.
Why This Recipe Is Effective
This time of year, I cook pasta soups almost every week because I love them. From my chickpea noodle soup to my pasta fagioli, we love the traditional pasta, bean, and vegetable combination.
One of the best things about this minestrone is the final addition of red wine vinegar. A little acid goes a long way when preparing soups, as I’ve mentioned in a few of my earlier soup recipes. It balances the tomatoes’ richness and enhances the soup’s saltiness.
Although practically any acid would work, I choose red wine vinegar since it naturally balances the other ingredients. This can be accomplished with a little lemon juice or even just vinegar. Too much acid will overpower the minestrone soup, so start with one teaspoon and work your way up from there. The vinegar shouldn’t be noticeable!
If you have ever prepared pasta soups, you know that they must be served immediately to prevent the pasta from continuing to absorb the broth, which would result in overdone pasta and insufficient broth! I suggest heating the pasta separately in salted water for this minestrone soup, and when it’s time to serve, ladle the cooked soup over the pasta in bowls.
This method of plating helps preserve any leftovers. Although it’s not required, I prefer to add a sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan cheese and a drizzle of good olive oil for optimum taste. If the parmesan cheese is left off, this minestrone soup is naturally vegan.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1/3 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 28-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
- 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 15-ounce can low-sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup elbow pasta
- 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Directions:
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the celery and carrot and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green beans, dried oregano and basil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook 3 more minutes.
- Add the diced and crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the kidney beans and pasta and cook until the pasta and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt. Ladle into bowls and top with the parmesan and chopped basil.
Get the Recipe: Minestrone Soup
How to Store and Serve Minestrone Soup
This minestrone soup should be completely cooled before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Alternatively, put the soup to resealable plastic bags and freeze flat. The soup can be stored for up to three months for the best quality. When serving, gently reheat the soup on the stove until heated through. You may want to keep some extra stock on hand because the pasta and beans can absorb some of the cooking liquid as the soup sits in the fridge.
Minestrone soup is hearty, so pair it with good bread and butter, a hearty salad, or a warming side like mashed potatoes.
Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 large carrot diced
- 1/3 pound green beans trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 28- ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
- 1 14- ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 15- ounce can low-sodium kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup elbow pasta
- 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the celery and carrot and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green beans, dried oregano and basil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook 3 more minutes.
- Add the diced and crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the kidney beans and pasta and cook until the pasta and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt. Ladle into bowls and top with the parmesan and chopped basil.
