Our go-to classic minestrone soup recipe (with video) (2024)

  • 10 Ingredients
  • 3 Method Steps

10 Ingredients

  • 3 bacon rashers, rind removed, roughly chopped

  • 2 carrots, peeled, chopped

  • 2 celery sticks, chopped

  • 1 desiree potato, peeled, chopped

  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed

  • 1L (4 cups) Massel beef style liquid stock

  • Mutti Polpa Finely Chopped Tomatoes 400g

  • 400g can Coles Red Kidney Beans, rinsed, drained

  • 80g (1 cup) small shell pasta

  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh continental parsley

  • Select all ingredients

3 Method Steps

  • Place the bacon (3 bacon rashers, rind removed, roughly chopped), carrots (2 carrots, peeled, chopped), celery (2 celery sticks, chopped) and potato (1 desiree potato, peeled, chopped) in a large saucepan and stir to combine. Cook over high heat, uncovered, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

  • Add the garlic (2 garlic cloves, crushed), beef stock (1L (4 cups) Massel beef style liquid stock), tomatoes (Mutti Polpa Finely Chopped Tomatoes 400g) and red kidney beans (400g can Coles Red Kidney Beans, rinsed, drained) to the pan, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. (To freeze the soup, see note).

  • Increase heat to high. Add pasta (80g (1 cup) small shell pasta) and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, following packet directions or until pasta is al dente. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into serving bowls and sprinkle with parsley (1/3 cup chopped fresh continental parsley). Serve immediately.

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Recipe Notes

Can minestrone soup be vegetarian?

This hearty Italian minestrone soup recipe can easily be adapted to being a vegan or vegetarian minestrone soup. Simply omit the bacon and cook the vegetables in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. For a vegan version you can sprinkle with some plant-based cheese or nutritional yeast, or with parmesan or pesto for a vegetarian version. As a general rule, most commercial stocks don’t contain meat products – unless you buy a beef or chicken broth. Check the label to be sure. Also small dried pasta rarely contains egg – instead just semolina and water – so it’s naturally vegan.

What are some other minestrone soup recipe twists?

In keeping with the theme of frugal cooking, use this minestrone soup recipe as a blueprint for cooking up whatever you have on hand. The bacon can be swapped with leftover ham bones or a ham hock. If you have cannellini beans in the cupboard, throw them in instead of the kidney beans and other small pasta, even broken up spaghetti can be used. Save your parmesan rind and simmer it with the soup for extra taste, just scoop it out at the end. Try making a crisper-drawer green minestrone by adding zucchini, broccoli and cabbage. Swap the parsley for basil if you have it in the garden. To top it all off, how about using up stale bread by making some garlic croutons. Some like to add extra green beans to bulk up the vegie factor, but we think it's worth using up vegies in your crisper if you don't have green beans (or you're feeding little ones who don't love green beans in their minestrone soup). Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if you please, and enjoy the best minestrone recipe we know!

Can you make classic minestrone soup in the slow cooker?

Sure can! Simply fry off the vegetables as per the recipe and then transfer to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients except the pasta, reducing the stock by one cup. Cook for 6 hours on low, adding the pasta in the last hour of cooking. Delicious soup recipes are a must-have in winter, and this is a great minestrone soup to come home to on a cool evening. Better yet, you can freeze leftover soup and have an absolutely delicious dinner awaiting future you.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Nutrition per Serving

%Daily Value#

Nutrition information and Health Score does not include ingredients listed as to serve or any serving suggestions.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.

# The % daily values indicates how much of a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet, based on general nutritional advice for a diet of 2100 calories a day.

* Health Scores are calculated on a 1-10 scale based on nutrient density and USDA (global standard) recommendations for a healthy diet. A higher Health Score indicates a healthier recipe. The value is based on the impact of macronutrients and micronutrients in the recipe.

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Our go-to classic minestrone soup recipe (with video) (2024)

FAQs

What are all the ingredients in minestrone soup? ›

Common ingredients include beans, onions, celery, carrots, stock, and tomatoes. There is no set recipe for minestrone, since it is usually made out of whatever vegetables are in season. It can be vegetarian, contain meat, or contain a meat-based soup base (such as chicken stock).

What is the secret to soup? ›

7 Tips for Successful Soup Making
  • Use a Sturdy Pot. It is worth investing in a heavy pot with a thick bottom to use for making soup. ...
  • Sauté the Aromatics. ...
  • Start with Good Broth. ...
  • Cut Vegetables to the Right Size. ...
  • Stagger the Addition of Vegetables. ...
  • Keep Liquid at a Simmer. ...
  • Season Just Before Serving.
Oct 9, 2022

What is the thickening agent for minestrone? ›

The secret ingredients for the minestrone soup broth are bacon, parmesan and Worcestershire sauce, and a touch of tomato paste which thickens the broth nicely as well has driving home the tomato flavour.

How to make minestrone soup Gordon Ramsay? ›

Method:
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the onions, carrots, celery and some seasoning. ...
  2. Add the thyme, bay leaf and bacon. ...
  3. Tip in the borlotti beans and cherry tomatoes, then pour in the chicken stock or water to cover. ...
  4. Add the spaghetti and cook for 10 minutes.
Nov 6, 2023

What is Olive Garden minestrone soup made of? ›

2 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained 2 (15 ounce) cans small white beans or 2 (15 ounce) cans great northern beans, drained 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes 1/2 cup carrot (julienned or shredded) 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper ...

Does minestrone traditionally contain meat? ›

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 be made with a bone broth, such as chicken stock or beef stock.

What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

What not to do when making soup? ›

The 7 Biggest Mistakes You Make Cooking Soup
  1. Boiling instead of simmering. You want a small bubble or two to rise to the surface of the liquid every few seconds. ...
  2. Not using enough salt. ...
  3. Ignoring water. ...
  4. Overcooking the vegetables. ...
  5. Adding tomatoes at the beginning. ...
  6. Neglecting to garnish. ...
  7. Not trying a pressure cooker.
Nov 19, 2014

What gives soup the best flavor? ›

Herbs and spices add aroma, flavor, and intensity to soup broth. "Use fresh or dried basil in tomato-based recipes or fresh parsley to add freshness to clear broth soups," says Sofia Norton, RD. You can also go with more heat and spices.

Why is minestrone soup good for you? ›

Minestrone is rich in fiber, which helps the intestines stay healthy. “It promotes intestinal regularity and consequently the elimination of toxins and waste substances. Soluble fiber – present in artichokes, tomatoes, leeks, asparagus, onions and other vegetables – is prebiotic.

What's the difference between minestrone and vegetable soup? ›

Minestrone soup is unique because it typically includes beans, pasta, or rice, as well as vegetables, and the ingredients are always left chunky (it's never blended), making it a heartier option. Vegetable soups are usually simpler and don't typically include beans or pasta, and you could have a blended vegetable soup.

What does minestrone mean in Italian? ›

The word minestrone, meaning a thick vegetable soup, is attested in English from 1871. It is from Italian minestrone, the augmentative form of minestra, 'soup', or more literally 'that which is served', from minestrare, 'to serve', and cognate with administer as in 'to administer a remedy'.

Is pasta fa*gioli the same as minestrone? ›

Pasta fa*gioli and minestrone are both Italian soups with similar flavors that make use of whatever vegetables you have on hand. The main difference is the beans in the pasta fa*gioli that result in a thicker soup than minestrone, which is traditionally very brothy.

How do you make James Martin minestrone soup? ›

In a large non-stick frying pan, cook the bacon lardons in the oil for 1-2 mins. Then add the leek, carrot and celery and cook for another 2 mins. Add spaghetti and the remaining vegetables, then the water cook for 5 mins. To make the pesto, put everything into a food processor and blitz.

What is the main ingredient in soup? ›

The most common ingredient in soup dishes is onion. Garlic, chicken broth, carrots, olive oil, tomatoes and celery are also common ingredients in soup recipes. For herbs and spices, cayenne pepper is popular.

How is minestrone different from vegetable soup? ›

Minestrone soup is unique because it typically includes beans, pasta, or rice, as well as vegetables, and the ingredients are always left chunky (it's never blended), making it a heartier option. Vegetable soups are usually simpler and don't typically include beans or pasta, and you could have a blended vegetable soup.

What is the brief description of soup minestrone? ›

Minestrone (pronounced min-eh-STROH-nee) is a rustic Italian soup made with vegetables and beans in a tomato based broth. Depending on the recipe, it will also contain pasta, rice, or in some instances, both.

Is minestrone soup good for your gut? ›

It keeps the gut healthy

Minestrone is rich in fiber, which helps the intestines stay healthy.

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