Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup is a thick Italian vegetable soup made with kidney beans, small shell pasta, and fresh spinach in a tomato broth. This Minestrone Soup recipe uses red wine to give the broth more depth, and I think that one addition is what makes it taste different from most versions I have tried. Minestrone Soup lets you open the fridge, grab whatever vegetables are about to go bad, and throw them in. No two pots ever taste exactly the same, and that is part of why I keep going back to it. I have been making Minestrone Soup since my early days in Chicago, when a cold night and a mostly empty fridge taught me that you do not need much to make a good bowl of soup. This Minestrone Soup is ready in about 30 minutes, start to finish.

My grandma made something similar when I was a kid, though she would never have called it minestrone. She just boiled whatever she had. Onions, tomatoes, a handful of beans, maybe some greens from the garden. No measurements. She would taste it, add salt, taste it again, and that was dinner. I did not appreciate that until I was older and started cooking on my own.

The red wine is what I think separates this version from the usual recipe you find online. It is not a lot, just 3/4 cup, but it changes the broth in a way that is hard to describe. More savory, maybe. A little rounder. I almost left it out the first time I made this because I was not sure how it would taste in a vegetable soup. Glad I did not.

What is Minestrone Soup?

Minestrone soup is a thick Italian vegetable soup traditionally made with whatever seasonal vegetables, beans, and pasta or rice happen to be available. The name comes from the Italian word “minestra,” meaning soup. It roughly translates to “big soup,” which is honestly a pretty accurate description of what you end up with.

The history goes way back. There are versions of this soup dating to the Roman Empire, around the 2nd century BC. Back then, it was mostly vegetables and grains cooked in water because that is what people could afford. Tomatoes were not part of the recipe until the 1500s, after they arrived in Italy from the Americas. The Italians call it “cucina povera,” which means food of the poor. I think that name sells it short. The whole idea is that you take ordinary, affordable ingredients and cook them slowly until they become something worth sitting down for. That is good cooking, not poor cooking.

Every region in Italy has its own version. Some use rice instead of pasta. Some skip beans entirely. There is no official recipe, and there never has been.

Why This Minestrone Soup Recipe Works

Here is why I think this version turns out well.

• Sautéing the aromatics before adding liquid – Garlic, onion, celery, and zucchini cooked in olive oil for a few minutes builds a base that the rest of the soup leans on
• Red wine in the broth – Most minestrone recipes skip this. The wine cooks down and leaves behind an acidity and richness that plain broth does not have
• 15 minutes of simmering with dried herbs and beans – Oregano, basil, and thyme need time to release their flavor into the liquid. Rushing this step and you end up with herbs just floating on top instead of tasting like they belong
• Pasta and spinach go in last – Pre cooked pasta added at the end stays firm. Spinach wilts in a few minutes. Both lose their texture if they sit in hot broth too long

Ingredients

• Small shell pasta – Fits on a spoon and the curves catch broth
• Spanish onion – Milder and a bit sweeter than yellow onion
• Red wine – I use Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon, nothing expensive
• Zucchini – Melts into the broth as it cooks and gives the soup body
• Celery – For the aromatic base
• Garlic – Four cloves, minced
• Vegetable broth – 5 cups for the base
• Canned green beans – Chopped, they keep their shape in the broth
• Red kidney beans – Drained, these make the soup filling
• Canned diced tomatoes – The tomato base of the broth
• Carrot – Minced, for sweetness
• Parsley – Chopped, stirred in with the beans
• Dried oregano – Works well in Italian soups
• Salt – 1 1/2 teaspoons to start, adjust later
• Ground black pepper – For heat
• Dried basil – Pairs with the tomatoes
• Dried thyme – Just 1/4 teaspoon, it does not need much
• Fresh baby spinach – Goes in at the end
• Olive oil – 3 tablespoons to start the sauté

This is a straightforward soup. No special equipment, no tricky timing. You just need a big pot and about 30 minutes.

1. Heat a large cooking pot over medium heat and pour in the olive oil.
2. Add the garlic, onion, celery, and zucchini. Sauté for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until the vegetables soften and release their aroma.

Do not let the garlic brown. If it starts to darken, lower the heat or take the pot away from the burner.

1. Pour in the vegetable broth and diced tomatoes. Let the mixture come to a boil.
2. Add the red wine, salt, and ground black pepper. Stir and allow it to simmer briefly.

You will notice the wine smell hit you right away. That fades as the alcohol cooks off.

1. Put in the kidney beans, green beans, carrots, parsley, oregano, basil, and thyme.
2. Lower the heat and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes so the flavors blend well.

Stir a few times during this step. The beans like to settle at the bottom.

1. Add the cooked small shell pasta and fresh spinach.
2. Continue simmering for 5 to 7 minutes, just until the spinach wilts.

Turn off the heat and transfer the soup to a serving bowl. Serve warm with bread sticks.

What to Serve with Minestrone Soup

• Crusty Italian bread – For soaking up the broth at the bottom of the bowl
• Garlic breadsticks – I like these on the side for dipping
• Green salad with vinaigrette – Something light to go with a heavy soup
• Grilled cheese – My kids ask for this every time I make soup

How to Store Minestrone Soup

Leftovers are not usually a problem here because my family finishes the pot. But if you do have extra, it keeps well.

• Refrigerator: Airtight container, up to 4 days. Honestly, it tastes better the next day. The flavors get deeper overnight.
• Freezer: Up to 3 months, but leave the pasta out. Frozen pasta turns mushy and soaks up all the broth. Cook fresh pasta when you reheat.
• Reheating: Stovetop over medium low heat. Stir it a few times. If it got too thick in the fridge, splash in some broth or water. Microwave works too if you are in a hurry.

More Soup Recipes

• Simple Chicken Noodle Soup – Spiral noodles and tender shredded chicken in a light broth
• Egg Drop Soup – Quick and light, done in under 20 minutes
• Ham and Potato Soup – Creamy and savory with chunks of ham and soft potatoes
• Creamy Macaroni Soup – A Filipino favorite with elbow pasta in savory broth
• Chicken Macaroni Sopas – Filipino noodle soup with a creamy broth
• Hot and Sour Soup – Spicy and tangy, good when you want something with a kick
• Beef Stew – Tender beef simmered slowly in savory broth with vegetables

• Red kidney beans – Cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, or chickpeas
• Small shell pasta – Ditalini, elbow macaroni, or orecchiette
• Red wine – Extra vegetable broth with a small splash of red wine vinegar if you want to skip the alcohol
• Fresh spinach – Kale or Swiss chard, though chard takes a few extra minutes
• Zucchini – Yellow squash or diced potatoes
• Vegetable broth – Chicken broth works if you do not need it vegetarian

I make this soup a lot during the colder months. It is easy, it fills you up, and the red wine gives the broth something extra that I have not been able to get from other recipes. Give it a try and let me know what you think.