Minestrone Soup
A thick and filling Italian vegetable soup made with kidney beans, shell pasta, and fresh spinach in a tomato broth with a splash of red wine. This minestrone is ready in about 30 minutes and works well as a weeknight dinner or a make-ahead meal.
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 255kcal
Cost: $
Equipment
- 1 Large cooking pot or casserole A heavy bottomed pot helps distribute heat evenly during sautéing.
- 1 Separate pot for pasta For boiling the shell pasta on its own before adding to the soup.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 piece yellow onion minced
- 2 stalks celery minced
- 1/2 cup zucchini chopped
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 12 to 14 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 3/4 cup red wine a dry red like Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 12 oz red kidney beans drained
- 4 oz long green beans chopped
- 1/2 cup carrot minced
- 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3/4 cup pasta shells cooked separately and drained
- 3 cups baby spinach
Instructions
- Heat a large cooking pot over medium heat and pour in the olive oil.3 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the garlic, onion, celery, and zucchini. Sauté for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until the vegetables soften and release their aroma.4 cloves garlic, 1 piece yellow onion, 2 stalks celery, 1/2 cup zucchini
- Pour in the vegetable broth and diced tomatoes. Let the mixture come to a boil.5 cups vegetable broth, 12 to 14 oz canned diced tomatoes
- Add the red wine, salt, and ground black pepper. Stir and allow the soup to simmer briefly.3/4 cup red wine, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Put in the kidney beans, green beans, carrots, parsley, oregano, basil, and thyme. Lower the heat and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes so the flavors blend well.12 oz red kidney beans, 4 oz long green beans, 1/2 cup carrot, 1 tablespoon parsley, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- Add the cooked small shell pasta and fresh spinach. Continue simmering for 5 to 7 minutes, just until the spinach wilts.3/4 cup pasta shells, 3 cups baby spinach
- Turn off the heat and transfer the soup to a serving bowl. Serve warm with bread sticks.
Notes
Scaling up – This recipe doubles well. Use a larger stockpot and keep the simmer time the same. The broth to vegetable ratio stays balanced as long as you scale everything evenly.
Broth brand – Low sodium vegetable broth gives you more control over the salt level. Swanson or Kitchen Basics both work well here.
Pasta timing – If serving the whole pot at once, add the cooked pasta directly to the pot. If you plan to eat over a few days, keep the pasta in a separate container in the fridge and add it to individual bowls when reheating.
Day-of serving – Ladle the soup into bowls first, then add a scoop of cooked pasta to each bowl. This keeps the pasta firm if people come back for seconds.
Red wine substitute for kids – Replace the wine with 3/4 cup of vegetable broth and 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar. The vinegar gives a similar acidity without the alcohol.
Nutrition
Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 1482mg | Potassium: 668mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3949IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 4mg