This Minestrone Soup is loaded with tender vegetables, beans, and pasta in a rich, flavorful tomato broth with Italian seasonings. It’s easy to customize, perfect for making ahead, and can be made on the stovetop or in the Crock Pot!

Be sure to pair this with my No Knead Bread and Olive Oil Bread Dip and try my French Onion Soup next!

Minestrone Soup in a Dutch oven with a soup ladle on the side.

Minestrone Soup

I absolutely LOVE a big bowl of homemade Minestrone Soup! It’s loaded with colorful vegetables, hearty beans, and tender pasta in the most delicious, savory tomato broth.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is how easy it is to customize. You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand, switch up the beans, and even experiment with different pasta shapes. The possibilities are endless!

And here’s my favorite little trick: Cook the pasta separately! This keeps it perfectly al dente and prevents it from soaking up all that delicious broth, especially when you’re saving leftovers.

I also love adding a Parmesan rind while the soup simmers. It adds so much flavor! Don’t miss my Pro Tips below, along with the easy Crock Pot instructions in the recipe card. 

Minestrone Soup Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Vegetables: Onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, and green beans make a delicious combination. This soup is easy to customize with whatever vegetables you have on hand!
  • Beans: I use kidney beans and cannellini beans, but you can substitute other varieties if preferred. Drain the beans before adding them; rinsing is optional.
  • Tomatoes: Crushed tomatoes give the broth richness, while diced tomatoes add texture.
  • Broth: Chicken broth and bouillon add savory flavor. Vegetable broth and vegetable bouillon can be used instead.
  • Pasta: Ditalini is my favorite, but elbow macaroni and small shells are great alternatives.
  • Seasonings: Garlic, Italian herbs, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and mustard powder give this soup its delicious depth of flavor.

How to Make It

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Want to save this recipe?

I'll email it to you for later!

Soften onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil. Add garlic, seasonings, and tomato paste, followed by diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

Making Minestrone Soup with a mirepoix, tomatoes, and chicken broth in a soup pot.

Add kidney and cannellini beans, zucchini, and green beans. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Boil pasta separately and add directly to serving bowls (or add to the soup pot if you don’t anticipate leftovers). Remove the bay leaf and serve with Parmesan cheese! 

Crock Pot Method: See the notes section of the recipe card for the crock pot method!

Minestrone Soup in a soup pot before and after simmering.

Pro Tips

  • Cook the Pasta Separately: This is my biggest tip! Add cooked pasta directly to serving bowls instead of the soup pot. This prevents the pasta from becoming mushy and absorbing all that delicious broth, especially when storing leftovers.
  • Build the Flavor: Let the tomato paste cook with the garlic and seasonings as instructed. I also love adding a Parmesan rind while the soup simmers for an extra boost of savory flavor. Remove the rind before serving.
  • Adjust the Consistency: If the soup becomes thicker than you’d like, add a splash of broth until it reaches your preferred consistency. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
  • Add Tender Greens Last: If you’re adding spinach or kale, stir them in toward the end of cooking so they don’t become overcooked.
  • Make Ahead: This soup is great for preparing ahead of time! Store the pasta separately and add it to individual bowls when serving.
  • 📘 Find this recipe on page 42 of my 2nd cookbook, Let’s Eat!

How to Make Vegetarian Minestrone Soup

It’s easy to make this Minestrone Soup vegetarian with just a few simple substitutions! You’ll still have a rich, flavorful broth with tender vegetables, beans, and pasta.

  • Broth: Substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth and use vegetable bouillon instead of chicken bouillon.
  • Worcestershire Sauce: Traditional Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, so use a vegetarian version or substitute an equal amount of soy sauce.
  • Parmesan Cheese: Traditional Parmesan is made with animal rennet. Look for a vegetarian-friendly hard cheese alternative if needed.

These easy swaps make it simple to enjoy a completely meat-free version without sacrificing flavor!

Storage

  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • This soup freezes very well, but be sure to leave out the pasta and boil fresh pasta for serving!

A soup pot of Minestrone Soup with fresh parsley on the side.

Tools For This Recipe

(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.

  • 4.5 Quart Dutch Oven– The perfect size for almost any soup recipe.
  • Better Than Bouillon– This is what I always use for broth/bouillon in my recipes. It takes very little space and makes it easy to measure out customized amounts of broth.
  • Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer.
  • Pinch Bowls– For measuring seasonings, etc. ahead of time.
  • Soup Ladle
  • 16 oz. storage containers I use these to store/freeze my soups. They have 8 oz. sizes as well. They’re stackable, leak proof, and dishwasher/microwave safe.

Try These Next

Get My Free E-Book! 

Tried This Recipe?

Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Minestrone Soup in a white bowl with a spoon on the side.

A soup bowl filled with Minestrone Soup with vegetables and beans.

Minestrone Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
5 from 25 ratings
Servings: 16 cups
Tap or hover to scale
Print Pin Save Review
Trust this site on Google
This easy Minestrone Soup has tender vegetables, kidney and cannellini beans, and pasta in a savory tomato broth with Italian seasonings. It's easy to customize and can be made on the stovetop or in the Crock Pot!

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • ¾ cup carrots, diced
  • 2 sticks celery, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 5 cups chicken broth, can sub vegetable broth
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube
  • 15 oz. crushed tomatoes
  • 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce, I use Frank’s hot sauce
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 15 oz. red kidney beans, drained
  • 15 oz. can cannellini beans, drained
  • 1 ½ cups zucchini, diced. About 8 oz.
  • 1 cup green beans, fresh or frozen
  • 3/4 cup ditalini pasta, see notes
  • Salt/pepper
  • Parmesan Cheese, grated. For serving.

Seasonings

  • 1 teaspoon EACH: Dried parsley, oregano, basil, mustard powder
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large (4.5 quart) soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions, carrots, and celery and soften for 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, tomato paste, and seasonings. Cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add the chicken broth, bouillon, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
  • Add the red/white beans, zucchini, and green beans.
  • Simmer gently, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes. After simmering, taste and season with salt/pepper if desired.
  • Meanwhile, boil water for the pasta. Once a boil is reached, stir in ½ tbsp. salt. Add the pasta and cook to al dente according to package instructions. Drain and transfer to serving bowls.
  • Remove the bay leaf. Ladle the soup over the pasta and serve with Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Pro Tips:
  • Cook the Pasta Separately: This is my biggest tip! Add cooked pasta directly to serving bowls instead of the soup pot. This prevents it from becoming mushy and absorbing all that delicious broth, especially when storing leftovers.
  • Flavor Enhancers: Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and mustard powder add depth of flavor without overpowering the soup. The small amount of hot sauce doesn't make it spicy; it simply enhances the other ingredients.
  • Broth: I love the rich flavor that chicken broth and bouillon add to this recipe. Vegetable broth and vegetable bouillon can also be used. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
  • Parmesan: Add a Parmesan rind while the soup simmers for an extra boost of savory flavor! Remove the rind before serving and finish each bowl with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
  • Beans: I use kidney beans and cannellini beans, but other varieties work well, too. Drain them before adding them to the soup; rinsing is optional.
  • Pasta Options: Ditalini is a classic choice for minestrone, but small shells, elbow macaroni, or other small pasta shapes are great alternatives.
  • Vegetable Additions: Spinach, kale, peas, corn, mushrooms, potatoes, and squash are all delicious options! Add heartier vegetables earlier so they have time to soften, and stir in tender greens toward the end.
  • Make Ahead: This soup is great for making ahead and freezing! Store the soup and pasta separately, then combine them in individual bowls when serving.
  • 📘 Find this recipe on page 42 of my second cookbook, Let's Eat!.
Storage:
  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • This soup freezes very well, but be sure to leave out the pasta and boil fresh pasta for serving!
Crock Pot Method
  • Add everything to the crock pot except for the beans and zucchini.
  • Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high 3-4 hours.
  • Add the beans and zucchini and cook for 20 more minutes.
  • Boil pasta until al dente and add to serving bowls. Ladle the soup on top and serve with Parmesan cheese!
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per cup. This recipe makes approximately 16 cups.

Nutrition

Calories: 122kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 0.2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 512mg, Potassium: 387mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1228IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 2mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American, Italian
Author: Stephanie