Jamie’s Minestrone Soup: A Hearty Italian Vegetable Soup Packed with Beans, Pasta, and Fresh Mediterranean Flavors
Jamie’s Minestrone Soup is a hearty Italian vegetable soup featuring onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, tomatoes, beans, pasta, spinach, and fragrant herbs simmered in a flavorful vegetable broth. This nutritious one-pot meal is rich in fiber, vitamins, and plant-based protein while remaining light and satisfying. Ready in about one hour, it's perfect for meal prep, family dinners, or healthy lunches. Served with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and crusty bread, this comforting soup is a timeless Mediterranean favorite.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup small pasta (ditalini, elbow macaroni, or small shells)
- 2 cups baby spinach
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley or basil, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 8 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the zucchini and green beans, cooking for another 5 minutes.
- Mix in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the diced tomatoes and vegetable broth.
- Add the cannellini beans, kidney beans, oregano, basil, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to the package instructions.
- Remove the bay leaf, then stir in the Parmesan cheese.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Serve hot, garnished with fresh herbs and extra Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Use seasonal vegetables for the freshest flavor.
- Small pasta cooks evenly and absorbs the broth well.
- Cannellini beans create a creamy texture.
- Freshly grated Parmesan provides the best flavor.
- Spinach should be added at the end to retain its bright color.
- The soup thickens as it stands.
- Add extra broth when reheating leftovers.
- This soup tastes even better the following day.