Hearty Minestrone Soup

This warm and comforting vegetable soup is filled with tender vegetables, kidney beans, tomatoes, and flavorful herbs. Serve it with shredded parmesan cheese and crusty Italian bread for a simple, satisfying meal.

Servings: 6–8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

● 1 tablespoon olive oil

● 1 large onion, chopped

● 2 large carrots, diced

● 2 ribs celery, diced

● 3 cloves garlic, minced

● 6 cups vegetable broth

● 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

● 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

● 1 small zucchini, chopped

● 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley

● 1½ teaspoons dried oregano

● ¾ teaspoon dried thyme

● 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

● ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

● 4 cups chopped fresh spinach

● Shredded parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

1. (If you are adding beef or chicken, cut into bite sized pieces and brown in 1-2 Tbsp olive oil first. Cook thoroughly, remove from pot and set aside). Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.

2. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

3. Stir in the vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, zucchini, parsley, oregano, thyme, salt, and black pepper.

4. Bring the soup to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for approximately 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

5. If adding noodles, cook 10-13 minutes until noodles are soft and soup is hot. Stir in beef or chicken if desired. Stir in the chopped spinach and continue cooking for 2–3 minutes, until the spinach has wilted.

6. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with shredded parmesan cheese.

Beginner Tip: There are many variations of Minestrone soup. You can add beef, chicken, or noodles to make it your own. Chop the vegetables into similarly sized pieces so they cook evenly. Leftover soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to four days, or frozen for 2-3 months for a mid-winter meal to warm you up!