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A bowl of minestrone with a piece of Italian bread.
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5 from 1 vote

Classic Italian Minestrone

A classic Italian Minestrone filled with vegetables and nutrients. A hearty dish with beans, pasta, zucchini, carrots, celery, spinach and more!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 216kcal
Author: Vincent DelGiudice
Cost: $20

Equipment

  • 1 Large Dutch Oven

Ingredients

  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup green beans, chopped
  • 1 zucchini, chopped
  • 1 can kidney beans, rinsed
  • 1 bag of spinach
  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup ditalini
  • 10 basil leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2-3 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1½ tablespoon oregano
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  • In a large pot add olive oil and bring to medium heat. Add carrots, onions, and celery. Stir well and saute for 8 minutes until vegetables are soft season with salt and pepper. Once the vegetables have become soft, add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Then add tomato paste and stir until incorporated. Allow the vegetables to sit for 3 minutes.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes and bring them to a boil. Then add the chicken broth and bring it to a boil again. Stir in the zucchini, green beans, kidney beans, basil, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and oregano. Bring the soup to a simmer and cover leaving a small gap for air to escape and simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Take the cover off and add the ditalini. Simmer for another 15 minutes or until the ditalini is soft.
  • Add the spinach and cover for 2 more minutes to wilt the spinach and then stir well. Serve with crusty bread.

Notes

  1. When you add the tomato paste and combine it with the vegetables, allowing them to sit for a couple of minutes will caramelize the tomato paste and intensify the tomato flavor. 
  2. I prefer to cook my pasta in the soup for flavor. But if you think you're going to eat this for leftovers, you may want to cook pasta separately so that it doesn't soak up all of the soup. 

Nutrition

Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 2119mg | Potassium: 660mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 6175IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 3mg