Classic Italian Minestrone Soup
Classic Italian Minestrone Soup made with a flavorful soffritto, beans, seasonal vegetables, tomatoes, and ditalini pasta. My technique for using caramelized tomato paste adds deep flavor, while the pasta cooks directly in the soup for a hearty and thicker broth.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 207kcal
Cost: $20
Equipment
- 1 Large Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 10 basil leaves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup green beans, chopped
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 can kidney beans, rinsed
- 1 cup ditalini
- 1 bag of spinach
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon oregano
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the carrots, celery, and onion. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper, and ½ tablespoon of oregano. Saute the vegetables until they are soft, about 8 minutes, then add in the minced garlic and saute for an additional minute.
- Add the tomato paste directly to the bottom of the pot and let it sit for 2 minutes or until it begins to darken. Stir it throughout the vegetables and cook for another 2 minutes. Cooking the tomato paste like this concentrates its flavor before any liquid is added.
- Stir in the tomatoes, scraping up the bottom of the pan to remove any brown bits from the tomato paste. Bring the tomatoes to a gentle simmer.
- Pour in the chicken broth and stir in the basil, bay leaves, remaining oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring it to a boil and add green beans, zucchini, kidney beans, and a Parmigiano rind, if using. Lower the heat to a simmer and partially cover, leaving an opening for steam to escape. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the cover and stir in the ditalini. Stir well and simmer for another 15 minutes until the ditalini is al dente. Stir frequently so the pasta doesn't settle and stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in the spinach and cover for the final two minutes until the spinach wilts. Uncover and remove the bay leaves and Parmigiano rind, then stir everything together and taste for seasoning.
- Serve the minestrone hot with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and crusty Italian bread.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 1509mg | Potassium: 459mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2853IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2mg
