I love a good soup and of all the soup Minestrone is one of my favorite veggie soups just because it is so full of a variety of vegetables and celebrates the flavor of them all. A tomato based hearty soup that is absolutely chock full of vegetables, seasonal and canned, aromatic herbs, and delicious pasta. And the best part is that you can definitely substitute veggies with what you have because Minestrone is just a catch-all in the best way! You can add more greens or maybe some seasonal squash or zucchini, whatever you have. Now, let’s get started with the recipe, shall we?
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 head of cabbage, shredded
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 28 oz. diced or crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups veggie broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 15 oz. can green beans
- 1 15 oz. red kidney beans
- 1 cup dried elbow macaroni or any small pasta
Directions:
Every good soup starts with some diced onions, oh and the carrots, can’t forget those carrots! They’re really the perfect combo. While you prepare you onions and carrots heat up the olive oil on medium high heat in a large pot. Once the onions are diced and the carrots are chopped at them into the olive oil and let them start to cook down for 2-3 minutes before adding in the minced garlic. Lower the heat to medium and continue to sweat the veggies.
You can shred your cabbage in a food processor or use a good ol’ knife to chop the cabbage. The way cabbage is built it just shreds itself! How convenient. After cooking for about 5 minutes you’ll see the onions are translucent and you can add the cabbage in at this point. Sauté the cabbage on a high heat for 2-3 minutes until it starts to wilt. Then lower the heat back to medium-low.
While the veggies continue to sweat you can prep those potatoes. PO-TAY-TOES! Boil em’ mash em’ stick em’ in a stew.
Gosh, I love potatoes. Wash, peel, and cube the potatoes into about 1/2-inch cubes. When your potatoes are done you can put them in the soup, but first add in the canned diced/crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, and water. Mix everything together and throw in the cubed PO-TAY-TOES. On top add in all the dried herbs, bay leaves, spices, and salt. Mix to combine and let everything come to a simmer to cook the potatoes.
After about 10-15 minutes the potatoes will be about half done. To check, use a spoon to take out a potato cube and poke with a knife. The knife will go in but there will be some resistance. At this point you can add in the canned greens beans and kidney beans, as well as, the macaroni or any small pasta. Mix everything and cover to cook the pasta and finish cooking the potatoes on medium heat. Stir the soup every few minutes to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom. After about 10-12 minutes the pasta should be cooked, but be sure to check. Once pasta is cooked taste the soup and adjust seasoning as needed. You may need to add more salt to make up for the potatoes and pasta absorbing it. Adjust spice with with black pepper and crushed red chili flakes.
And now its done! Ladle it into a big bowl and enjoy! Serve it up with a slice of crusty bread and sprinkling of parmesan or just on its own its hearty and delicious.
Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ head of cabbage, shredded
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 28 oz. can diced or crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups veggie broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 15 oz. can green beans
- 1 15 oz. red kidney beans
- 1 cup dried elbow macaroni or any small pasta
- parmesan, optional garnish
- crusty bread, optional for serving
Instructions
- Dice your onions and peel and slice your carrots into coins. In a large pot heat up the olive oil on medium-high heat. After a few minutes add the prepared onions and carrots to oil. Let them start to cook down for 2-3 minutes before adding in minced garlic.
- Lower the heat to medium and continue to sweat veggies. Using a food process or knife finely shred the cabbage. Add the shredded cabbage to pot once onions are translucent (will take about 5 minutes). Sauté the cabbage on a high heat for 2-3 minutes until it starts to wilt. Lower heat to medium-low
- Prepare your potatoes by washing, peeling and cubing into about 1/2-inch cubes.
- Add canned tomatoes into soup along with vegetable broth and water. Mix everything together and add in the cubed potatoes. On top add in all the dried herbs, bay leaves, spices, and salt. Mix to combine and let everything come to a simmer to cook the potatoes.
- After 15 minutes check on doneness of potatoes by taking one out and poking with a knife. They should be about half done – knife will go in but there will be some resistance. Now you can add in the green beans, kidney beans, and macaroni or any small pasta. Mix everything evenly and cover to cook the pasta and finish cooking the potatoes on medium heat. Stir the soup every few minutes to prevent pasta from sticking to bottom.
- After about 10-12 minutes the pasta should be cooked, but be sure to check.
- Once pasta is cooked taste the soup and adjust seasoning as needed. You may need to add more salt to make up for the potatoes and pasta absorbing it. Adjust spice with black pepper and crushed chili flakes. Add any more herbs to your taste.
- When soup is done serve it up! Ladle into a bowl and serve with some crusty bread and sprinkling of parmesan, if you so choose.
- Enjoy!
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