Mandarin cider served in a glass Holiday Mandarin Mulled Cider BBQ sauce Diavola pizza served Spicy BBQ Diavola Pizza Warm Bagna Cauda dip served in a fondue pot with fresh vegetables Classic Bagna Cauda with Winter Crudités Blueberry pretzel plated Soft Blueberry Pretzels with Cinnamon Sugar Savory meat and vegetable biscuits served Savory Meat and Vegetable Stuffed Biscuits Alboronía with pumpkin, eggplant and fresh cilantro served Spanish Pumpkin and Eggplant Stew (Alboronía) Slice of Fainá chickpea flatbread with tomato sauce Chickpea Flatbread with Tomato Sauce (Fainá) Elote with Sour Cream - fresh corn served with sour cream, cheese, and spicy paprika Classic Sour Cream Elote Zucchini fritters with tahini sauce Zucchini Fritters with Lemony Tahini Dip Chestnut Zongzi served on a plate Sweet Chestnut Sticky Rice Dumplings (Zongzi) Kohlrabi calzone Roasted Kohlrabi & Mozzarella Calzone Sausage burger with cheese and vegetables Hungarian Style Pork & Sausage Burger Fig stuffed naan bread served Fig-Stuffed Naan Bread Gingerbread Waffles with orange zest Gingerbread Spiced Waffles White pizza with creamy cheese topping Extra Creamy White Pizza with Ricotta and Mascarpone Orange cider served in a glass Warm Spiced Orange Cider Beet and Leek Wrap with Peanut Butter Beet and Leek Whole Wheat Wraps with Peanut Butter Chicken Arroz Caldo served with hard-boiled eggs, scallions, and fried garlic Chicken Arroz Caldo with Hard-Boiled Eggs Greek baked giant beans served with whole wheat toast Rustic Greek Baked Beans with Whole Wheat Toast Fish pie with cauliflower mash, golden brown creamy topping and fish filling Low-Carb Fish Pie with Cauliflower Mash Mandarin cider served in a glass Holiday Mandarin Mulled Cider BBQ sauce Diavola pizza served Spicy BBQ Diavola Pizza Warm Bagna Cauda dip served in a fondue pot with fresh vegetables Classic Bagna Cauda with Winter Crudités Blueberry pretzel plated Soft Blueberry Pretzels with Cinnamon Sugar Savory meat and vegetable biscuits served Savory Meat and Vegetable Stuffed Biscuits Alboronía with pumpkin, eggplant and fresh cilantro served Spanish Pumpkin and Eggplant Stew (Alboronía) Slice of Fainá chickpea flatbread with tomato sauce Chickpea Flatbread with Tomato Sauce (Fainá) Elote with Sour Cream - fresh corn served with sour cream, cheese, and spicy paprika Classic Sour Cream Elote Zucchini fritters with tahini sauce Zucchini Fritters with Lemony Tahini Dip Chestnut Zongzi served on a plate Sweet Chestnut Sticky Rice Dumplings (Zongzi) Kohlrabi calzone Roasted Kohlrabi & Mozzarella Calzone Sausage burger with cheese and vegetables Hungarian Style Pork & Sausage Burger Fig stuffed naan bread served Fig-Stuffed Naan Bread Gingerbread Waffles with orange zest Gingerbread Spiced Waffles White pizza with creamy cheese topping Extra Creamy White Pizza with Ricotta and Mascarpone Orange cider served in a glass Warm Spiced Orange Cider Beet and Leek Wrap with Peanut Butter Beet and Leek Whole Wheat Wraps with Peanut Butter Chicken Arroz Caldo served with hard-boiled eggs, scallions, and fried garlic Chicken Arroz Caldo with Hard-Boiled Eggs Greek baked giant beans served with whole wheat toast Rustic Greek Baked Beans with Whole Wheat Toast Fish pie with cauliflower mash, golden brown creamy topping and fish filling Low-Carb Fish Pie with Cauliflower Mash
Fresh Italian vegetable soup served, garnished with vegetables and herbs.
Italian vegetable soup made with rich flavors and fresh vegetables.

Classic Italian Minestrone Soup

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Soups

Minestrone, the rich Italian vegetable soup, is one of the noblest legacies of 'cucina povera' (peasant kitchen). There is no set-in-stone recipe; its essence is seasonality: whatever is freshest at the market goes in. The secret lies in slowly building the base flavors, where the natural sweetness of vegetables meets the acidity of tomatoes and the creaminess of beans.

🕒 Prep Time 20 mins
🍳 Cook Time 40 mins
⌛ Total Time 1 hr
🍽️ Servings 5 servings
🔥 Calories 280 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Large pot (for the soup)
  • Sharp knife and cutting board (for lots of chopping)
  • Wooden spoon

Allergen Information

⚠️ Celery
⚠️ Milk

Instructions

1 ✓

Prepare the 'soffritto': chop the carrots, celery, and onion into small, uniform dice.

Tip: This is the holy trinity of Italian cuisine. Uniform size ensures they soften at the same time.
2 ✓

Heat the oil in the pot and sauté the diced vegetables over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until softened but not browned.

Tip: Slow sautéing brings out the natural sweetness of the vegetables without burning them (avoiding caramelization).
3 ✓

Add the crushed garlic, diced zucchini, and tomatoes. Sauté for another 2 minutes until fragrant.

Tip: We add the garlic later because it burns sooner and becomes bitter.
4 ✓

Pour in the broth and tomato puree. Season with salt, pepper, and sprinkle in the oregano.

Tip: If you have a parmesan rind, throw it in now. Broth gives a richer flavor than water.
5 ✓

Simmer on low heat for about 20-25 minutes until all vegetables are soft but still have a bite.

Tip: Do not overcook the vegetables completely; keep some texture ('al dente').
6 ✓

Stir in the drained beans and heat through for a few minutes.

Tip: The beans make the soup texture creamy.
7 ✓

Serve sprinkled with torn fresh basil and grated parmesan.

Tip: Never cook fresh herbs, as they lose their aroma from the heat.

Recipe FAQ

Can I put pasta in it?
Yes, Italians often add small pasta (ditalini) in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
What beans should I use?
Cannellini (white kidney beans) or borlotti beans are the most authentic choice.
Why use a parmesan rind?
If you have a leftover parmesan rind, throw it in the soup while cooking! It gives incredible 'umami' richness to the broth (don't forget to remove it before serving).

Ingredients

  • 2 medium Carrots
  • 2 stalks Celery
  • 1 small Zucchini
  • 2 medium Ripe Tomatoes
  • 1 medium Onion
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 can (15 oz) White Cannellini Beans (rinsed)
  • 1.5 cups Tomato Puree (Passata) or Crushed Tomatoes
  • 5 cups Vegetable Broth
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1 handful Fresh Basil
  • 2 oz Grated Parmesan