Description
Thick & Hearty Minestrone Soup is a robust and satisfying vegetable soup packed with a colorful array of fresh veggies, protein-rich beans, and aromatic herbs, simmered to perfection with rice or orzo pasta for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup (130g) diced yellow onion (1/2 of a large onion)
- 1 cup (120g) sliced or diced carrots (1–2 large carrots or a handful of baby carrots)
- 1 cup (120g) sliced or diced celery
- 1 cup (130g) sliced or diced zucchini
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
Seasonings
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2–3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
Liquids & Broth
- 6–7 cups (about 1.5L) vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 cups (480ml) water
Beans & Tomatoes
- 1 (15.5-ounce/439g) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15.5-ounce/439g) can butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15.5-ounce/439g) can green beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5-ounce/411g) can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
- 1 (6-ounce/170g) can tomato paste
Grains
- 1 and 1/3 cups uncooked rice (about 290g) or orzo pasta (240g)
Greens & Garnish
- 3 cups (120g) fresh spinach, chopped
- Optional: grated parmesan cheese and fresh thyme, for serving
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large stockpot or dutch oven. Add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6–7 minutes until the vegetables soften and release their juices.
- Add Liquids and Beans: Pour in the broth, water, red wine vinegar, and add the bay leaf. Stir in all the drained and rinsed beans, diced tomatoes with their juices, and tomato paste. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer with Rice or Pasta: Once boiling, add the uncooked rice or orzo pasta. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to simmer for about 35 minutes, allowing the grains to cook fully and the flavors to meld together.
- Add Spinach and Finish Cooking: Stir in the chopped fresh spinach and let the soup simmer uncovered for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
- Serve and Store: Serve the soup warm, optionally in homemade bread bowls, and top with fresh parmesan cheese and thyme if desired. Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Reheat on the stovetop, adding extra broth if the soup has thickened too much.
Notes
- This minestrone soup is thick and hearty with a uniquely rich texture, thanks to the combination of beans and pasta or rice.
- Feel free to substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth to make it vegetarian.
- Leftovers thicken as they sit, so add broth when reheating to adjust consistency.
- Using fresh herbs like thyme for garnish enhances the flavor and presentation.
- Serve in bread bowls for a rustic, comforting experience.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 and 1/2 cups
- Calories: 171
- Sugar: 6.7 g
- Sodium: 615.3 mg
- Fat: 3.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 29.6 g
- Fiber: 5.4 g
- Protein: 6.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
