How to Make a Hearty Minestrone Soup

Minestrone soup is one of those comforting dishes that can warm your heart and fill you up on a cold day. This rich blend of vegetables, beans, and pasta creates the perfect balance of flavors. Today, we will walk through how to make a delicious minestrone soup in less than 45 minutes for 6 servings.

Ingredients

1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 zucchini, cubed
1 can (14.5 oz) of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz) of diced tomatoes
6 cups of vegetable broth or water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp of dried basil
1 tsp of dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Pasta (penne, bow-tie pasta, etc.) - about 8 oz for 6 servings

Instructions

Start by sautéing the onion in a large pot over medium heat until it becomes translucent. This step will take around 5 minutes.
Add the carrots, celery, and zucchini to the pot and cook for another 10 minutes. During this time, the vegetables should begin to soften slightly.
Mash a few of the kidney beans with the back of your spoon or use a potato masher to thicken the soup a bit. Stir in the canned diced tomatoes, garlic, dried basil, and oregano.
Once everything is well combined, pour in 6 cups of vegetable broth or water (adjust as necessary for desired consistency). Bring this mixture to a boil.
Lower the heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. The vegetables will continue to soften during this time.
Meanwhile, cook your pasta according to package instructions until al dente (about 8-10 minutes).
Once the vegetables have been simmering for about 20 minutes, add the cooked pasta and allow it to heat through in the soup for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cooking Time:

The total cooking time for this minestrone soup is approximately 45 minutes. This includes sautéing the vegetables, simmering everything together, and boiling the pasta separately before combining it in the final step.

Servings:

This recipe yields about 6 servings. Each serving will contain a generous portion of the soup, including both vegetables and pasta.

Minestrone soup is not only delicious but also incredibly nutritious. It's packed with essential vitamins like vitamin C from the tomatoes, beta-carotene from the carrots, iron from the beans, and calcium from the pasta. These ingredients make this soup an excellent choice for a balanced diet.

Tips and Variations

If you want to add more variety or heat, consider adding some red pepper flakes toward the end of cooking. You could also experiment with different types of pasta such as bow-tie pasta or even farfalle (butterfly pasta) for a change in texture.

For a creamier version: Blend about half a cup of beans at the very end before serving to thicken and enrich the soup.
To make it vegetarian: Ensure that your vegetable broth is vegan or made from plant-based ingredients if you are following a specific diet plan.

In conclusion, minestrone soup is more than just a meal; it's an opportunity to enjoy a heartwarming and nourishing dish that everyone can appreciate. Whether you're looking for something quick and easy during the week or want to prepare a special dinner with family and friends, this recipe should fit perfectly into your repertoire.

Enjoy your homemade minestrone soup, and don't hesitate to adjust ingredients based on your preferences or available produce!