Classic Italian Minestrone (Vegetable Soup)

2 months ago 89

A classic Italian minestrone with a light tomato broth, sweet cabbage, creamy beans, and tender vegetables— it’s simple, cozy, and endlessly flexible. Minestrone has a million variations. Ask five Italians what belongs in it, and you’ll get five different answers. Beyond regional traditions, there are even seasonal versions— some packed with spring vegetables, others rich... The post Classic Italian Minestrone (Vegetable Soup) appeared first on With Spice.

A classic Italian minestrone with a light tomato broth, sweet cabbage, creamy beans, and tender vegetables— it’s simple, cozy, and endlessly flexible.

Minestrone has a million variations. Ask five Italians what belongs in it, and you’ll get five different answers. Beyond regional traditions, there are even seasonal versions— some packed with spring vegetables, others rich and hearty for winter.

This version is grounded in what I’ve learned from living and cooking in Italy, and from the timeless lessons of cooks like Marcella Hazan. It’s a classic, everyday Italian minestrone that's simple, balanced, and delicious. I love serving it with fluffy homemade focaccia or crunchy grissini for dipping.

The broth is light and tomato-based, filled with sweet cabbage, soft potatoes and carrots, and tender coins of green beans. Everything melts together into a cozy, steamy, fragrant bowl. Sometimes I toss in a handful of pasta; other times, the creamy cannellini beans bring enough heft on their own. Thin the soup with extra stock if you like— it’s meant to be more brothy than a thick Tuscan ribollita, but still hearty enough to fill you up.

As always, use this as a framework, not a rulebook. Swap kale for cabbage, add zucchini, sub in gigante or borlotti beans, or skip the potatoes altogether. Minestrone was never meant to be rigid—it’s about using what’s fresh and what you have on hand.

That fun and freedom is what cooking is all about.

How to make minestrone:

1_saute aromatics — **1. Sauté the aromatics.** Heat olive oil and cook the onion, carrot, and celery until soft and translucent.

2_add potatoes and garlic — **2. Add potatoes and garlic.** Stir until fragrant.

3_toss in cabbage — **3. Cook the cabbage.** Add and toss to wilt slightly.

4_add tomatoes, cannellini beans, parmesan, stock to minestrone — **4. Build the base.** Stir in tomato passata, cannellini beans, parmesan rind, stock, and bay leaf. Simmer gently for 45 minutes.

6_add green beans and pasta — **5. Add the final vegetables.** Stir in green beans and pasta (if using) and cook until tender but al dente.

7_add parmesan and parsley to finish minestrone recipe — **6. Finish and serve.** Discard the parmesan rind, stir in grated Parmigiano and parsley, and drizzle with good olive oil.

A few more recipe tips:

Chop as you go. This recipe moves at a relaxed pace, so you can prep vegetables step-by-step rather than doing all the mise en place upfront.
Use up pasta scraps. If you have leftover pieces from homemade pasta (like after you make these gorgeous corzetti pasta), toss them in near the end and simmer for a few minutes.
Zucchini lovers, look away. I skip zucchini because it tends to get mushy so fast. But if you love it, quarter and slice one small zucchini and add it with the pasta.
Dried beans are worth it. When you have time, cook your own beans for a creamier texture and richer broth. I’ve got a full primer on how to cook dried beans here.

Classic Italian Minestrone (Vegetable Soup)

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A classic Italian minestrone with a light tomato broth, sweet cabbage, creamy beans, and tender vegetables— it’s simple, cozy, and endlessly flexible.

Author: Indi Hampton
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Yield: about 10 cups (serves 4 to 6)
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery stalk, diced
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 small yukon potatoes (about 8 oz), peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ head cabbage, thinly sliced
⅔ cup tomato passata (or tomato puree)
1 ½ cups cannellini beans (2 15-oz cans), rinsed
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock (or mix of stock and bean broth), plus more if needed
1 parmesan rind (optional)
1 bay leaf
½ lb green beans, ends trimmed, diced
1 cup small pasta (optional)
½ cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for serving
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
good olive oil, for drizzling

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Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and translucent, 8- 10 minutes.
Stir in potatoes and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add cabbage, toss to coat in olive oil, and cook a few minutes to wilt.
Add tomato passata, cannellini beans, stock, parmesan rind, bay leaf, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a slow and gentle simmer.
Cook for 45 minutes, until soup has thickened and flavors have melded. Stir in green beans and pasta (if using) and simmer for another 15- 20 minutes, until vegetables are soft and pasta is cooked through.
Discard parmesan rind, stir in parmesan and fresh parsley. Serve hot with a drizzle of peppery olive oil.