Equipment
Ingredients
Soffritto & Aromatics
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil, room temperature
- 1 yellow onion, diced small
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced small
- 2 celery stalks, diced small
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 30 g tomato paste
Broth & Base
- 1500 ml vegetable stock
- 400 g canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 parmesan cheese rind, whole
- 2 g dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
Hearty Additions
- 200 g potato, peeled and diced 1cm cubes
- 200 g zucchini, diced 1cm cubes
- 400 g cannellini beans, cooked or canned
- 120 g small pasta
- 100 g fresh spinach, chopped
Seasoning
- salt
- black pepper
- 5 ml lemon juice
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 384 kcal
- Protein
- 20 g
- Carbohydrates
- 69 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fiber
- 13 g
- Sugar
- 10 g
- Sodium
- 1996 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 0 mg
- Potassium
- 1434 mg
- Calcium
- 199 mg
- Iron
- 7.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 159 mg
- Phosphorus
- 295 mg
- Zinc
- 3.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 334 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 28 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 97 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.11 mg
- Niacin
- 0.9 mg
- Folate
- 62 mcg
- Water
- 132 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery (the soffritto) along with a pinch of salt.
Stir in the minced garlic, tomato paste, and dried oregano. Cook while stirring frequently until the tomato paste darkens slightly and becomes aromatic.
Add the diced potatoes, crushed tomatoes, vegetable stock, bay leaf, and the parmesan rind (if using). Increase heat to bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
Stir in the zucchini, drained beans, and pasta. Continue simmering until the pasta is al dente and the zucchini is tender.
Remove the pot from heat. Discard the bay leaf and parmesan rind. Stir in the fresh spinach until wilted. Season with salt, black pepper, and a splash of lemon juice to brighten the flavors.
Chef's Notes
- The 'soffritto' (onion, carrot, celery) is the foundation of flavor. Do not rush step 1; sweating these vegetables slowly releases sweetness that balances the tomatoes.
- If you plan to freeze the soup, omit the pasta during the cooking process. Cook pasta separately and add it to bowls upon serving to prevent it from disintegrating in the freezer.
- A parmesan rind is a secret weapon for Italian soups. It releases umami and thickens the broth slightly without making it cheesy. Save your rinds in the freezer for this exact purpose.
- This recipe is infinitely adaptable. Hard root vegetables go in with the potatoes; softer vegetables like green beans or peas go in with the zucchini.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Pasta will continue to absorb liquid; add a splash of water when reheating.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze without pasta for best texture; cook fresh pasta when reheating.
Reheating: Simmer gently on stove until heated through (75°C).
Troubleshooting
Soup tastes bland or watery
Cause: Insufficient salt or lack of acidity
Fix: Add salt 1g at a time; add the optional lemon juice or a dash of vinegar; grate parmesan cheese on top
Prevention: Use good quality stock and season in layers
Pasta is mushy
Cause: Overcooked or added too early
Fix: Cannot be fixed strictly, but serving immediately prevents further softening
Prevention: Add pasta only in the final 10-12 minutes of cooking
Cultural Context
Minestrone is the quintessential Italian peasant soup ('cucina povera'), historically designed to use up leftover vegetables and stale pasta. There is no single 'correct' recipe, as it varies by region and season—lighter in spring with peas and broad beans, heavier in winter with root vegetables and beans.
