Who else remembers the delicious endless bowls of soup and the buttery breadsticks from Olive Garden? So freakin’ good, right?
Today’s minestrone soup recipe is inspired by a little dose of nostalgia. When I was in high school my mom and I would frequent Olive Garden on a monthly basis just to find ourselves skipping the pasta and diving into their unbelievably delicious salad, warm breadsticks and of course, cozy bowls of minestrone soup.
I’ve made this vegetarian version of minestrone soup countless times over the past few years — each time switching up the recipe to make it unique. Sometimes I add ground turkey or beef and other times I skip the green beans and opt for spinach. However you do it, it’s going to be delicious and oh-so-easy.
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Everything you’ll need to make minestrone soup
Traditional minestrone soup recipes are filled with plenty of nutrition; you get a variety of yummy vegetables, protein, fiber, incredible seasonings and of course, pasta. What’s not to love? Here’s what you’ll need:
- Veggies: we’re packing this pot of minestrone soup with onion, celery, carrots, green beans (or sub zucchini or corn!), spinach and potatoes for extra bulk.
- Broth: the veggies are simmered in a broth made with fire roasted crushed tomatoes and regular vegetable broth.
- Protein: I love adding kidney beans for an extra boost of fiber and protein. Plus they have the BEST flavor in this soup.
- Flavor: add a wonderful flavor boost with Italian seasoning and some red pepper flakes (if you like a little heat).
- Noodles: what’s a minestrone soup without noodles? I like to use elbow noodles or shells, but feel free to use your favorite shape, gluten free if you’d like.
- Optional: a delicious sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan and a side of toasted garlic bread.
All of these ingredients are simmered together in this super cozy minestrone soup that just happens to be vegetarian, vegan & gluten free friendly.
How do you make minestrone soup from scratch?
- Cook down your veggies. First, sauté your onion, celery, carrots and potato in a large pot for a few minutes until the onion is translucent. You’ll add the green beans later on.
- Add the broth. Add in the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, kidney beans and seasonings, cover and cook for about 15 minutes.
- Add the greens & pasta. Stir in the green beans, spinach and noodles, and cook for another 8-12 or so minutes until the pasta is al dente. Easy!
Looking to add a boost of protein?
This minestrone soup recipe is incredibly easy to make and great for customizing! I’ve actually made it with ground turkey and ground beef for a hearty soup that packs even more protein. To add more heartiness and protein with meat, simply cook down 1 pound of ground turkey or beef with the onions, carrots and potatoes until meat is broken up and nice and browned, then continue the recipe as written.
How to make slow cooker minestrone soup
- Add all of your ingredients besides the spinach and noodles to your slow cooker.
- Cook this on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours until the carrots and potatoes are fork-tender.
- Once done cooking, add the noodles and spinach, cover again and cook on high for 15-20 minutes or until noodles are al dente.
What’s the difference between vegetable soup and minestrone soup?
Minestrone soup is essentially just a heartier version of vegetable soup. Instead of only having vegetables, herbs and broth, this easy minestrone soup recipe packs extra nutrients from the potatoes, pasta and kidney beans. It’s a delicious lunch or dinner that will keep you full and satisfied.
What to eat with minestrone soup
Besides topping your delicious bowl with freshly grated parmesan, I love serving it with:
- The Best Garlic Bread You’ll Ever Eat
- Balsamic Herb Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables
- Gluten Free Cornbread Muffins
- Pat’s 4-Ingredient Paleo Crackers
- Shredded Brussels Sprouts & Kale Salad with Apple, Gorgonzola & Candied Pecans
How to store & freeze minestrone soup
Store this minestrone soup in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: I’d recommend freezing this soup without the added noodles, as they can become mushy while reheating. Let the soup completely cool, transfer it to a freezer-safe container, and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- To reheat: first let the soup thaw in the refrigerator. While it’s thawing you can make the 4oz of pasta on the stovetop. Heat the soup in the microwave or on the stovetop, and then add the cooked noodles.
More soup recipes you’ll love
- Vegan Curried Pumpkin Lentil Soup
- Courtney’s Curry Chicken Noodle Soup
- Easy Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup (using canned tomatoes)
- Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup (whole 30, dairy free)
- Classic French Onion Soup
Get all of my soup recipes here!
I know you’re going to love this minestrone soup recipe. Please let me know if you make it by leaving a comment and rating the recipe below. I’d love to hear from you and it helps encourage others to make the recipe too! Enjoy xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
The Best Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 white or yellow onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 large carrots, sliced
- 1 medium (or 2 small) yukon gold potatoes, diced into ½ inch cubes (about 1 cup diced potatoes)
- 1 (28 ounce) can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¾ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 4 cups spinach
- 4 ounces elbow noodles, small shells or fusilli, gluten free if desired
- For serving:
- Freshly grated parmesan
- Garlic bread or crostinis
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large pot or dutch oven and place over medium high heat. Add in diced onion, celery, sliced carrots and potatoes. Saute for 3-5 minutes or until onions soften.
- Next add in crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, vegetable broth, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Cover and cook on medium low for 10-15 minutes.
- Next stir in the green beans, spinach and pasta. Cook uncovered for 8-12 more minutes or until pasta is al dente and green beans are tender. Pour into a bowl and serve with parmesan cheese on top. I also like to serve mine with garlic bread, crostinis or crackers. Personally I think soup makes amazing leftovers and is even more delicious the next day.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on January 7th, 2021, and republished on February 20th, 2025.
I just made this tonight and it was EXCELLENT! I made with zucchini instead of green beans. Loved the kick from the red pepper flakes. Will definitely make again with some variations for fun, but this recipe is a keeper!
Delicious! So glad you loved it!
Hi!
Excited to make this,
Would you have any idea how to make it in a slow cooker?
Absolutely! If you want to make in a slow cooker, add all ingredients except for the noodles and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 2-3 hours. I would also reduce the broth to 4 cups (instead of 6). Once it’s done, remove heat, add noodles and cook on high uncovered for 10-20 minutes or until noodles are done.
A good soup for all ages. I doubled the Italian spice and the juice of half a lemon.
Absolutely! Great idea with a little squeeze of lemon.
Made this and it’s amazing! So good! Wondering if you think You could freeze this?
So glad you liked it! Sure, you can freeze this but you’ll need to add the noodles later, as noodles do not hold up well when frozen in soups.
Loved this recipe! I made my own veggie broth (celery, carrots, bay leaves, garlic, & s/p) and it was so yummy! I used diced tomatoes instead of crushed fire roasted because that’s all I had, and it still had good heat with the crushed red pepper! Next time I think we’re going to sub chickpeas for the elbow noodles for less carbs / more protein. This is the perfect soup for a cold day!
Delicious! Great idea to add chickpeas, too 🙂
So so good and easy to make. Everyone loved it from my one year old to my husband.
Such a filling, delicious, healthy soup! I’ve made it twice and loved it both times! Used Banza Rotini instead of smaller pasta to increase protein & make GF. Also added the ground turkey as noted in the comment.
Perfect! Great idea 🙂
Delicious! Everyone loved it, added extra pasta to make it more like a chili than soup. Still great.
Perfect! So glad everyone loved it!
This Minestrone soup was sooooo good! Very hearty and filling. Also smells super good. I didn’t have celery so I subbed in zucchini instead. This is now my go to Minestrone Soup recipe. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
Perfect! Such a great weeknight dinner or lunch 🙂
This is going to be a keeper for me. The potatoes make it so good. I did not have canned tomatoes so I used fire roasted spaghetti sauce (Barilla) and I used dried lentils instead of the beans. I also added barely, always looking to add fiber. I topped my bowl with a little olive oil when finished!! This will be my go to veggie soup.
Perfect! I’m glad those swaps worked out well – yum!
Hi there, Do I necessarily need fire roasted crushed tomatoes? I am not a fan of spice.
Thanks! Renee
Hi! Fire roasted crushed tomatoes aren’t spicy (just a little more flavorful) but feel free to use regular crushed tomatoes 🙂
Loved this. I sautéed the carrots for a few minutes before the celery and onion because they always seem to take a bit longer to soften. I ended up leaving the completed soup on the lowest setting for an hour while I took a work call and it turned out delicious! This soup also saves extremely well.
Perfect! I’m glad that worked out well!
This recipe has easily become on of our family favourites and a regular appearance on the dinner menu. Picture a silent table with only the sound of lips smacking to break the silence. Perfect excuse to use all my veggies in the fridge.
I always do the pasta in a separate pot so the children get to choose how much pasta they have.
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The best! So happy it’s a family fav 🙂
This recipe is delicious! You can make it as spicy or mild as you want with the red pepper flakes, and the added protein with a ground turkey is perfect for me! Tastes amazing and packed with veggies!
This soup was delicious! I used garbanzo beans instead of pinto. I also used kale instead of spinach and orzo noodles!! Will cook again for sure
My husband loves Minestrone soup so I have been searching and searching for a soup recipe that we both would like. This one is 1000% a WINNER. I make it at least once a week in the fall and winter. Its super easy and the flavors are absolutely perfect. I usually sub fresh green beans for canned and leave out the potatoes. Once of my all time favorite soup recipes and I’m so glads its finally getting cooler so I can add this back into the rotation.
Amazing! I’m so glad you found this one 🙂
Love this soup! I customized with a can of baby clams and chowder mix to make seafood minestrone! Absolutely delicious!
Our go to recipe!! We leave out the noodles but follow the recipe exactly for everything else. It’s absolutely delicious and even better left over!
Such a great dinner! Glad it’s a family favorite 🙂
This soup was so easy and so flavorful! We subbed zucchini instead of beans, added turkey and doubled the noodles. We will definitely be adding this to our fall/winter soup rotation.
Perfect! Such a great dinner or lunch 🙂
I made mine with ground turkey and it was SO good. I froze the extra servings and have been pulling them out for lunch. Super easy and nutritious dish.
Love it! Glad you enjoyed!
So so good! A complete and delicious meal! ☺️
Absolutely! Glad you loved it 🙂
Great soup! I used quinoa instead of pasta and it was fantastic- plus the added nutrition of my fav super food : )
Perfect! Love that 🙂
So yummy! I couldn’t find the fire roasted tomatoes so I just used plain crushed and it was still great! The perfect comfort meal for this pregnant belly in the last 2 weeks of pregnancy. Thank you!!
Perfect! So glad you found this one 🙂 Thinking of you during these last 2 weeks!
Any recommendations for making this in the slow cooker?
Yes you can! Just make as written, add the noodles in the last 10 min of cooking! and cook until al dente.
This soup is so good! I’ve made it multiple times and usually omit the potatoes and beans. Can’t go wrong with this soup.
This one’s great for customizing! Glad you like it!
This recipe was absolutely delicious! Full of flavor and texture. Very quick and easy to make too! One tip I’ll use next time is to add a bit more vegetable broth (especially if you are really looking for a soup). I found the recipe as is to be delicious, but it felt more like a chili since it was so thick.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
I made this for the second time last night and as everyone knows, it’s just so damn good. To find something so comforting, healthy, and delicious is truly a treat. It’s a staple in my rotation, especially as we enter winter.
So happy to hear that!
Great flavour! I used 2-3 cups each of frozen mire poix and Italian vegetable mix cause I’m lazy. Loved that I can make this anytime with pantry/freezer staples.
Perfect! Great time-saver 🙂
Delicious and easy to make! The flavor is amazing and my whole family loved it.
I’m so glad! Perfect dinner 🙂
This soup is hands down the best new recipe to start off the new year with. The soup itself is packed with delicious veggies and has a nice kick to it with the red pepper flakes and seasoning. I made the garlic bread to go with it and it feels like a warm hug for a cold winter’s day: I would definitely make this again, for myself as a meal prep and for a small crowd when small gatherings become a thing again. Bravo!
made it tonight! delicious 🙂
So glad you liked it!
Any suggestions for using an instant pot?
I actually don’t have an Instant Pot so I’m not sure – sorry!
This was perfect! This soup had wonderful flavor. I used Bone broth instead of vegetable stock. So great I will make it again and again for sure. Thank you for sharing this gem.
So happy to hear that!
I didn’t add potatoes or kidney beans, both to save on carbs and calories, but also because I don’t care for either of them.
I don’t usually eat any kind of bread or crackers with my soup.
And I used beef broth in mine. I’m not vegetarian, but we sometimes do have Meatless Monday.
This soup is delicious.
Some of my friends think it strange, but I love soup for breakfast. It’s so comforting and nutritious. This I’ve never understood…why do people put seasons on food?!? I don’t believe any food has a season. I cook and eat soup and any other foods any time of the year. If I want macaroni salad on a cold winter day in January I’m going to make macaroni salad and enjoy every bite. I’m not going to wait until July 4th to enjoy one of my favorite foods.
Perfect! And agreed – soup (and all food) is delicious all year round 🙂 So glad you enjoyed!
My whole family loved this! I’ve made a few minestrone soups recently and this one has been the best
This soup is hearty, healthy and delicious. I didn’t change a thing and didn’t have to. So great!!!
So happy to hear that!
Loved this soup – so comforting and filling! Wondering if you think this would work just fine with bone broth (instead of vegetable broth)?
So glad you enjoyed! And yes it should!
This is a wonderful soup recipe! So much good stuff—and so many veggies—in there. I don’t love watery soups, so I only used 4 cups of vegetable broth and it came out like a hearty vegetable chili! Just enough liquid to cook the noodles. I also topped it with some leftover part-skim ricotta, and it was great. This is a keeper. Thanks, Monique!
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed!
This soup is so delicious and hearty! The flavor is awesome and it was a filling meal. I made it with ground beef and actually didn’t have room in my pot for the ingredients in the third step. I ended up cooking the noodles separately and then sauteed up my green beans as a little side dish. So many leftovers – it was great! I’ll definitely make this again. Thanks, Monique!
Great tip to cook those up separately! glad you enjoyed 🙂
I made the minestrone soup in the crock pot today and it’s fantastic! Everything was perfectly tender and not mushy. Excellent flavor. I didn’t modify anything but you could easily switch it up with different veggies and feel like a new flavor each time. Will definitely be making this again!
Love it! And yes, this one’s great for customizing. glad you enjoyed!
This was so delicious! It was so flavorful. I’ve got two more meals from the recipe. Thank you!
Perfect! Such a great lunch or dinner 🙂
This is my all-time favorite minestrone recipe! Soo delicious every time! I leave out the green beans and double the spinach, just because I prefer it
So happy to hear that!
Holy moly, YOU GUYS! Make this soup immediately! I’ve been trying to incorporate more veggie packed, meatless meals into my routine, and this recipe is absolutely perfect for it! Plus, Ambitious Kitchen gives you the option of even adding ground beef, if you so desire. I will be making this recipe often. Thanks for sharing what is now one of my favorite recipes! 🙂
So glad you found this one! Such a great, veggie-packed dinner 🙂
This was really good – made a HUGE portion! I subbed zucchini for green beans and couldn’t find fire roasted crushed tomatoes in my grocery stores. If you make this, try to find fire roasted tomatoes because I feel like mine lacked a little flavor and I was trying to alter/add more flavor with seasoning after it had simmered. That was my fault though and not an issue with the actual recipe.
Can’t say enough good things about this soup! I’ve always loved minestrone, but something about this recipe just takes it to *the next level*. I made it in the slow cooker and subbed sweet potatoes for Yukon golds. ALSO, the fire roasted crushed tomatoes definitely added flavor (as opposed to just regular crushed tomatoes) and I will definitely add to recipes in the future. My favorite noodles for this one are ditalini!
This is another one of my favorite recipes. We love soups in the winter!
My family loves this one! Dropped some off at my mom’s for dinner and she insisted I bought it. Real deal!
Can’t wait to make this again. An excellent winter soup. Added ground turkey and loved it!
This is my new favorite soup! It was so delicious and filling! A little bit of parmesan really took it to the next level😍 I will be definitely making it again!
The best!!
This was excellent! I love minestrone soup and was excited to make this. I had a hard time finding fire roasted crushed tomatoes and forgot kidney beans on my shopping list so ended up using crushed tomatoes with basil and cannellini beans. I thought it was perfect! I also withheld the red pepper flakes only because I planned to serve to my kids too. My husband kept telling me how good it was even though I didn’t add any meat…he’s a big meat guy. The meal was super easy to make too which is always important with kids…I prepped veggies while kids napped and everything was ready to be thrown in when I was ready to make it. Garlic bread on the side! Will definitely make again and perhaps try adding ground beef or maybe even cubed beef.
This one’s great for customizing! Glad everyone enjoyed 🙂
This soup is amazing ! Really easy to make I substituted the green beans for zucchini.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Love this recipe!
This soup is so flavorful and the perfect ratio of veggies to beans to pasta! Such filling and warming winter lunch! Made it vegan (left out parm) and used orzo for the pasta.
The title says it all! This was so delish!!!
our favorite minestrone soup! even tasted great after coming out of the freezer. didn’t put green beans.
Love this soup! 🙂 Nice way to get in a ton of veggies in a single meal!
I really like this recipe. I have cooked it as written and have also used it as a base when we have a lot of veggies to use up! I throw a bayleaf in the pot and if I have it on hand, a parmesan rind while cooking.
This is officially my go to Minestrone soup recipe! It has become a family favorite in our home. I can’t recommend it enough.
I accidentally doubled the pasta so turned out more like a pasta dish than a soup, but was still so yummy! Will make again forsure.
This was the most wonderful chilly day dinner. Love that I can adapt the ingredients in this using what I have on hand. I added in some chickpeas I’m addition to the kidney beans since I had opened a can at lunch. The kidney beans and pasta were my favorite part. Highly recommend!
I loved this recipe!!1 It was very easy and very filling. I added more potatoes and pasta than it calls for because I love potatoes and pasta. I also ended up having to simmer it longer, but I think that was due to a cooking error on my part. Nonetheless, such a great recipe! I want to have garlic bread or crostini with it next time!
This is the BEST soup I have ever made. I am in shock that such simple, clean ingredients created the most delicious and filling soup. I loved the addition of spinach and shredded parm at the end of the recipe – totally elevated the recipe to restaurant level. Do yourself a favor and make Monique’s garlic bread when you serve this, it will get rave reviews!!
I didn’t have green beans so I used zucchini and added ground beef. Thanks for adding the suggestions. I used a little less broth so it would be thicker, just personal preference. It was perfect for the snow-mageddon day we’re having, and I’m sure it’ll be even better tomorrow. Thank you for another great recipe!
5 stars! Great soup. I’ve made it a few times now and love that I can sub in whatever veges I have and it always tastes great!
This one’s great for customizing! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
This soup makes me SOO HAPPY every time I make it. I generally add shredded chicken and take out the potatoes, but you cannot go wrong.
I’m so glad! Perfect dinner 🙂
Classic, easy, and comforting on cold nights.
Absolutely!
This is the first time I ever made Minestrone soup and it was SO delicious! Super fresh ingredienrs and perfect amount of spice! I’ll never have to find another Minestrone soup recipe because this is THE one!!
So glad you loved it!!
This is such a comforting and delicious soup! I have made an effort to eat more veggies and this soup makes it easy! It’s also a favorite of my kids and husband. Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely! Glad the whole family loves it 🙂
This soup is SOO good! I have been eating less meat and looking for vegetarian recipes and this one is a winner! My whole fam loved this including my meat-loving husband and 15 month old! Will be making again ASAP!
Perfect! So happy to hear that!
Do I need to add the pasta cooked or raw?
You can add it raw! It will cook in the soup 🙂
This soup was so incredibly delicious! So many wonderful flavors. Definitely one of my new favorites 🙂
So glad you love it!
Love this soup! . . . The green beans really add some crunch and texture. I’m not a fan of spinach in soup, so I just increased the other veggies a bit (a touch more green beans, a couple more stalks of celery, 1 more carrot). It definitely yields 6 very hearty & filling servings. It keeps and reheats well, serves me and my husband for 3 nights straight. And grated parm on top is a must!
Perfect! So glad it was a hit!
Delicious! I love how full of veggies and flavor this was. My grocery store only had diced fire roasted tomatoes, and I’m glad I chose them over regular crushed. I was able to add the tomatoes before the broth and chop them up a little bit before adding the broth, and it worked well. The only thing I would change next time is I would use less crushed red pepper – this had more of a bite than I expected/would have liked.
Perfect! And yes feel free to reduce the crushed red pepper flakes to keep the spice down. Glad you enjoyed!
This is delicious! I added a couple Parmigiano Reggiano cheese rinds to the pot to simmer with the soup, These can be purchased at whole foods. You’ll need to take it out before serving though.
When serving, label soup in bowl place a homemade or store bought crostini toast on top, grate some fresh Parmigiano Reggiano on top and then drizzle some quality olive oil on top….its very good this way.
Mangia mangia!
Great call on the parm rinds and crostini! So glad to hear you enjoyed it 🙂
This is my go-to soup recipe! It’s packed with flavor and all the veggies. Perfect on its own but also great with a grilled cheese 🙂
It reheats well; I’ve packed it in a thermos for lunch throughout the week, same good taste every time!
I just made this and it came out so good. I recently found out im pregnant and can barely eat anything and THIS I can eat❤️🙏 thank you girl! Im always making your recipes and they’re all so good. I love your page.
Delicious! So excited to have a great healthy lunch.
Such a great lunch option, right? Glad you’re loving it!
I love this minestrone. I used chickpea shell noodles and was sort of nervous how they would keep in the fridge, but they stayed perfect just like everything else! So delicious and so easy. Highly recommend
Oh awesome, glad to hear that worked out well to use the chickpea pasta! Happy you loved it 🙂
I am obsessed with this soup. I was never a fan of minestrone and could never figure out why (veggies, beans, pasta, what’s not to love?) until I realized it’s because I was eating all the wrong minestrone soups. I could eat this daily. Amazing with croutons, chefs kiss!
Omg that’s amazing to hear, I’m so happy this one converted you!!
I made this recipe today using the crockpot and it did not disappoint! This minestrone soup is hearty, has a lot of flavor and was so easy to whip together. Highly recommend!
This may be the best soup I’ve ever made! Simple, but not lacking in flavor. Perfect for a rainy Fall day. Followed exactly as written except subbed chickpeas for kidney beans. I highly recommend!
Oh YAY I’m so happy you loved it so much, Lexy! Great idea to add chickpeas 🙂
It’s 86 degrees in Alabama today, but according to the calendar it’s officially fall and i could NOT wait to break out my slow cooker and make this soup to celebrate a new season. It’s my absolute favorite soup recipe ever. So dang flavorful and comforting.
Oh WOW good for you for leaning into the fall season despite the temps!! Happy you love this one so much, Alli 🙂
Minestrone is one of my husbands favorites so I had to try. Love the addition of turkey to add in some more protein and my toddler loved the green beans in it!
Such a delicious, comforting soup for when the weather turns cold. I love the heat from the red pepper flakes and the fire roasted tomatoes, and the Italian seasoning adds so much flavor. A wonderful adaptation to the traditional minestrone!
Yep, Monique did it again! This recipe is SO simple, healthy, and super easy. Mmm, mmm. I added a can of corn because I had it on hand and wanted to use it up. Also, a can of Canelli beans in addition to the kidney beans, also ’cause I had them. Keep these hearty winter recipes coming! Thank you.
This recipe it’s delicious!! I added garbanzo beans, bell pepper, fresh garlic, canned corn and green beans, and ground beef… YUMMMM!!!
Thanks to this killer recipe my 5 ye old daughter and her hunger strike! Thank you team!!
I love this recipe, so comforting. Also, of you’re like me and horde parmesan rinds in your freezer own of those in this soup while it’s simmering is gamechanger.
Sorry. I made this recipe to a T and the vegetables were barely soft. Cooking times listed are incorrect. Tasted decent but really disappointed in how undercooked the veggies were.
That’s really strange, I’ve made this recipe many times and have never had underdone veggies! Any chance they weren’t diced small enough?
The best minestrone soup! My 1 yr and 5yr devour it!
Yay!! So happy the whole fam loves this one 🙂
This recipe looks delicious! If I want to add ground turkey and make it in the slow cooker, do you think I should brown the turkey on the stove or can I add it with the vegetable to the slow cooker?
Thank you for all of your delicious recipes.
I personally like to brown my meat before slow cooking it to give it extra flavor!
Made this soup for the first time tonight and it was a hit! Much thicker than I had anticipated. Used mostly items from the fridge that needed to be used and the soup was still delicious. The only change I made was to add mushrooms that had been hanging around awhile.
We vote at our house to establish a 30 day menu – this one made the list. That is high praise, especially for something SO easy!
Thank you. Kathy
I’m so happy you loved it, Kathy! And oooh that’s such a great idea–honored to be included 🙂
This minestrone soup is delicious. I subbed out zucchini for green beans and went a little heavier on the pasta and made a big batch. It is super filling and a great meat free winter lunch. Keep the recipes coming Monique!!
Yum!! So glad you’re loving it!
This might be my new favorite soup. Added spicy Italian sausage and some pecorino cheese to the broth at the end. So delicious!
This minestrone was superb. I loved all the vegetables even the little cute yukon potato. Made as said and family loved it.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Aaron! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
Amazing soup! So filling and easy to substitute with what you have on hand. I substituted butternut squash in place of carrots and Banza pasta for Gluten free. I also threw in a few spinach leaves bc I had them. All and all delicious!!!
Amazing flavor! Tastes even better the next day. Omitted the spinach and green beans. Topped with Parmesan and mozzarella and broiled in the oven for a few minutes.
This recipe is such a go-to classic in our house!! It’s great for cold days, sick days, sad days, and ‘we need to eat these vegetables before they go bad’ days! I always feel confident subbing things out or making additions because the blog encourages just making it your own. Always 10/10!
Hands down one of my favorite soups. I love the flexibility to adapt with whatever I have on hand: sometimes I add zucchini or cabbage. My toddler loves it too!
Absolutely, lots of different veggies can be added in here! I’m so glad you both love it 🙂
My only concern is the use of caned pinto beans which have high sodium content. If you cook pinto beans instead.of using caned ones the soup is much better for your health.
Feel free to cook your own beans! Hope you enjoy this recipe 🙂
Payed great attention to recipe details. Was very disappointed in how bland soup was. Would not recommend this recipe.
Sorry to hear that, Pat! I’ve always found this soup to have the perfect flavor with the seasonings and fire roasted crushed tomatoes. I always recommend adding salt to taste, which really helps to bring out the flavors.
My go-to Minestrone recipe, amazing as written!
So happy to hear that you are loving this recipe ❤️
È delizioso! Ha il sapore del minestrone che faceva mia nonna. Amore!
This is such a delicious and nourishing soup! I’ve made this a few times and the whole family loves it. Tonight I was craving vegetable soup so I followed this recipe, but skipped the pasta and added extra potatoes!
Yum! This sounds amazing, Callie. So glad you are loving this recipe ❤️
Although this soup is very tasty, it took a lot longer than the time stated in the recipe to get all of the vegetables to be tender as well as the noodles. Not sure if I missed a step or if I did something wrong but
Interesting, I am not sure why you may have had this problem. I am happy you enjoyed this recipe though.
Amazing !!! Added the beef for protein and let it sit for
30 minutes before indulging so tasty thank you
Yum! Glad you are loving this recipe!
The best minestrone soup is not an understatement! I add zucchini, and I think it turns out great if you need to use the veggies you have on hand. Highly recommend and it comes together quickly.
My husband and I love this soup recipe so much that we make it once a week. It’s one of our favorite meals!
I made this soup in the crockpot last night — and am currently eating it again for lunch — and it’s incredible. I’d never made or eaten minestrone soup, and boy, I’m so glad I tried this one! This recipe is perfection. I followed it exactly, then stirred in ground mild Italian turkey sausage at the end. It’s a major win when I find a nutrient-dense recipe that also tastes flavorful and phenomenal, and your blog is chock-full of them! Thanks for sharing!
This recipe tastes amazing! I added asparagus and sausage to it. The family loved it and it’s even better the next day!
This soup is amazing!! I love the fire roasted tomoto’s> I added Zucchini too.
Love all your recipes!!
Great recipe. Positively delicious. I added some zucchini and only 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. The amount of heat was perfect.
This soup always turns out amazing. I usually add a bit more veggies than the recipe calls for. And due to winter I use a can of green beans instead of fresh and that works well. I’ve put this into my monthly dinner rotation.
Yay! I am so glad you are loving this recipe!
Your soup recipe came in my email and that’s what I decided to do for lunch today! I’ve never made minestrone soup before. I think because my husband can’t do kidney beans. But I decided to give him a bowl before I added them. It was yummy. I didn’t have fresh onions so I used onion powder. I did sprinkle in a little bit of garlic and turmeric as I know they are an immune Builder. I had a little bit of hamburger that needed to be used so I threw that in. I also added turkey bone broth for the health benefits. I didn’t have spinach or zucchini but would have added both if I had them. I only had a red potato rather than a Yukon and I think the Yukon would have been a little Milder potato flavor.
It was fun to try a new recipe, thank you!
This Recipe was fantastic. I had to alter some of the ingredients based on what was available here but it still turned out absolutely delicious. Will 100% be making this again. I left out the pasta and added more kidney beans. I used frozen kale instead of spinach. I also used frozen green beans.
Ah love this so much! Sounds delicious and I am so glad it turned out great! ❤️
hello, thanks for the recipe. I changed the kidney beans to lentils and the pasta to quinoa. It is now closer to a Fodmap recipe. Thank you for the inspiration
absolutely! Glad to hear this recipe turned out for you!
Made the recipe. Felt like it needed more sophisticated flavors. The best thing I added was oregano. I added a few more things I like like garlic and a small amount of a few other things.
Love this soup! So hearty and delicious! Does the nutritional information include the Parmesan cheese and the bread? Thank you!
Best ever chicken soup HONESTLY is…..thank you and my gourmet French son-in-law happily ate three bowls at one sitting but hey, he’s tall and skinny!
YAY! I am excited to hear that you are loving this recipe and it is a hit for the family ❤️
Too spicy for me. We only added two shakes of red pepper flakes to the whole thing…I wonder if the fire roasted tomatoes played a part too?
So sorry to hear this recipe was a bit too spicy for you, maybe leave out the red pepper flakes and let everyone put them on themselves!
This recipe was delicious!
Yay! I am so glad you’re loving this soup, Janis 🙂
This soup is so crazy good!! I made it for my family and everyone went back for seconds. This is definitely joining my regular winter soup rotation!
Amazing! SO glad you loved this soup and it turned out fabulous for you, Erin. ❤️
Please include sodium in your nutritional values. Thank you.
I made this for a department potluck and everyone loved it! I’d doubled the recipe hoping to have some to take home. No such luck.
I used only 2/3 of the amount of vegetable broth so for my doubled recipe, I used 8 cups instead of 12. It was just right for me. Also, I always cook and serve the pasta separately so it doesn’t get mushy and so people can opt out if they need or want to.
Anyway, it’s delicious with just the right amount of spiciness. 👍
Amazing! Great tip for letting people add the pasta how they want. Happy to hear it was a hit!
Made this for dinner tonight without beans (forgot to add), a fraction of the Italian seasoning due to taste, and homemade sourdough bread. Healthy, satisfying, meatless and a HUGE HIT with both of my meat-eaters. They can’t wait to have it tomorrow for lunch :).
Perfect! This one’s great for customizing to your taste preferences and what you have on hand 🙂 so glad the everyone enjoyed!
Excellent! I used no oil and no red chili flakes. My fire roasted tomatoes had green chiles in them so it already had some heat. I absolutely loved it !!! Thank you for such great recipes!
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
Soup was delicious! Followed it directly as listed. Even my teen kids ate it when they don’t like soup! I will take that win!! Thank you
Amazing! So glad it was a hit!
I cannot believe how good this soup is. My husband, an omnivorous eater, eats this HAPPILY every time I make it, I tend to be generous with the veg and it’s fantastic. Flavors are really spot on. I do cook the carrots/potatoes/celery/onion longer than indicated – otherwise I end up with underdone potatoes.
I used Monique’s recipe as a guide and substituted the vegetables that I had on hand. I used regular diced tomatoes, not fire roasted and a few different fresh vegetables. I also added the rind of my Parmesan cheese and let it simmer in the soup all day. The most time consuming part of the recipe is chopping all of the vegetables, but it’s so worth the effort. I now have hearty, comforting and delicious soup to eat all week.
Perfect! This one’s great for customizing 🙂
This soup is incredibly easy to make. It’s hearty and has so many nutrients. I sometimes add a piece of baked cod to the bowl (not to the soup) for some added protein.
Love it! Glad you enjoyed!
I have made this soup twice. The first time I added a can of chickpeas to the recipe. The second time I added a can of cannellini beans and left out the spinach since I didn’t have any on hand. I also substituted a couple cans of tomato sauce and a can of diced tomatoes for the crushed tomatoes. Lastly, I added fresh minced garlic both times because I rarely cook without it! I am not a vegetarian, but this makes for a delicious, inexpensive, and meatless meal.
This one’s great for customizing! Glad you love it!
I found this recipe lacking in flavor a bit, and to not have much broth, especially after a day of storage in the fridge when the noodles had more time to absorb more liquid, it ended up becoming almost a veggie/pasta salad. But because of the subtle flavor, I fear that adding another cup or two of broth would make it totally bland. I would also recommend reducing the chili flakes to 1/4 TSP if you don’t like spice; while subtle in flavor, the soup has a good amount of heat! 🌶️
Sorry to hear that! I’d recommend adding salt to your preferred taste to bring out the flavors. I always use low sodium broth so that people can add the amount of salt they like 🙂
Try popcorn with tomato soup. It’s good and good for you, lots of fiber
I,ve made this minestrone soup twice now. The first time I was really surprised, I thought nothing special, just minestrone soup. Been around for ever, well when I had a serving I loved it.Filled with nourishment, cooked tomatoes are healthier when their cooked and lots o other veggies. I didn’t have any carrots so i added broccoli sprouts,I think carrots would suit this soup better, but it was a very tasty healthy sou.p. I love the Italian seasoning as well. I,m enjoying some now on a chilling evening.
This one’s great for customizing! Glad you enjoyed!
A family favorite! I like to cook longer and let the flavors develop more – and it’s even better the next day – and freezes well.
Love that!!
SO delicious!! Added about 8ish ounces of noodles instead. Such a yummy, warming way to get your veggies!
Love it!!
This soup was fantastic! Added the ground turkey for more protein and used beef broth (because I never have veggie broth on hand). So flavorful and filling, reminds me of my favorite minestrone from a local restaurant that went out of business years ago. I have been looking for the perfect minestrone recipe and this is it! Thank you!
YES the perfect restaurant copycat!
Read where it can be made in slow cooker — if I want to add ground turkey, do I add it raw with all the other ingredients?
Great question! Brown the ground turkey in a pan first before adding it to your slow cooker 🙂
We really enjoyed this minestrone soup! I omitted the green beans and added frozen corn. I’m making a double batch in the crockpot for a church gathering this week. It’s definitely a keeper recipe.
Love that! One of our favs, too 🙂
Was looking for an easy soup recipe to make today while staying at an Airbnb.This one fit the bill. It required no special gadgets or crazy ingredients. It came together easily and was DELICIOUS! I loved the little pizazz the red pepper flakes added!
Easy and delicious! Glad you found this one!
Sooooo delicious! I added a couple of cloves of minced garlic because I just think everything tastes better with garlic. Added some chopped up mushrooms to veggies, doubled the kidney beans, added frozen peas and corn. Only had diced tomatoes so pulsed them in the Ninja bullet for a few seconds for crushed sauce with some chunks of tomato. Used cavatelli pasta and kept it separate so we can add when soup reheated for tomorrow night’s dinner. This will be a regular on our table throughout the fall and winter!
Perfect!! This one’s great for customizing 🙂 Glad you loved it!
Wow! This really is the best minestrone soup. I’ve made a few different and this doesn’t compare.
So happy to hear that!
Easy, simple and very flavourful! Exactly the type of comforting soup that I was looking for on this cold fall evening.
Absolutely! A hug in a bowl 🙂
How does this freeze?
I might suggest freezing the soup without the noodles – simply cook them separately and add them to the soup once you thaw and reheat it 🙂
Really good flavor and kid approved! I made everything as stated, except I cook my pasta separately. I find when you cook pasta directly in soups it absorbs all of the juices, especially for leftovers. Also only did 1/4 tsp of chili flakes b/c we are wimps 🙂 I’m sure tomorrow it will be even more delicious.
Perfect! So glad the kiddos enjoyed!
I’m making this recipe this week and wondering if you can use frozen green beans instead of fresh? Sometimes my grocery store doesn’t have fresh green beans.
Yes, those will work fine!
Hello Ambitious Kitchen, I love making this recipe for my family, especially in the winter months! I noticed that when I add the green beans, either when adding the spinach and pasta, or when I add the vegetable broth, they still seem to be crunchy and not really soft. Should I boil the beans first and then add them when I add the vegetable broth? Will this help the beans to cook properly? Please let me know. Thank you!
I like my green beans with a little bite, but yes, feel free to boil them a bit first to get them softer!
The soup was very quick and easy to prepare and very tasty!
Glad you enjoyed!
I make this soup all the time and at this point I always double the recipe because it’s so good.
So glad you love it!
I have just made this minestrone and have added a couple of things like ham ends and chickpeas, everything else as per. I am planning on freezing this into small meals due to me being 9 weeks post weight loss surgery.
I love vegetables and this has plenty. Thanks for sharing your recipes.