Easy Minestrone Soup
This easy minestrone soup recipe has a rich, flavorful tomato-y broth that is loaded with vegetables, Italian sausage, and beans. It's hearty, healthy (so many veggies!), and comforting, and this traditional minestrone soup can be made on the stovetop or in the crockpot.
Servings: 8
Calories: 226kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can white navy, cannellini, or great northern beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 small zucchini, quartered and chopped (about 1 ½ to 2 cups)
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Parmesan rind
- 1 ⅓ cups pasta (optional - ditalini, farfalle or shells)
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot or dutch oven, brown the sausage with the onions and garlic over medium heat. Drain any grease that cooks off, if necessary.
- Add all remaining ingredients up through the Parmesan rind (if you have one on hand), and bring the soup to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low, then simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until all of the veggies are tender.
- Remove the bay leaves and anything that remains of the Parmesan rind and stir in the pasta, if using, during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking so that it can cook through until al dente.
- Serve with crusty bread and freshly grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling on top.
Notes
Other vegetables that are good in this soup are green beans, yellow squash, butternut squash, or spinach, added right toward the end of cooking time so they don't turn into mush.
To make this in the slow cooker, just brown the sausage first, then add everything except for the zucchini, beans, and pasta to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Stir in the beans, zucchini, and optional pasta for the last 20-25 minutes to heat through and pasta is tender.
Adapted from Our Best Bites.
Nutrition
Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 959mg | Potassium: 369mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3130IU | Vitamin C: 9.2mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1.4mg