Minestrone Soup
Recipe by Steven Weitzman, founder & head chef of Grilly CheesePublished 2026-10-27Updated 2026-10-27
Minestrone soup with white beans, small pasta, tomatoes, and vegetables. Make this easy skillet soup in about 45 minutes for a hearty grilled cheese side.
Minestrone soup is a chunky vegetable-and-bean soup with small pasta in tomato broth, making a filling, colorful side for a crisp grilled cheese sandwich. This home version uses canned tomatoes and beans, a handful of everyday vegetables, and one deep skillet. The carrots and celery get a head start before the faster-cooking zucchini and pasta go in. Spinach finishes the soup without needing a separate pan or blender. Makes: about 8 cups, or 4 generous side-dish servings. Prep: 15 minutes. Cook: about 30 minutes. Total: about 45 minutes. Active work: about 30 minutes. Use a deep skillet or saute pan with at least a 4-quart capacity, rather than a shallow frying pan. Cooking time may be longer if your vegetables are cut larger or your pasta needs more than 10 minutes.
How to make Minestrone Soup
Makes About 8 cups; 4 generous side-dish servings. Listed times are estimates; visual and temperature cues control doneness.
15 minCook
30 minRest
0 minTotal
45 minYield
About 8 cups; 4 generous side-dish servings
Equipment
- Deep 12-inch skillet or saute pan, at least 4-quart capacity
- Cutting board and sharp knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Can opener
- Colander
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
Ingredients
- •1 tablespoon olive oil
- •1/2 cup (70 g) diced yellow onion
- •1/2 cup (65 g) carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- •1/2 cup (60 g) celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- •2 garlic cloves, minced
- •1 tablespoon tomato paste
- •1 teaspoon dried oregano
- •1 can (14.5 ounces / 411 g) diced tomatoes, with their juices
- •3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, plus up to 1/2 cup more if needed
- •1 can (15 ounces / 425 g) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- •1/3 cup (about 50 g) dry egg-free ditalini pasta with a package cooking time of 8–10 minutes
- •1 cup (125 g) zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- •1/2 cup (65 g) fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- •1 packed cup (30 g) baby spinach, roughly chopped
- •1 teaspoon lemon juice
- •1/4 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- •1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Soften the soup base
Heat the olive oil in a deep 12-inch skillet or saute pan with at least a 4-quart capacity over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook for 7 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic, tomato paste, and oregano; stir for 1 minute, until fragrant and the paste darkens slightly.
- 2
Simmer the vegetables and pasta
Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices and 3 cups broth, scraping the pan bottom. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, about 5 minutes, then reduce to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the drained beans, dry ditalini, zucchini, and green beans. Maintain a steady gentle simmer for 8–10 minutes, or the pasta package time, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Check that the pasta is tender and the carrot and green beans are easy to bite through; cook a little longer if needed. Add a splash from the extra 1/2 cup broth if the soup becomes too thick.
- 3
Wilt the spinach and season
Stir in the spinach and cook for 2 minutes, until wilted. Turn off the heat, add the lemon juice and black pepper, and taste before adding any extra salt. Ladle into bowls and serve hot. The finished soup should be chunky with enough broth to pool around the vegetables; add a little of the reserved broth if needed. Allow about 30 minutes total cooking time, with extra time if your pasta or vegetables need it.
Tips
- →Keep the soup at a steady gentle simmer after adding the pasta. A pan that barely bubbles can leave the pasta firm after the stated time.
- →Stir across the pan bottom frequently while the pasta cooks so the tubes do not settle and stick.
- →Check both a carrot piece and a green bean before serving. If either is too firm, simmer until tender and loosen with broth as necessary.
- →Add extra broth a few tablespoons at a time. Minestrone should be chunky, with visible broth between the ingredients, rather than a dry pasta dish.
- →The soup thickens as it stands because the pasta keeps absorbing liquid. This is expected; loosen individual portions when reheating.
Variation
Beans: Substitute one drained 15-ounce can of kidney beans for the cannellini beans. This changes the color but keeps the recipe's bean-and-vegetable structure. Pasta: Small elbows work instead of ditalini; use the same dry weight and follow the package time. A pasta with a much longer cooking time will extend the total time. Vegetables: Use yellow summer squash in place of zucchini. Frozen cut green beans may replace fresh; check tenderness near the end of the pasta cooking time. Spinach: Chopped baby kale can work but needs a few extra minutes to soften. Avoid adding thick kale stems at the final step.
Questions and answers
What is minestrone soup made of?
This minestrone soup contains onion, carrot, celery, tomatoes, white beans, small pasta, zucchini, green beans, and spinach in vegetable broth. Olive oil, garlic, oregano, and a little lemon juice season the soup.
What pasta is best for minestrone soup?
Ditalini or small elbows fit comfortably on a spoon with the vegetables and beans. Choose a shape that cooks in 8–10 minutes for the timing given here, and use the package directions to judge doneness.
Can you make minestrone soup without a Dutch oven?
Yes. A deep 12-inch skillet or saute pan with at least a 4-quart capacity holds this batch comfortably. A shallow skillet does not leave enough room for the broth and vegetables.
How do you keep pasta from getting mushy in minestrone?
For serving right away, stop cooking once the pasta is just tender. For meal prep, cook the pasta separately and add it to individual bowls instead of storing it in the soup; that option needs a separate pot and extra water.
Is minestrone soup vegan?
This recipe is vegan when made with vegan vegetable broth and egg-free pasta. It contains no cheese, cream, or meat; check packaged ingredients to confirm they fit your needs.
Can you freeze minestrone soup?
Yes, but pasta and zucchini become softer after freezing and reheating. For the best freezer texture, leave out the pasta, freeze the vegetable-and-bean soup, and add freshly cooked pasta when serving.
Storage and reheating
Grilled cheese is best eaten right away. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered, shallow container at 40°F (4°C) or below, within 2 hours of cooking—or within 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F (32°C). Use within 3–4 days. Reheat to 165°F (74°C), checking the center with a food thermometer. A skillet over low heat, briefly covered and then uncovered, can warm the center and help restore the crust. If using previously cooked chicken or other leftovers, count storage time from when that ingredient was first cooked. See USDA leftovers guidance and FoodSafety.gov minimum temperatures.
Dietary note: This recipe is labeled vegan as written with the specified products.
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