Tomato Basil Minestrone Soup (Printable Version)

Comforting tomato basil broth with vegetables, pasta, and beans, perfect for any time of year.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
08 - 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
09 - 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

→ Broth & Flavorings

10 - 4 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
14 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
15 - ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
16 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Pasta & Beans

17 - 1 cup small pasta (such as ditalini or elbow macaroni)
18 - 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

→ Finish

19 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
20 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
21 - Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.
02 - Incorporate minced garlic, diced zucchini, and green beans. Continue cooking for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
03 - Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes if using, and tomato paste. Stir to combine and bring mixture to a boil.
04 - Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.
05 - Add small pasta and drained cannellini beans to the pot. Continue simmering for 10 to 12 minutes, or until pasta is tender.
06 - Stir in chopped fresh basil and parsley. Adjust seasoning if needed.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and top with grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • It tastes like a hug but requires almost no fussy technique, just honest chopping and simmering.
  • The kitchen fills with such a welcoming smell that people automatically drift in asking when dinner's ready.
  • You can eat it the same night or let it sit overnight and it somehow tastes even better the next day.
02 -
  • Don't add the pasta until the very end, or it will absorb all the broth and turn your soup into something closer to porridge by the next day.
  • Fresh herbs at the finish are what separate a good minestrone from a forgettable one—don't skip them or swap them for dried.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning right before serving, not at the beginning, because flavors concentrate as the soup simmers.
03 -
  • Sauté your vegetables until they're truly soft and golden at the edges—this takes patience but builds a richer foundation than rushing.
  • Keep the heat at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil, so the vegetables don't fall apart and the flavors stay balanced.
  • Taste constantly in the last few minutes of cooking and adjust salt, pepper, and acid to your preference—every stove and every pot cooks differently.
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