Minestrone Soup
Hearty and comforting minestrone soup packed with vegetables, beans, and pasta. An easy one-pot meal perfect for cozy nights or meal prep.
Servings 8 Servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5 slices bacon cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup yellow onion chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 medium carrot chopped
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 30 oz cans diced tomatoes 2 - 15oz cans
- 15 oz can kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 15 oz can cannellini beans drained and rinsed, or other white beans
- 15 oz can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ½ cup Italian parsley chopped
- 1 tbsp dried basil or 1/4 minced fresh basil
- 1 cup shaped pasta such as ditalini or elbows
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, add olive oil and cook diced bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove and set aside, leaving a bit of bacon fat in the pot.
- Add onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and cook another minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the canned diced tomatoes and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot
- Add the kidney beans, cannellini beans, chickpeas, Italian parsley, and basil. Let it simmer for 20 minutes so the flavors meld together.
- Stir in the ditalini (or your pasta of choice) and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes. If needed, add extra stock or water to maintain your desired soup consistency.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with cooked bacon, more parsley, and grated Parmesan if desired.
Notes
Tips for Storing
- Refrigerate: Store cooled soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Transfer to freezer-safe containers, leaving room for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a splash of broth or water to loosen if the pasta has absorbed too much liquid.
- Meal Prep Tip: Cook the pasta separately and add it only when reheating to keep it from becoming mushy.
Nutrition
Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 575mg | Potassium: 985mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1750IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 7mg
