Minestrone Soup

Article By: Krissy Downey

Renowned dietician, nutritionist and cookbook author Ellie Krieger brings you this minestrone soup recipe, which is satisfying, nourishing and ready in under an hour. Perfect for the depths of winter or a chilly summer night, this easy minestrone soup recipe is sure to become part of your regular dinner rotation.

How to Make Easy Minestrone Soup Like a Pro

Cook the aromatics in layers. You might notice that the recipe calls for you to cook onion for a few minutes on its own, then to add garlic and cook that with the onion, then to add celery and carrot and cook that until the mixture softens, and so on. Adding the aromatics in this order, and taking some time to cook each one, builds flavor complexity that’ll prevent your soup from tasting flat.

Season and taste as you go. Much like cooking the aromatics in layers adds flavor depth, seasoning the soup a few times throughout cooking – rather than just at the end – enhances the natural flavors of all the ingredients instead of tasting “salty.”

What Vegetables are In Minestrone Soup?

Minestrone soup is all about what is in season and accessible, so there is no wrong answer here. Common choices include beans, onions, carrots, celery, spinach and tomatoes. This recipe leans on green beans as well as kidney beans, but feel free to get creative and use what you have on hand. If some of your top choices are out of season, you can always substitute frozen vegetables in minestrone soup.

Can I Make Minestrone In the Instant Pot?

You can absolutely make minestrone in the Instant Pot, but there are pros and cons to that decision. One of the best parts of a hearty, Italian minestrone soup is biting into tender, perfectly cooked vegetables. When you make minestrone soup on the stove, you have more control over the cook time of the vegetables. You can also make adjustments to the heat and taste as you go. However, if you’re looking for an even easier route to dinner, plopping everything into the Instant Pot and forgetting about it will do the trick too.

How to Store and Serve Minestrone Soup

This minestrone soup should be cooled down completely, then stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Or transfer the soup to resealable plastic bags and freeze the bags flat, where the soup can be stored for up to 3 months for the best quality. When serving, gently reheat the soup on the stove until warmed through. Note that you may want to have a bit of extra stock on hand, because the pasta and beans can absorb some cooking liquid as the soup sits in the fridge.

Minestrone soup is pretty hearty, so you can serve it with a side of good bread and butter, a hearty salad or a warming side like mashed potatoes.