Authentic Italian Minestrone Soup Recipe (Traditional & Hearty)

This authentic Italian minestrone soup recipe is the kind you find simmering in Italian kitchens, simple vegetables, beans, pasta, and rich flavor built slowly.

If you're making this Spring Minestrone, be sure to also check out my Roasted Tomato Soup and Italian Wedding Soup for more cozy, flavor-packed soup recipes.

This article contains affiliate links which support us at no extra cost to you.

If you're searching for a real Italian minestrone soup recipe, this is it. No shortcuts. No heavy cream. Just seasonal vegetables, cannellini beans, small pasta, and good olive oil.

Could it possibly be spring here and all we want is soup these days? Specifically, we want this Spring Minestrone for lunch and dinner! Well, maybe not everyone in the Savoring Italy kitchen wants it all the time, but I sure do!! And it's not really summer here, but the cooler spring days have now turned into rainy and steamy summer-like days.

It is so easy to think of all these different and creative things to make for dinner. But thinking of and actually making a different and creative dinner are two really different things. The reality hits you when it's the end of a long day and you haven't got any thing made yet how far away the creative and fabulous dinner could be.

What Makes This Authentic Italian Minestrone Soup?

Authentic Italian minestrone isn't one fixed recipe. It changes by region and season. But a true traditional minestrone soup always includes:

• A soffritto base (onion, carrot, celery)
• Seasonal vegetables
• Beans for protein
• Small pasta or rice
• Olive oil, never butter
• Parmigiano rind for depth

That's what makes this the best authentic Italian minestrone soup recipe for home cooks.

Ingredients for Italian Minestrone Soup

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 cup green beans, chopped
• 1 can (400 g) cannellini beans, drained
• 1 can (400 g) crushed tomatoes
• 1.2-1.5 liters vegetable broth
• 1 cup small pasta (ditalini)
• 1 cup chopped spinach or kale
• Salt and black pepper
• Fresh parsley
• Parmigiano Reggiano rind (optional but traditional)

 How to Make Italian Minestrone Soup

Step 1: Build the Soffritto

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook 6-8 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook briefly.

This is the foundation of any authentic Italian minestrone recipe.

Step 2: Add Vegetables

Stir in zucchini and green beans. Cook 3 minutes.

Step 3: Add Broth, Beans & Tomato

Pour in broth and crushed tomatoes. Add beans and Parmigiano rind if using. Simmer 15 minutes.

Step 4: Add Pasta

Add pasta and cook until al dente.

Step 5: Finish with Greens

Stir in spinach or kale. Cook 1-2 minutes.

Season well with salt and pepper.

some notes on the recipe:

I used the vegetables that I had on hand and that I love. I made another one the same week and added asparagus instead of the peas. The point is, you can mix up this soup and make it to your taste adding whatever spring vegetables you encounter in your market exploring or what you (lucky you!)have growing in your garden.

You could use dandelion or Swiss chard instead of spinach. I usually have baby spinach around (fresh or frozen)and my kids don't mind it at all in a soup, so that's usually my choice green leaf vegetable. I used orzo because I had some on hand and have been wanting to use it up in a soup. This is vegan, because I used vegetable broth.

Expert Tips for the Best Italian Minestrone Soup Recipe

• Salt in layers.
• Do not overcook the pasta.
• Let the soup rest 10 minutes before serving.
• Add a drizzle of olive oil on top before serving.
• For deeper flavor, add a spoon of pesto at the end.

FAQ

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

Tag @savoringitaly on Instagram and hashtag it #savoringitaly 

Did you make this and love it? Please RATE THE RECIPE below:)

I would LOVE IT if you can leave me a star rating and a review down below and let me know your thoughts! It means the world to me to hear how you liked it.

Please Subscribe and give a follow on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok xx

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe

5 from 17 votes

Authentic Italian Minestrone Soup Recipe

This authentic Italian minestrone soup recipe is the kind you find simmering in Italian kitchens simple vegetables, beans, pasta, and rich flavor built slowly.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: minestrone, soup, vegan

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 153kcal

Author: Lora

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
• 3 garlic smashed
• 2 leeks washed and thinly sliced (use an onion if you don't have leeks)
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 4 carrots peeled and chopped
• 3 celery stalks chopped
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste -optional
• 1 potato peeled and cut into small pieces
• ½ cup peeled seeded, and chopped tomato
• 4-6 cups stock or water I used vegetable stock, you could use chicken
• 2 small zucchini cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 cup peas I used frozen from fresh that I had in my freezer
• 1 cup baby fresh baby spinach
• 1 cup Italian parsley chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, leeks, rosemary,carrots, celery, red pepper flakes, and cook 2 minutes. Stir in the potato and tomatoes and cook 2 more minutes; season with salt and pepper.
• Add stock or water and bring to a simmer (start with 4 or 5 cups of stock. Depending on how thick you want your minestrone, add another cup if you want it less thick). Cook, covered, for 10 minutes.
• If you are adding orzo or a broken pieces of a thin spaghetti, bring soup to a boil and add them in now. When the pasta is almost done, add in the zucchini and peas. If you aren't adding pasta to the soup, keep the soup on a simmer and add in the zucchini and peas and cook for about 10 minutes (or until the zucchini are tender).
• If you did add the pasta, cook until the pasta is al dente (it will keep cooking in the soup because it is very hot, so check to make sure it doesn't become too mushy).
• Add spinach and parsley during the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Adjust seasonings and serve immediately.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

Nutrition

Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 498mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 8374IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @savoringitaly or tag #savoringitaly!