Description
This hearty Minestrone Soup is a delicious and comforting Italian classic, packed with nutritious vegetables, tender pasta, and flavorful bacon. Simmered gently to bring out rich flavors, it makes a perfect wholesome meal served with crusty bread for dunking.
Ingredients
Scale
Base and Seasoning
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 150g / 5oz bacon, finely chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Vegetables
- 1 celery rib, chopped into 1.5cm / 1/2″ pieces
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced into 1.5cm / 1/2″ pieces
- 1 zucchini, chopped into 1.5cm / 1/2″ pieces
- 1 potato, cut into 1.5cm / 1/2″ pieces (peeled if needed)
- 100g / 3oz green beans, trimmed and cut into 2cm / 3/5″ lengths
- 2oz / 60g baby spinach (or frozen spinach, kale, or similar – optional)
Liquids and Tomato
- 800g / 28oz crushed tomato (or 700g passata)
- 2 cups chicken stock/broth, low sodium
- 2 cups water
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Beans and Pasta
- 400g / 14oz canned kidney beans, drained
- 1 cup small pasta (such as ditalini, tiny shells, risoni/orzo, baby macaroni, alphabet, or star pasta)
Garnish
- 1/4 cup Parmesan, grated
- More Parmesan for serving
- Chopped parsley
- Crusty bread for dunking
Instructions
- Heat the oil and cook bacon: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over high heat in a very large pot. Add the finely chopped bacon and cook until it starts turning golden, about 2 minutes.
- Add onion and garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and chopped onion, cooking until the onion becomes translucent and the bacon is lightly golden, approximately 2 more minutes.
- Add vegetables for flavor: Add the diced carrot, chopped celery, and zucchini. Stir everything together for 1 minute to coat the vegetables in the flavors.
- Add tomatoes, liquids, and seasonings: Pour in the crushed tomato, chicken stock, water, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, drained kidney beans, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Simmer the soup: Bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and adjust the heat so it simmers gently for 20 minutes.
- Add potatoes and green beans: After the initial simmering, add the diced potato and green beans. Continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
- Add pasta and cook: Add the small pasta to the soup, cooking according to the pasta package instructions but reduce the cooking time by 1 1/2 minutes to keep pasta slightly firm.
- Finish with cheese and greens: Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and baby spinach. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with extra Parmesan and chopped parsley. Serve with warm crusty bread on the side for dunking to complete the meal.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
- You can substitute any small pasta shape you have on hand.
- Frozen spinach or kale can be used if fresh is unavailable, adding it at the same step as spinach.
- Adjust the salt carefully as both bacon and Parmesan add saltiness.
- The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: minestrone soup, Italian soup, vegetable soup, bacon soup, hearty soup, easy soup recipe
