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Classic Minestrone Soup

Classic Minestrone Soup

With its colorful veggies and fresh herbs, creamy beans, and tender pasta, you're going to love this Classic Minestrone Soup. It's an Italian classic!
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Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 quarts
Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 leeks (white and pale green parts), quartered and sliced
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups sliced carrots
  • 3 stalks celery, sliced
  • 1 cup diced sweet bell peppers
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 12 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • ¾ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (drained, if in oil)
  • ½ cup fresh basil, sliced (divided)
  • ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped (divided)
  • 2 - 3 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp dried marjoram
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • ⅛ - ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup uncooked ditalini pasta, about 4½ oz (or other small pasta shape)
  • 1 14 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 14 oz can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed (or other white beans)
  • 1 cup diced zucchini
  • 2 cups deveined and chopped kale
  • 3 oz finely grated Romano cheese, divided
  • juice of ½ lemon

Method
 

  1. Before getting started, make sure your leeks are properly cleaned. Fill a large bowl with water and add in your sliced leeks. Stir them around with your hands and you'll see that all the dirt and grit sink to the bottom while the leeks float. Carefully scoop out the leeks and set aside.
  2. In a large soup pot (at least 7 quarts), heat the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering and then add in the leeks and garlic. Gently saute for 5 minutes.
  3. Add in the celery, carrots, and peppers. Give everything a good stir and saute for another 5 minutes.
  4. Pour in the white wine and deglaze the pot, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for a couple more minutes.
  5. Pour in the broth as well as the tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, half of the fresh basil and parsley, 2 tsp of salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, dried marjoram, and dried oregano. Stir well and bring to a low boil.
  6. Add the ditalini to the pot and cook for 10 minutes.
  7. Now add the beans, kale, zucchini, the rest of the basil and parsley, and 2 ounces of the grated Romano. Simmer for 5 minutes. Pour in the lemon juice.
  8. Taste for seasoning and add the remaining salt, if desired. Serve hot and topped with a good pinch of Romano. Enjoy!

Notes

Nutrition information per serving (1 cup): 110 calories, 4 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 14 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 5 g protein