Spring Vegetable Minestrone Soup (Printable Version)

Italian minestrone with fresh spring vegetables, beans, pasta, and herbs in a savory broth.

# What You Need:

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

02 - 1 medium onion, diced

03 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced

04 - 2 celery stalks, diced

05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced

07 - 1 cup fresh or frozen peas

08 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

09 - 1 ½ cups baby spinach, packed

10 - 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

11 - ¾ cup small pasta (ditalini or elbow macaroni)

12 - 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

13 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes with juices

14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano

15 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme

16 - ½ teaspoon dried basil

17 - 1 bay leaf

18 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

19 - ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

20 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened.

02 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

03 - Add zucchini, peas, green beans, oregano, thyme, basil, and bay leaf. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

04 - Pour in vegetable broth and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

05 - Add cannellini beans and pasta. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until pasta is al dente and vegetables are tender.

06 - Stir in spinach until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf.

07 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with Parmesan and fresh herbs if desired. Serve hot.

01 -

That moment when spinach hits the hot broth and everything turns impossibly green
The way pasta soaks up all those herb flavors while staying perfectly tender

02 -

Pasta continues absorbing liquid in the pot so if not serving immediately slightly undercook it
The soup thickens considerably as it sits which some people actually prefer

03 -