Name: Hearty Minestrone Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 4 oz pancetta or bacon, diced (optional, but recommended); 1 large yellow onion, diced; 2 carrots, peeled and diced; 2 celery stalks, diced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, with their juice; 8 cups chicken or vegetable stock; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 bay leaf; 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained; 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained; 1 cup small pasta like ditalini or elbow macaroni; 2 cups chopped fresh spinach or kale; Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; Grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil for serving

Description

This hearty Minestrone Soup is a comforting, flavor-packed meal-in-a-bowl with pancetta, beans, pasta, and fresh greens simmered in a rich tomato broth.

Ingredients

Scale

2 tbsp olive oil

4 oz pancetta or bacon, diced (optional, but recommended)

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 celery stalks, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, with their juice

8 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 tsp dried oregano

1 bay leaf

1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

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

1 cup small pasta like ditalini or elbow macaroni

2 cups chopped fresh spinach or kale

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil for serving

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Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.

2. Add pancetta and cook until crispy, then add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 8-10 minutes until softened.

3. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.

4. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

5. Pour in diced tomatoes with juice, scraping up browned bits. Add stock, oregano, and bay leaf. Simmer 15 minutes.

6. Stir in beans and pasta. Simmer 10-12 minutes until pasta is al dente.

7. Turn off heat, remove bay leaf, stir in spinach or kale to wilt.

8. Season generously with salt and pepper.

9. Serve hot with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Notes

Let soup cool before storing. Keeps in fridge 4-5 days (pasta will absorb liquid). Add stock or water when reheating.

Freeze up to 3 months (best without pasta, add fresh when reheating).

For vegan: omit pancetta, use vegetable stock.

For low-carb: skip pasta, add extra beans or zucchini.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 2 cups)
Calories: 320
Sugar: 7 g
Sodium: 820 mg
Fat: 11 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 43 g
Fiber: 9 g
Protein: 14 g
Cholesterol: 15 mg