Best Minestrone Soup

Get that classic minestrone soup flavor with a secret ingredient: leftover spaghetti sauce! Enjoy a bowl packed with veggies in a delicious tomato broth, perfect with crusty bread.

When my husband finds something he likes, he sticks with it and never tries anything different.

This goes for his favorite coffee mug, what he orders when we go out to eat, and even his favorite soup at home!

That favorite soup is Hearty Minestrone Italian Soup, by the way. I like that soup too, but unlike him, I crave variety.

When a student in my course Grocery Budget Bootcamp mentioned that she put her extra spaghetti sauce in her minestrone soup, I thought that sounded like an interesting twist.

And I wanted a basic minestrone soup that I could make with veggies I always have in my fridge and freezer OR with leftovers from dinner.

So, I took both of these ideas and created a minestrone soup recipe that we both like – something “classic” enough for him, but “jazzed up” enough for me! Now I can switch between both of my minestrone soup recipes, and everyone wins!

Psst! If you’re intrigued by this idea of making substitutions based on what you have, and you’re looking for more easy ways to save money on food, check out my FREE Fight Inflation Workshop. You’ll get access to three AMAZING video sessions focused on how to save money on food right now, despite rising grocery costs.

THE BEST MINESTRONE SOUP

All the reasons you love an old fashioned minestrone soup are the same reasons to love this one:

• Made with pantry ingredients.
• Comes together quickly.
• Freezes and reheats well.
• Versatile – go with any in-season leftover vegetables or stick with frozen veggies.
• Great for multiple dietary needs – stick with vegetable broth for a vegan minestrone, use gluten-free pasta (or leave it out) for a gluten-free version, and it’s already dairy-free.
• Super cheap and super good!

INGREDIENTS MINESTRONE SOUP RECIPE

Minestrone soup is traditionally made with leftover vegetables, so it will likely vary with each batch you make, but here are the ingredients I reach for any time we’re craving a good vegetarian minestrone soup:

• Coconut Oil. Extra-virgin olive oil or butter would also work.
• Onion + Celery + Garlic + Carrot. These are typical veggies I always have on hand in my kitchen. They’re also easy to chop and freeze ahead of time!
• Corn + Peas + Green Beans. Just like I always have the other veggies around, I always have these frozen minestrone soup vegetables too.
• White Beans. Any type will work – cannellini beans, great Northern beans, white kidney beans, or navy beans are all good options. Cook dry beans to save even more.
• Chicken Stock. Make a big batch of Slow Cooker Chicken Stock or Instant Pot Chicken Broth and freeze extra for soup night.
• Spaghetti Sauce. I like to use my Homemade Spaghetti Sauce. It’s a massive jolt of tomato flavor, which makes this minestrone soup absolutely delicious!
• Spinach or Kale. Adding greens to soup is an easy way to get another serving of vegetables.
• Bay Leaves + Sage + Thyme + Salt + Red Pepper Flakes. Simple seasonings let the flavors of the tomatoes and veggies shine.
• Curry Powder (optional). Adding just ½ teaspoon of curry powder gives a little extra zing to the soup. It’s optional, but it’s yummy!
• Noodles (optional). Minestrone doesn’t need pasta – it’s technically a soup with tomatoes and vegetables, but rotini or penne or small shells make a nice addition if you have them.
• Parmesan cheese (optional). A sprinkle of Parmesan on top of the finished soup is the perfect salty addition to a yummy bowl of comfort food! I like to use a Parmesan cheese rind.

As I mentioned, the minestrone soup vegetables you use will likely vary depending on the season or what happens to be in your fridge. Zucchini, yellow squash, and fresh green beans would be great in the warm months. Potatoes, squash, and kale would be great in the cooler months.

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to minestrone soup; however, if you want THE BEST minestrone soup, you can’t skip the spaghetti sauce! That concentrated tomato flavor plus Italian spices makes this soup pretty hard to resist.

HOW TO MAKE MINESTRONE SOUP FROM SCRATCH

This minestrone soup recipe comes together really quickly:

Step 1. In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, warm coconut oil (or other healthy cooking fat) over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots, and cook until the onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes.

Step 2. Add the garlic and cook JUST until fragrant.

Step 3. Add the bay leaves, frozen corn, frozen peas, frozen green beans, spaghetti sauce, chicken stock, beans, curry powder, sage, thyme, and salt.

Step 4. Simmer the soup over medium heat for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare noodles according to package directions (if desired).

Step 5. Five minutes before serving, add chopped fresh spinach or the kale and stir, letting the heat from the soup wilt the greens.

Serve warm, preferably with a piece of crusty No-Knead Artisan Bread! Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top if you’d like.

Store leftover minestrone soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 4 months.

HOW TO MAKE MINESTRONE SOUP IN THE INSTANT POT

Step 1. Sauté the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic in the Instant Pot using the sauté function.

Step 2. Add the remaining ingredients, except the pasta and spinach or kale, to the Instant Pot and seal the lid.

Step 3. Press “manual” and cook the soup on high for 3 minutes.

Step 4. Meanwhile, prepare your noodles separately according to package directions, if using.

Step 5. When the timer goes off, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5-10 minutes. Release any remaining pressure and add the greens. Replace the lid, letting the residual heat wilt the greens for about 5 minutes.

HOW TO MAKE SLOW COOKER MINESTRONE SOUP

Step 1. Sauté the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic on the stove. Alternatively, you can simply add the ingredients to the slow cooker without sautéing them.

Step 2. Add the remaining ingredients, except the pasta and spinach or kale.

Step 3. Cook on “low” for 3-4 hours or on “high” for 1-2 hours. (You may need a slightly longer cooking time if you skip sautéing the veggies first)

Step 4. Meanwhile, prepare your noodles separately according to package directions, if using.

Step 5. Add the greens and replace the lid, letting the residual heat wilt the greens for about 5-10 minutes.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH MINESTRONE SOUP

I always think of Olive Garden’s Minestrone Soup paired with breadsticks and salad, so it makes sense to follow that formula at home too. Try these breads and salads with your next bowl!

• No-Knead Artisan Bread and Kale Caesar Salad
• Man Bread and Panzanella Salad
• Rosemary Olive Oil Bread and Sweet Kale Salad

MINESTRONE ITALIAN SOUP FAQS

OTHER EASY SOUP RECIPES

• Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup
• Tortilla Soup
• Easy Homemade Ramen Noodle Soup
• Northern Beans and Ham Soup
• Zuppa Toscana Soup
• Cheeseburger Soup

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