Easy Homemade Minestrone Soup

This Easy Homemade Minestrone Soup is fast and satisfying – the perfect comforting meal on a chilly day. Packed with vegetables, beans and pasta in a rich tomato broth, this hearty meal is loaded with flavor! {gluten and dairy-free}

It’s SOUP DAY! And I’m seriously so excited to share this super cozy, big-time nutritious, easy to prepare Homemade Minestrone Soup with you.

Like many people, I love soup for the obvious reasons: it’s warm, delicious and perfectly comforting. Minestrone soup is a classic favorite and one of the soups that we make regularly at our house once soup season starts (which lets face it – is year round for me). This super simple, one pot meal is so hearty and always hits the spot on a chilly day.

What is Minestrone Soup?

Minestrone is a popular Italian soup characterized by its thick tomato broth, variety of whatever vegetables are in season, beans, and pasta or rice. There is no uniform recipe for Minestrone soup, and it’s traditionally made to use up leftover vegetables, so fee free to use any seasonal vegetables and greens you have on hand. I used carrots, celery, onions, potatoes and zucchini and it was absolutely delicious!

The Best Italian Minestrone Soup

The inspiration for this recipe came from my Italian mother-in-law, who makes the best minestrone soup! When we lived with them for a year while my husband was in his internal medicine rotation (read: living hell) I learned to make it. Over the past few years I’ve adapted it and let me just say: this soup really is heaven in a bowl.

Is Homemade Minestrone Soup Healthy?

Absolutely! It has a rich, robust tomato broth base with a wonderful salty snap from the bacon and just the right amount of heat (and incredible flavor) from the Italian sausage. And while most brothy soups leave you wanting a sandwich an hour later, this hearty guy is chunky and loaded with fresh vegetables, protein-packed beans, and pasta, leaving you feeling like you just ate a real, satisfying meal. Because you did.

I mean, look at this well-balanced goodness, would you?

Easy Homemade Minestrone Soup FTW.

If you try this recipe for Easy Homemade Minestrone Soup, please let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, rate it, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag #thesaucyfig on Instagram. Seeing your creations makes my day!

Easy Homemade Minestrone Soup

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This Easy Homemade Minestrone Soup is fast and satisfying – the perfect comforting meal on a chilly day. Packed with vegetables, beans and pasta in a rich tomato broth, this hearty meal is loaded with flavor!

• Author: The Saucy Fig
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 6-8 servings 1x

Ingredients

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• 2-3 cups cooked pasta (I like to use small pasta like elbows, mini shells, ditalini, etc.)*
• 1 lb Italian sausage, mild or spicy (I like to use Johnsonville mild)
• 6 slices cooked bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 ribs celery, diced
• 4 medium/large carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 cans tomato sauce
• 32 oz. beef broth (or vegetable broth)
• 2 cups water
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1/3 green cabbage, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can garbanzo beans
• 1 can great northern beans
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (optional)

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Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to box directions, drain, rinse and set aside.
2. Add Italian sausage to a large soup pot and cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain any excess fat.
3. Add the onion, carrots and celery and continue to cook until the onions have softened.
4. Add garlic, Italian seasoning and salt and continue to cook for another minute.
5. Add beef broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, bay leaves, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
6. Add the diced potatoes and continue to cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the potatoes just barely start to soften.
7. Add the diced zucchini and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
8. Add in the beans and chopped cabbage and continue to simmer until potatoes and zucchini are cooked through but still firm.
9. Stir in the cooked pasta and balsamic vinegar (optional). Remove from heat.
10. Serve warm with grated parmesan cheese and your favorite bread.

Notes

*Make sure to use GF pasta if you are trying to make the soup gluten free! You can also leave out the sausage and bacon and use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version of the soup. It’s still wonderful!

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