Tomato Basil Minestrone (Print Version)

A comforting tomato basil broth filled with fresh vegetables, pasta, and herbs.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
08 - 1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes
09 - 1 (14-oz) can crushed tomatoes

→ Broth & Flavorings

10 - 4 cups vegetable broth
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
14 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
15 - ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
16 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Pasta & Beans

17 - 1 cup small pasta (e.g., ditalini or elbow macaroni)
18 - 1 (15-oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

→ Finish

19 - ½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
20 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
21 - Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Incorporate minced garlic, diced zucchini, and green beans. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 - Pour in diced and crushed tomatoes along with vegetable broth. Add dried oregano, thyme, salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes if using, and tomato paste. Stir thoroughly and bring mixture to a boil.
04 - Reduce heat to medium-low and let the soup simmer uncovered for 15 minutes to develop flavors.
05 - Add small pasta and rinsed cannellini beans to the pot. Continue simmering for 10 to 12 minutes until pasta reaches tenderness.
06 - Stir in chopped basil and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and optionally top with grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It fills your kitchen with a smell so good you'll want to bottle it.
  • One pot means less thinking about cleanup and more time tasting as you go.
  • It tastes even better the next day when everything has gotten to know each other.
02 -
  • Add the pasta near the end or it will absorb all the broth and leave you with something more stew than soup.
  • Fresh herbs added at the beginning turn bitter and disappear into the background, so wait until the last moment to add them.
03 -
  • Don't rush the sautéing of the base vegetables, those five minutes are where the flavor foundation lives.
  • Keep the heat at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil, so nothing breaks down into mush and the broth stays clear and bright.
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