Minestrone Soup | Easy One-Pot Family Favourite
There’s nothing quite like a big pot of minestrone bubbling away on the stove. It’s the kind of soup that instantly feels like home – hearty, colourful, and filled with goodness from the garden.
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Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp oil or butter
- 4 rashes of bacon diced
- 1 brown onion peeled and diced
- 2 carrots peeled and diced
- 2 sticks celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 zucchini (courgette) chopped
- 2½ cups cabbage thinly sliced
- 1 cup kale thinly sliced
- 1 large leek thinly sliced
- 2x 400 g / 14 oz can chopped tomatoes
- 1x 400 g / 14 oz can cannelloni beans drained and rinsed
- 6 cups (1.5 litres) vegetable stock (or 6 cups water and 3 Tbsp of vegetable stock)
- 1 cup (150g) small pasta shapes
- 2 Tbsp balsamic glaze
- 1 tsp dried Italian herbs or rosemary and basil
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh parsley or basil chopped, to serve
- grated parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add bacon and cook for a few minutes and then add the onion, carrot, and celery to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the garlic and leeks and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Pour in the tomatoes, pasta and stock.
- Simmer gently for 10 minutes, or until pasta is tender and the vegetables are almost cooked.
- Add the beans, cabbage and kale and cook for a couple more minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot, topped with fresh parsley and parmesan if using.
Notes
Stacey's Kitchen Tips
- Make-ahead magic – Like many soups, minestrone tastes even better the next day. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. You will probably need to add more stock as the vegetables and pasta will absorb the liquid.
- Freezer friendly – Freeze in portions but leave out the pasta as it can go mushy. Add freshly cooked pasta when reheating.
- Budget swap – Use dried beans you’ve cooked ahead of time instead of canned, or swap beans for lentils.
- Veggie clear-out – Great for using up leftover veg from the garden or fridge. Cabbage, spinach, or pumpkin all work beautifully.
- Serve with a loaf of crusty homemade bread or my fluffy bread rolls for dunking.
- Add a fresh garden salad for balance.
- Leftovers can be blended slightly and used as a pasta sauce the next night.
Servings: 6 servings