Classic Minestrone Soup – A Comfort Food Recipe For Two

This classic Minestrone soup recipe is the perfect soup to make when you are cooking for two. It is a thick and hearty vegetable soup that also contains pasta which will keep you feeling full for hours.

It is a great recipe to make on a cold winter day when you can’t seem to ever get warm. Within just a few bites your body will feel warm from the inside out!

Best of all, this recipe is very versatile. Although I have included a classic recipe, you can use whatever vegetables that you have on hand.

In addition, you can switch up the carb choices as well. Potatoes, beans, pasta and rice are the most common choices to add to this delicious soup.

It is a great soup to make from scratch with the ingredients listed below. Or throw whatever vegetables that you have leftover and switch it up from time to time.

However for this specific recipe I will use the standard, core ingredients. These ingredients include onions, garlic, celery, carrots, peas, tomatoes, potatoes, beans and pasta.

Then when it is ready to serve sprinkle the top of each bowl with grated Parmesan cheese. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Minestrone Common Ingredient Substitutions

1. Onion

Although onion is a standard ingredient in most soup recipes, some individuals have difficulty when eating onions, even if they are cooked. Therefore, simply omit the onions if you can’t tolerate them.

Instead, add 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder when you add the basil and oregano. This will add a little onion flavor without having actual onions in the soup.

2. Vegetable Broth

This specific recipe uses vegetable broth as the base. In the winter time I always have a stock of homemade or store bought broth on hand.

This keeps the minestrone soup both vegetarian and vegan friendly. However if you are wanting a thicker soup you can use tomato juice in place of the vegetable broth.

And for those who use chicken stock, you can certainly use that instead. Although the soup is no longer considered vegetarian.

3. Diced Tomatoes

Because this is a soup recipe it is best to use petite diced tomatoes. The smaller pieces blend well with the other ingredients in the soup.

However, for those who like a ton of flavor you can choose diced tomatoes with garlic, Italian seasoning, or even diced green chiles. The choice is up to you!

4. Potato

Unlike many of my recipes where I use Yukon Gold potatoes, I actually prefer to use a Russet potato when making Minestrone soup. Because of the short cook time required for this recipe, the diced Russet potato pieces hold up well and become nice and tender.

In addition, the high starch content of the Russet potato will help thicken the soup as it cooks. However, you can use whatever potato that you have on hand.

*Bonus Tip – if you are trying to eat a lower carb diet, replace the potato with a small turnip. You won’t even be able to tell the difference!

5. Great Northern Beans

Although this recipe calls for Great Northern Beans you could substitute cannellini beans instead. The two types of beans are basically interchangeable in recipes with a couple of slight differences between the two.

Both are mild tasting white beans. However cannellini beans are slightly larger and have a thicker outer skin.

Great Northern beans are slightly less creamy on the inside and will take on any flavor that they are cooked with. Therefore, if you have canned cannellini beans on hand it is okay to use them in this recipe.

You could also use pinto beans as a substitute as well. Regardless of the type of white bean that you use, be sure to rinse and drain them prior to adding them to the soup.

6. Pasta

Classic Minestrone soup contains small bits of pasta. In restaurants and most canned soup recipes you will find ditalini pasta. These small little tubes of pasta are the perfect size for soups.

However, you can use any type of small size pasta that you have on hand. Elbow pasta, small shells, orzo or even broken up spaghetti noodles will work just fine.

And if you are wanting to keep this recipe gluten free, use a gluten free pasta or rice instead.

Classic Minestrone Soup Recipe

*A printable recipe card is located at the bottom of this article which contains the specific measurements, temperatures and cook times. However, continue reading below to learn about more helpful tips about this specific recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 celery rib, diced
• 1/2 tsp. ground oregano
• 1/2 tsp. ground basil
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 14 ounces diced tomatoes
• 1 small Russet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 can Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup dry pasta, elbow, small shells or Ditalini pasta
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots blend

Serving Ingredients (optional)

• Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Fresh Chopped Parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium size saucepan over medium-high heat, add the extra virgin olive oil. Once the oil gets hot and shimmery add the diced onions and green pepper to the pot.

Saute, stirring frequently for 4-5 minutes or until the onions begin to turn translucent. Then add the minced garlic to the pot and saute for one additional minute, or until the garlic becomes fragrant.

Stir in the ground oregano and ground basil and saute for 30 more seconds. Quickly stir in the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, diced potatoes and drained and rinsed beans.

Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Once the liquid is boiling, add the pasta and let the mixture boil for 10 minutes.

Next add the frozen peas and carrots. Continue to cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the potatoes and pasta are tender and the vegetables are warmed through.

Serving Recommendations

Serve the minestrone soup warm with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley if desired.

Store any leftovers in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat with additional broth or water as the noodles will absorb some of the liquid.

For other delicious small batch soup recipes be sure to visit the Soup Page under the Recipe Tab at the top of this article. There you will find other delicious soup recipes, like Zuppa Toscana Soup that are designed as small batch recipes. And for large batch soup recipes visit my other recipe website Make Your Meals and you will find Soup Recipes for the entire family.

Enjoy! Mary

Follow My Facebook Page For Great Recipes For Two! I Cook For Two Facebook Page

To receive FREE recipes delivered directly to your email, be sure to sign up for the iCookfortwo newsletter. A sign up form is located in the middle of this article. If you have any questions, comments, or want to submit an idea for a recipe for two, feel free to email at mary@icookfortwo.com