Soup is one of those meals that can truly be packed with nutrient-dense foods and still create something incredibly flavorful. This Minestrone Soup with Basil Pesto is precisely that. It is full of nutritious vegetables and fresh and vibrant flavors.
Table of Contents
- Why I Love This Minestrone Soup with Basil Pesto Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- Equipment Needed
- How To Make Minestrone Soup with Basil Pesto
- Shop This Post
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why I Love This Minestrone Soup with Basil Pesto Recipe
First things first, this recipe is loaded with flavor and nutritious ingredients. So, really, the question is, what isn’t there to love? I love this Italian vegetable soup packed with tomatoes, carrots, onions, green beans, white beans, pasta, and spinach. It is very flavorful and healthy. There is nothing more I love this time of year than sitting down at dinner with a big bowl of warm soup. It is so cozy, hearty, and always delicious.
Another thing I love about this recipe is how easy it is to make. After a little bit of chopping, it’s a dump-and-boil kind of meal, perfect for those long days and short nights. Serve this soup with a side of warm, crusty bread, and it makes the perfect meal. Also, this soup makes great leftovers! It would be perfect to make a large batch and have it for lunch for the week!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Onion, Celery, and Carrots (mirepoix)
- Garlic
- Italian seasoning
- Bay leaf
- Diced tomatoes
- Cannellini beans – you can use any white bean
- Broth – chicken or vegetables
- Green beans – frozen(what I use), canned, or fresh
- Short pasta – elbows, shells, ditalini, or broken-up lasagna
- Salt and pepper
- Parsley
- Basil Pesto
- Baby spinach
- Grated parmesan, garnish
Equipment Needed To Make Minestrone Soup with Basil Pesto
- Knife and cutting board
- Garlic press (optional)
- Large pot
- Ladle
- Colander
How To Make Minestrone Soup with Basil Pesto
Start by heating your pot over medium heat. Saute the onion, carrot, and celery in the oil until the onion is translucent.
Once the onion is translucent, add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
Add the Italian seasoning, bay leaf, green beans, cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil.
Once boiling, add in the pasta and cook until al dente.
Once pasta is al dente, remove the pot from heat. Add in the parsley, spinach, and pesto. Stir until the spinach is wilted.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with freshly grated parmesan. Enjoy!
Shop This Post
My absolute favorite, must-have garlic press
I use these cutting boards every day
This is the pot I used for this recipe
Basic Colandar that I’ve had forever and love
My most used kitchen tool outside of my knives – this bench scraper
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between vegetable soup and minestrone soup?
Vegetable soup is a tomato base with plenty of vegetables, while minestrone soup adds beans and pasta.
What is the difference between minestrone soup and pasta fagioli?
Minestrone soup is more soup-like and features a variety of vegetables. Pasta Fagioli focuses more on beans and pasta and has a stew-like consistency.
Minestrone Soup with Basil Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 tsp Olive oil
- 1 cup Onion diced
- 1/2 cup Celery diced
- 1/2 cup Carrot diced
- 3 Garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 tsp Salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp Pepper plus more to taste
- 1 cup Green beans frozen, canned, or fresh
- 1-15.5 oz Cannellini beans canned
- 32 oz Broth chicken or vegetable
- 18.3 oz Diced tomato
- 1 cup Pasta small like elbow, shells, ditalini
- 1/4 cup Parsley chopped
- 1/2 cup Basil pesto
- 8 oz Spinach fresh
- Grated parmesan garnish
Instructions
- Start by heating your pot over medium heat. Saute the onion, carrot, and celery in the oil until the onion is translucent.
- Once the onion is translucent, add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add the Italian seasoning, bay leaf, green beans, cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, add in the pasta and cook until al dente.
- Once pasta is al dente, remove the pot from heat. Add in the parsley, spinach, and pesto. Stir until the spinach is wilted.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with freshly grated parmesan. Enjoy!
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