9 Minestrone Recipes for Every Mood and Season
Simmer a pot of this classic Italian soup packed with seasonal vegetables, beans, rice, and bread.
The Italian word minestra refers to classic soups flavored with greens. Minestrone is a thick and hearty minestra that always contains vegetables, plus often beans, and sometimes pasta or rice. There are endless minestrone variations — as many versions as there are cooks in Italy. Here are some of our favorites, featuring chickpeas, white beans, Italian sausage, tomatoes, potatoes, and green vegetables from asparagus to celery, cabbage, kale, leeks, and parsley.
Spring Minestrone with Grated Egg Pasta
A rind of Parmigiano-Reggiano lends rich umami flavor and luscious body to this fresh spring vegetable soup filled with tender grattini pasta.
Root Vegetable Minestrone
This 40-minute minestrone is exceptional because it’s packed with so many vegetables and delicious toasted angel hair pasta.
Minestrone with White Beans and Italian Sausage
We've omitted the pasta in this version of minestrone but added some Italian sausage to keep it hearty.
Winter Vegetable Minestrone
Chef Alex Guarnaschelli simmers celery root and rutabaga in a spicy, basil-scented broth for a winter version of the Italian classic.
Minestrone with Black-Eyed Peas and Kidney Beans
The fiber-rich beans in this soup make it satisfying enough to be a main course. This version gets an extra boost from cabbage, a completely underrated vegetable.
Hearty Minestrone Soup
This satisfying soup from Texas chef David Bull combines white beans, pancetta, shallots, celery, carrot, plum tomatoes, fennel, and more for a low and slow simmer in chicken broth.
Smoky Ribollita
Ribollita ("twice boiled" in Italian) is a Tuscan classic made from reheated minestrone. Charlie Parker spikes this version with sweet smoked paprika and fire-roasted tomatoes.
Two-Bean Minestrone with Pancetta and Parmesan
Marcia Kiesel's version of minestrone combines chickpeas, borlotti or pinto beans, pancetta, leek, kale, tomatoes, green beans, and chicken broth. It can be made up to four days ahead so you have it ready for an easy lunch or dinner.
Minestrone with Arborio Rice
The arborio rice soaks up and thickens the liquid in this minestrone also with pinto beans, potatoes, zucchini, onion, celery, cabbage, tomato paste, and chicken broth.
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