Minestrone Soup

Name: Minestrone Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 110 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons Olive oil; 1 Medium onion, chopped; 3 cloves Garlic cloves, minced; ¾ cup Dry cannellini beans; ¼ cup Dry garbanzo beans (chickpeas); 6 cups Water; 1 Bay leaf; 2 teaspoons Fresh thyme; 2 teaspoons Fresh rosemary; 2 teaspoons Fresh oregano; 1½ teaspoons Salt; 1 teaspoon Black pepper; 2 cups Chopped tomatoes with juice; 1 cup Fresh green beans, trimmed and cut; 1 cup Zucchini, sliced and quartered; 2 inch piece Parmesan cheese rind; ½ small head Napa cabbage, chopped; ⅓ cup Soup pasta (ditalini or small shells); ½ cup Red wine; to taste Shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish

Recipe GLPR4a962a1452ad53

Italian

Soup

110 min

228 cal

Servings: 6

Stovetop

A hearty, wholesome vegetable and legume soup featuring tender cannellini and garbanzo beans simmered with fresh herbs, ripe tomatoes, seasonal vegetables, and a Parmesan rind for deep umami flavor. Finished with small pasta and a splash of red wine, this classic Italian-American soup is naturally vegetarian and perfect for feeding a crowd.

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons Olive oil

1 Medium onion, chopped

3 cloves Garlic cloves, minced

¾ cup Dry cannellini beans

¼ cup Dry garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

6 cups Water

1 Bay leaf

2 teaspoons Fresh thyme

2 teaspoons Fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons Fresh oregano

1½ teaspoons Salt

1 teaspoon Black pepper

2 cups Chopped tomatoes with juice

1 cup Fresh green beans, trimmed and cut

1 cup Zucchini, sliced and quartered

2 inch piece Parmesan cheese rind

½ small head Napa cabbage, chopped

⅓ cup Soup pasta (ditalini or small shells)

½ cup Red wine

to taste Shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish

Directions

Rinse the dry cannellini and garbanzo beans under cold water and pick through them for any debris.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until softened and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the water, cannellini beans, garbanzo beans, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45-50 minutes, until the beans are nearly tender.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes with their juice, green beans, zucchini, and Parmesan cheese rind. Continue simmering for 15 minutes.
Add the chopped Napa cabbage and red wine. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes until the cabbage is tender.
Stir in the soup pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes until the pasta is tender. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
Remove the Parmesan cheese rind and bay leaf. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4

This is a solid, affordable minestrone that Charlotte cooks can build from standard pantry and produce items at any major chain—Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Publix, Walmart, and Kroger all stock the onion, garlic, canned beans, tomatoes, fresh zucchini, green beans, and napa cabbage. Cost per serving lands around $1.50 to $2.00, driven by the dual beans and fresh vegetables rather than any expensive protein. The stated 110 minutes is honest and largely hands-off: 15 minutes active prep for chopping, then the soup simmers unattended for 90 minutes, which suits a weeknight if you're home. It reheats beautifully and feeds a family of four or six depending on portions, though the pasta softens on the second day so freeze portions before adding the final serving. The herb profile—thyme, rosemary, oregano—is sturdy but generic rather than regionally distinctive, missing a chance to lean into Southern comfort.