Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Italian Minestrone Soup

Italian Minestrone Soup is packed with everything under the sun delicious in it and can be either all vegetarian or made with several kinds of meat and pure comfort food!

This soup really hits the spot on a chilly day and sure is packed full of just about every vitamin you need to get a healthy start to your day!

Our thick soup is bursting with fresh flavors, in a rich broth, and very easy to make.

If you're a lover of bean-packed soup, this Authentic Minestrone Soup will be the last recipe you'll need.

Take a list of all the ingredients below that can go into this fabulous rich hearty soup and choose your favorites.

We like all kinds of vegetables added and it is basically more of a Stoup, which is a thick stew and soup since it's so and hearty.

I love to make a basic broth, freeze it with all the vegetables and add leftover meats from dinner into it for chunkier meat soup.

Mom used whatever we had in the house, usually, fresh garden vegetables, stew meat, hamburger anything goes, minestrone was the everything soup to me that happened to be leftover.

This recipe can be made in a slow cooker, instant pot, or stovetop so it's versatile for all your cooking needs.

If you're a soup lover you may also like to try some of our other Best Soup Recipe Roundup that hits the spot on those cooler days and months during the year.

Mom made this soup all winter long, it warmed us all up immediately and pure comfort food.

If you love chunky style thick soups, try these easy Corn Bacon Chowder or our Ham Cabbage and Potato Soup, both are outstanding in flavor and so delicious.

Scroll down and get two versions of Mom's Recipe, both are just a little different


This is a white soup dish with minestrone soup in it along with grated cheese in the background, oregano in a mason jar, sprigs of rosemary and large yeast rolls in a wicker basket there are also red kidney beans that are raw on the wooden grey table







This is a white soup dish with minestrone soup in it along with grated cheese in the background, oregano in a mason jar, sprigs of rosemary and large yeast rolls in a wicker basket there are also red kidney beans that are raw on the wooden grey table





Minestrone



There are so many versions online on how to make a good minestrone soup.


Our version of this hearty vitamin-packed minestrone is so easy to make and totally worth the extra steps plus it's infinitely better than what you may have tasted at a well-known restaurant like Olive Garden or any of those store-bought varieties.


Minestrone was originally considered “Cucina Povera”– literally “poor kitchen” because it was primarily made with leftovers in Italy in order to not waste food.


Preferences are key and leftovers, as I said mom, wasted nothing, if it was in the refrigerator and needed to be cooked it went into the soup.


Therefore, if you grew up with a totally different tasting soup, that's the reason.


 In Italy, nothing was thrown away, it was a sin, things were tough times and this was a healthy filling soup to feed a large family.



this is a hearty italian bean soup much like minestrone but with much more in it carrots, white beans, tomato, meat, green beans all in a square white bowl along with grated cheese



Different Regions



In Italy, minestrone varies by season and by region:


In the northern region of Lombardy, Negrin says, minestrone might include pasta and winter squash.


Farther south, in Tuscany, cannellini beans and cabbage or kale were used.


In the coastal city of Genoa in the northwestern region of Liguria, it would be finished with pesto.


This is a pot of soup with vegetables in it



Other Additions To Use in Minestrone Soup

  • peas
  • corn
  • red or white kidney beans
  • lentils
  • carrots
  • green beans
  • barley,rice,pastine,
  • fennel
  • chickpeas
  • diced tomatoes
  • onions
  • garlic
  • celery
  • chopped cabbage, escarole, or spinach
  • cubed zucchini
  • beef cubed, chicken cubed, lamb cubed, ground sirloin
  • Romano cheese or Parmesan grated
  • Serve with hard crusty garlic bread, croutons or crackers


This is a square white bowl with soup in it that has beans and mixed vegetables



Meats Suggestions to Use!

  1. cubed chicken
  2. cubed lamb
  3. cubed beef 
  4. cubed venison
  5. cubed pork
  6. meatballs
  7. ham
  8. bacon cooked and crumbled
  9. Italian sausage cubed
  10. ground meats of any kind
  11. leftover boneless meats from dinner during the week

This is a white soup dish with minestrone soup in it along with grated cheese in the background, oregano in a mason jar, sprigs of rosemary and large yeast rolls in a wicker basket there are also red kidney beans that are raw on the wooden grey table



Ingredients for Minestrone



  • Italian plum tomatoes
  • celery
  • garlic
  • vegetable broth or chicken broth
  • water
  • tomato paste
  • fresh fennel
  • carrots
  • zucchini
  • escarole, spinach or cabbage
  • onion
  • rosemary, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, salt, pepper, dried basil, or fresh chopped
  • quick-cooking barley
  • red kidneys beans, chickpeas or lentils
  • cannellini or white kidney beans
  • frozen mix vegetables with carrots, beans, corn, peas, and green beans
  • olive oil
  • cubed beef meat, cubed chicken, Italian sliced sausage or even ham
  • ditalini, acini de pepe, broken up spaghetti, baby tiny seashell pasta.
  • Garnish: red pepper flakes, Pecorino Romano Cheese
  • Hard Crusted Italian bread





This is a big soup pot of mixed vegetables and broth called Italian Minestrone


Tools Needed


  • Soup Pot
  • Ladle
  • Paring knife
  • Measuring cups
  • Slow Cooker or Instant Pot (optional cooking methods)
  • Pot Holder
  • Soup Bowls
  • Soup Spoons



perfect italian beef and bean soup on a cold winters day this is a hearty italian bean soup much like minestrone but with much more in it carrots, white beans, tomato, meat, green beans all in a square white bowl along with grated cheese



Cooking Methods

  1. Slow Cooker: Note: I personally like to brown my meats with garlic and onion first before adding everything to the slow cooker or instant pot. Cook on low heat 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours
  2. Instant Pot: Brown meat first with garlic, onions add everything to the pot securely lock the pressure cooker's lid, and set for 6 minutes on high. Check your manual for any different instructions. Perform a 'quick release' to release the cooker's pressure 
  3. StoveTop: refer to the recipe card below


this is a hearty italian bean soup called minestrone but with much more in it carrots, white beans, tomato, meat, green beans all in a square white bowl along with grated cheese



My Other Favorite Soups We Make:



Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Bacon Soup


Ham and Cabbage with White Bean Soup


Pin for later





The Tastiest Broth



As I said before this broth is so delicious you just want to drink it.


If you're making an all-vegetarian style Minestrone Soup, you can either make a vegetarian broth by boiling all the vegetables in a large stockpot, then strain it or continue on making it loaded with the meat of your choice.


You can then add them back to the pot and continue on with all the other ingredients for a true all vegetable-style soup.


This rich broth is a favorite meal for years in our family.


Mom would add all leftovers to make a meat broth that sometimes included ham, sausage, beef, chicken, and even cubed pork.


This meal will feed a large family economically.


I grew up on this soup, my kids loved it and still do, and now my grandchildren all love this.




Italian minestrone soup, beef and bean soup, vegetable soup, soup recipes, Italian soup recipe,
soup, comfort food, Italian soup
Italian
Yield: 12
Author:

Italian Minestrone recipe card

Italian Minestrone Soup

prep time: 15 Mcook time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 H & 15 M
If you love soups, this is chuck full of everything. Minestrone is a strong beefy flavor or you can use chicken. The soup is loaded with healthy vegetables and a delicious broth a one-pan meal in itself.

ingredients:

  • Version #1 with meat:
  • 1 pound of cubed beef ( I use sirloin, London broil, or beef stew meat, cut into small cubes) or use chicken boneless cubed
  • 28 ounce can of petite tomatoes or 6 plum tomatoes chopped fine
  • 1 cup green beans
  • 3 cups canned or freshly cooked small navy beans, red kidney beans, or chickpeas (or a medley of all 3)
  • 4 cloves minced garlic
  • olive oil around 3 tablespoons
  • 8 cups of water or vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon each oregano, basil, granulated garlic, parsley
  • 1 cup sliced carrots
  • 1 stalk finely diced celery
  • grated cheese I used Romano and Parmesan blended
  • 1 cup cooked macaroni / pastine of choice to package instructions ( I used Orzo)
  • Garnish: red pepper flakes, Pecorino Romano Cheese
  • Hard Crusted Italian bread
  • Versions #2 with vegetables
  • 2 lbs chopped fresh or canned Italian plum tomatoes
  • 3 stalks celery cleaned and cut into cube
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 stalk fresh fennel cut into cubes
  • 3 carrots cleaned and sliced
  • 2 large zucchini cut into cut wedges
  • 1 cup chopped escarole, spinach, or cabbage1 small onion chopped fine
  • 1 teaspoon each, rosemary, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, salt, pepper, dried basil or fresh chopped
  • 1/2 cup quick-cooking barley
  • 1 cup canned red kidneys beans, chickpeas, or lentils or mix all three
  • 1 can cannellini or white kidney beans
  • 1 cup assorted frozen mix vegetable with carrots, beans, corn, peas, and green beans
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • Meat Options: you can add cubed beef meat, cubed chicken, pork, lamb, Italian sliced sausage, ground meats, lamb or even ham
  • Pasta Options: ditalini, acini de pepe, broken up spaghetti, baby tiny seashell pasta.
  • Garnish: red pepper flakes, Pecorino Romano Cheese
  • Hard Crusted Italian bread

instructions:

How to cook Italian Minestrone Soup

  1. Directions for Both Soup Recipes:
  2. Stovetop Method:
  3.  In a large 8  quart saucepan or soup pot, saute the meat you choose to cook for 4 minutes, adding the garlic at the last minute, stirring constantly. 
  4. Add all the rest of the ingredients and simmer on low heat for 1 1/2 hours on the stovetop.
  5. Slow Cooker: Note: I personally like to brown my meats with garlic and onion first before adding everything to the slow cooker or instant pot. Cook on low heat 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours
  6. Instant Pot: Brown meat first with garlic, onions add everything to the pot securely lock the pressure cooker's lid, and set for 6 minutes on high. Check your manual for any different instructions. Perform a 'quick release' to release the cooker's pressure   
Calories
279
Fat (grams)
14
Sat. Fat (grams)
8
Carbs (grams)
12
Net carbs
9
Sugar (grams)
4
Created using The Recipes Generator




Italian Beef and Bean Soup Pin for later






More Family Recipes:



Best Soup Recipe Roundup

25 Italian Best Recipes We Love

20 Beans Recipes We Love

15 One Pan Recipes

15 Easy Pasta Recipes



perfect italian beef and bean soup on a cold winters day this is a hearty italian bean soup much like minestrone but with much more in it carrots, white beans, tomato, meat, green beans all in a square white bowl along with grated cheese








Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2017. It was edited and re-published in 2019.
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