Easy Minestrone Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 3 medium celery ribs, diced
• 4 medium carrots, diced
• 3 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 cup baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 (15 ounce) can white cannellini beans, undrained
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, undrained
• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 8 ounces elbow macaroni or shell pasta
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, for garnish

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat fats: Heat 2 tablespoons salted butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large 6-quart soup pot over medium heat.

2. 2

   Sauté onion: Add diced white onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften.

3. 3

   Cook vegetables: Add diced celery, carrots, and zucchini. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

4. 4

   Add liquids and beans: Stir in diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, white cannellini beans with liquid, kidney beans with liquid, vegetable broth, dried basil, and dried oregano. Bring to a boil over high heat.

5. 5

   Add pasta and simmer: Add elbow macaroni or shell pasta, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook at a low boil for 10 to 12 minutes, or until pasta is tender. Add baby spinach during the last 2 minutes of cooking.

6. 6

   Season and serve: Season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with grated parmesan cheese if desired.