This Minestrone soup is fast, easy, and simple. Full of nutritious ingredients, cozy flavors, and everything to help your family get through cold winters, like what's in MN. Serve up this soup with homemade bread and salad for a wonderful family dinner.
Don't let the time on this one scare you! Although it takes 40 minutes to cook, this Minestrone Soup is really as simple as pouring the ingredients in, covering it, and letting it do its thing. This soup is hearty, easy, nutritious, AND easy. You got this!
Are you looking for a fast, family friendly soup recipe? Try my 30 Minute Lasagna Soup!
Gah. It snowed last night in MN. No really, white flakes that came down from the skies and stuck to the grass. And here's the thing... no matter how much you KNOW it snows and is cold in MN, or how many years you have lived there, no matter how much you might say you LIKE the cold and wet and snow... it's a bit ol' fat lie. Who really likes being cold and wet? Or shoveling off their car simply to get milk? Sure, it's ridiculously pretty. And charming, and summers in MN are epic. That must be why we deal with it right?
It's probably amnesia. We all have summer amnesia. Well guess what... this white stuff falling down makes you remember you want to move to a warm state!
This hearty and easy Minestrone Soup is one of many warm soup recipes that's great in the cold death days of the MN winter.
This minestrone soup is vegetarian. With a simple change, also vegan.
A bowl of this soup by the fire with a dog cuddled on one side and a kid on the other? Take THAT winter.
The secret to easy Minestrone Soup? Jarred sauce. No, really. Yummy! This sauce is already packed full of spices and flavors and keeps things super simple. Simple, that's a good word.
It doesn't matter what sauce you choose BUT...but there are some out there with better ingredients than others.
And this recipe has garbanzo beans and small pasta to put "meat on your bones".
Adding pasta and beans gives some oomph to this Minestrone Soup that helps this recipe feed a family and gets kids to the table for dinner with enthusiasm.
Have you ever tried making homemade pasta? Homemade pasta is a great activity to do with kids! Sure, it might not be perfect but what a great experience to have! And what if tasty pasta comes out of the time?
Tip: if you have small children choose a fun-shaped pasta to get them excited about this soup!
Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter sub out olive oil for a vegan or dairy-free version
- 1 cup chopped onion did you know they sell tubs of already chopped onions in the produce section? No shame in that game.
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jar Pasta Sauce (any flavor is fine)
- 32 oz vegetable broth chicken broth works great, as well!
- 1 14.5 oz can garbanzo beans, drained
- 1 cup dried small pasta
- 1 tablespoon basil (dried works fine)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pepper
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- breadcrumbs & goat cheese (for serving)
Instructions
- In a large soup pot saute the veggies in the butter for about 5 minutes, or until soft.
- Add the garlic and saute for 1 more minute.
- Pour in the jarred pasta sauce and veggie broth. Bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the beans, pasta, and spices. Low boil for an additional 20 minutes.
- Right before serving, add the spinach to wilt for 30 seconds.
- Serve with bread crumbs and goat cheese on top of each bowl.
- Note: The breadcrumbs and goat cheese bring a great texture and creaminess to the soup. Give it a try your first time!
