Hearty Minestrone Soup is the ultimate comfort in a bowl. Packed with seasonal vegetables, beans, and pasta, this flavorful soup is perfect for sharing with family and friends. Smoky bacon and ham add depth to the rich tomato broth, making it a beloved favorite in our home.
Why This Soup Is So Adaptable
Minestrone soup is wonderfully adaptable. While this version features a rich tomato base, I’ve also enjoyed variations without tomatoes, highlighting green vegetables, a clear broth, and sometimes substituting pasta with tender potatoes. Recently, I began adding mushrooms to the mix, discovering they impart a delightful depth of flavor.
I prefer the vegetables just about cooked, retaining a slight bite for texture. However, the flavors deepen beautifully over time, making the soup even more satisfying the next day and the day after. It’s also easy to extend the soup’s life by adding more vegetables, ham, bacon, or beans, ensuring you have a hearty meal ready whenever you need it.
Serving and Enjoying This Hearty Minestrone Soup
Serve this comforting soup with a slice of No-knead Dutch oven bread or try my Perfectly Fluffy Homemade Focaccia for a truly satisfying meal. For those who enjoy a bit of heat, a sprinkle of chili flakes can add a gentle kick. For another comforting Italian-inspired dish, try my Chicken Pasta with Tomato and Mushrooms, a simple and hearty meal full of flavor. If you’re in the mood for something lighter but still warming, my Ginger and Lemon Chicken Soup is another nourishing option perfect for cooler days.
This is one way how to make a minestrone from scratch. Try it!
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Hearty Minestrone Soup – A Bowl of Comfort
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 l water
- 1 beef stock cube
- 150 g bacon diced
- 200 g smoked ham diced
- 1 leek rinsed and sliced
- 1 large garlic clove minced
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 can 400 g crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbl tomato paste
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 100 g fresh button mushrooms sliced
- 400 g a can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ dl approx. 3 tablespoons small pasta (e.g., ditalini)
- 2 tbl white wine vinegar
- 1 dl dry white wine
- 1.5 tsp sugar
- 3 tbl fresh marjoram or flat-leaf parsley chopped
- 1 tbl dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
Instructions:
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the tomato paste and stir for a minute to enhance its flavor.
- Pour in the white wine and white wine vinegar, allowing them to simmer briefly.
- Add the water, can of crushed tomatoes, beef stock cube, and dried oregano. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- In a separate pan, cook the diced bacon until crispy. Remove and set aside.
- In the bacon fat (or olive oil for a lighter option), sauté the sliced leek, minced garlic, and diced carrots until they begin to soften.
- Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the soup pot.
- Add the diced red bell pepper, sliced mushrooms, and smoked ham to the pot.
- Stir in the small pasta and let the soup simmer for about 8 minutes, or until the pasta is nearly cooked.
- Add the kidney beans and continue to simmer for a few more minutes.
- Stir in the sugar and season with freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Check that the vegetables and pasta are tender.
- Serve the soup hot, garnished with chopped fresh marjoram or parsley and a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.
