This hearty Minestrone Soup is packed with veggies, beans, and pasta, in a rich tomato broth that turns wonderfully flavorful as everything simmers on the stove. It’s simple, satisfying, and exactly the kind of hearty minestrone soup my family asks for on cool nights when we want something warm, filling, and nourishing.
This Minestrone Soup is Better Than Olive Garden’s!
Comfort food comes in many forms, and this minestrone soup recipe stands out for its rich tomato broth that develops incredible flavor as everything simmers together. The combination of Italian sausage, crushed tomatoes, herbs, and plenty of vegetables turns it into a hearty vegetable soup that feels complete and satisfying with very little effort.
Once the sausage browns, everything goes into the pot and cooks down into a warm, nourishing meal that always brings my family to the table. It’s dependable, flavorful, and the kind of easy minestrone soup that works for busy weeknights or a simple weekend dinner.
If you love a good soup night as much as we do, be sure to try my Cheesy Lasagna Soup , Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup , and Zuppa Toscana .
Why you’ll love this family favorite recipe!
- This minestrone soup is endlessly flexible, making it easy to use whatever veggies you already have on hand, from green beans to zucchini.
- It comes together with simple pantry staples like canned beans, crushed tomatoes, dried herbs, and vegetable broth, so it’s always doable even on a busy weeknight.
- Everything simmers in one pot and works on the stove and in a slow cooker, keeping it wonderfully low effort and reliably delicious.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Italian Sausage – Casings removed so it browns and crumbles easily. Mild or hot both work.
- White Navy Beans and Red Kidney Beans – Cannellini, great northern beans, and pinto beans all work well too. Whichever kind you use, rinse and drain them well.
- Vegetables – Celery, carrots, zucchini, onion, tomato, and garlic form the classic minestrone base.
- Beef Broth – I love making this soup with a savory beef broth base, but you can use chicken broth instead if desired.
- Sugar – Balances the acidity of the crushed tomatoes without adding sweetness.
- Dried Herbs – Dried basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves give the soup its Italian flavor.
- Parmesan Rind – Adds depth while the soup simmers.
- Pasta – Ditalini, small shells, or farfalle all hold up well.
- Parmesan Cheese – Freshly grated for serving.
How to Make Minestrone Soup with Italian Sausage
- Brown the sausage: In a large pot or dutch oven, brown the sausage with the onions and garlic over medium heat. Drain any grease that cooks off if necessary.
- Add everything except pasta: Add all of the remaining ingredients up through the Parmesan rind (if you have one on hand), and bring the soup to a boil.
- Cover and cook: Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low, then let the soup simmer for 1 hour, stirring it occasionally, until all of the veggies are tender.
- Add pasta and serve: Remove the bay leaves and anything that remains of the parmesan rind, then stir in the pasta (if using) during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking so that it can cook through until it’s al dente. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each serving with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
Minestrone is a classic Italian vegetable soup made with a tomato broth, beans, pasta, and sometimes meat. In this version, browning the sausage with the onions and garlic adds great flavor, then everything simmers in one pot until the vegetables are tender.
Small shapes like ditalini, shells, or farfalle hold up well and cook evenly in a hearty soup like minestrone. If you prefer something sturdier, elbows or orecchiette work too.
Pasta softens as it sits in hot liquid. Add it during the last minutes of cooking or store it separately if you plan to keep leftovers.
Yes, just leave out the pasta. Refrigerate the cooked soup, then cook the noodles separately and add them when reheating so they don’t soak up the broth.
Tips for Success
- Brown the sausage well so it builds flavor in the pot before the broth and vegetables go in.
- A parmesan rind makes the broth richer as it simmers, but remove it before serving.
- Keep the pot covered so the liquid doesn’t evaporate too quickly and the vegetables cook evenly.
- Add the pasta after the soup has been simmering for 40-45 minutes so it stays al dente and doesn’t soak up too much broth.
- If you plan to freeze the soup, cook the pasta separately and add it fresh to each serving.
What To Serve with Minestrone Soup
We love enjoying our minestrone soup with some crusty artisan-style bread, dipping it into that sumptuous broth for good measure. Heaven!
This soup also tastes amazing with these Cheesy Garlic Mozzarella Swirl Rolls . Or, if you’re looking for something light and fresh, you can’t go wrong with a simple Caprese Salad .
Substitutions and Variations
- Cook it in the Crock Pot: Brown the sausage as usual, then load up your slow cooker with everything but the zucchini, beans and pasta. Cook the soup on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Stir in the beans, zucchini and pasta during the last 30-35 minutes of cooking.
- Make it vegetarian by skipping the sausage and using vegetable broth.
- A spoonful of pesto stirred in at the end adds great flavor if you want a brighter finish.
- Ground turkey can replace Italian sausage for a lighter flavor.
- Minestrone is one of those magical soups that turns all the “I’ll use it eventually” veggies in the fridge into something genuinely great. Green beans, yellow squash, spinach, that last zucchini, even a little sliced cabbage all melt right in and make the soup even heartier. Just save the softer veggies for the end so they don’t overcook.
More Comforting Soup Recipes
- Zuppa Toscana Soup
- Pork Green Chilli Stew
- One Pot Lasagna Soup
- Chicken Noodle and Dumpling Soup
- Tortellini Soup with Italian Sausage
- New England Clam Chowder
- Cheesy Taco Soup
- Chicken Noodle & Dumpling Soup
Easy Minestrone Soup
Equipment
- Stove
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients123
- ▢ 1 pound mild Italian sausage casings removed
- ▢ 1 medium onion chopped
- ▢ 4 cloves garlic minced
- ▢ 28 ounces diced tomatoes
- ▢ 15 ounces white navy, cannellini, or great northern beans rinsed and drained
- ▢ 15 ounces red kidney or pinto beans rinsed and drained
- ▢ 2 stalks celery diced
- ▢ 2 large carrots peeled and diced
- ▢ 2 small zucchini quartered and chopped (about 1 ½ to 2 cups)
- ▢ 4 cups water
- ▢ 2 cups beef broth
- ▢ 2 teaspoons dried basil
- ▢ 1 teaspoon sugar
- ▢ 1 teaspoon oregano
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ▢ ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ▢ ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ▢ 2 bay leaves
- ▢ 1 Parmesan rind
- ▢ 1⅓ cups pasta optional – ditalini, farfalle or shells
- ▢ Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot or dutch oven, brown the sausage with the onions and garlic over medium heat. Drain any grease that cooks off, if necessary. 1 pound mild Italian sausage, 1 medium onion, 4 cloves garlic
- Add all remaining ingredients up through the Parmesan rind (if you have one on hand), and bring the soup to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low, then simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until all of the veggies are tender. 28 ounces diced tomatoes, 15 ounces white navy, cannellini, or great northern beans, 15 ounces red kidney or pinto beans, 2 stalks celery, 2 large carrots, 2 small zucchini, 4 cups water, 2 cups beef broth, 2 teaspoons dried basil, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 2 bay leaves
- Remove the bay leaves and anything that remains of the Parmesan rind and stir in the pasta, if using, during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking so that it can cook through until al dente. 1 Parmesan rind, 1⅓ cups pasta
- Serve with crusty bread and freshly grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling on top. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Notes
- Brown the sausage well for the best flavor in the broth.
- Keep the soup covered while it simmers so the liquid doesn’t evaporate.
- Add the pasta near the end so it stays al dente.
- If storing or freezing, cook the pasta separately and add it to each serving.
- A parmesan rind adds great depth, so use one if you have it.
- Slow Cooker Method: Brown the sausage as usual, then add everything except for the zucchini, beans and pasta to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Stir in the beans, zucchini and pasta for the last 20-25 minutes of cooking.
Storage & Freezing
Storage: Refrigerate cooled soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep in mind that the longer it sits, the softer the pasta will get.
Reheating: Warm soup over a low-heat stove or pop individual servings into the microwave.
Freezing: Transfer cooled soup to a freezer-safe container, leaving at least 2 inches of free space at the top to allow for expansion. Frozen minestrone soup will last for up to 2 months. Thaw it out in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites .
Nutrition
This post was originally published in February 2018. The photos and content were updated in April, 2022.
Easy Minestrone Soup
Equipment
- Stove
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage casings removed
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes
- 15 ounces white navy, cannellini, or great northern beans rinsed and drained
- 15 ounces red kidney or pinto beans rinsed and drained
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 2 large carrots peeled and diced
- 2 small zucchini quartered and chopped (about 1 1/2 to 2 cups)
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Parmesan rind
- 1⅓ cups pasta optional - ditalini, farfalle or shells
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot or dutch oven, brown the sausage with the onions and garlic over medium heat. Drain any grease that cooks off, if necessary. 1 pound mild Italian sausage, 1 medium onion, 4 cloves garlic
- Add all remaining ingredients up through the Parmesan rind (if you have one on hand), and bring the soup to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low, then simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until all of the veggies are tender. 28 ounces diced tomatoes, 15 ounces white navy, cannellini, or great northern beans, 15 ounces red kidney or pinto beans, 2 stalks celery, 2 large carrots, 2 small zucchini, 4 cups water, 2 cups beef broth, 2 teaspoons dried basil, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 2 bay leaves
- Remove the bay leaves and anything that remains of the Parmesan rind and stir in the pasta, if using, during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking so that it can cook through until al dente. 1 Parmesan rind, 1⅓ cups pasta
- Serve with crusty bread and freshly grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling on top. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Notes
- Brown the sausage well for the best flavor in the broth.
- Keep the soup covered while it simmers so the liquid doesn’t evaporate.
- Add the pasta near the end so it stays al dente.
- If storing or freezing, cook the pasta separately and add it to each serving.
- A parmesan rind adds great depth, so use one if you have it.
- Slow Cooker Method: Brown the sausage as usual, then add everything except for the zucchini, beans and pasta to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Stir in the beans, zucchini and pasta for the last 20-25 minutes of cooking.
Storage & Freezing
Storage: Refrigerate cooled soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep in mind that the longer it sits, the softer the pasta will get.
Reheating: Warm soup over a low-heat stove or pop individual servings into the microwave.
Freezing: Transfer cooled soup to a freezer-safe container, leaving at least 2 inches of free space at the top to allow for expansion. Frozen minestrone soup will last for up to 2 months. Thaw it out in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites .
Nutrition
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