Best Hearty Minestrone Recipes

JUDY'S HEARTY VEGETABLE MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir celery, carrots, onion, and garlic in the hot oil until the onion is translucent, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Pour vegetable stock over the vegetable mixture; season with Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir tomatoes, potatoes, and kidney beans into the stock mixture; bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 40 minutes. Add kale and continue cooking until the kale wilts, about 5 minutes.

HEARTY SLOW COOKER MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the first 10 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until vegetables are tender., Stir in the beans, spinach and macaroni. Cover and cook 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese. Freeze option: Cool soup and transfer to freezer containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. To use frozen soup, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Transfer to a saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese.

HEARTY MINESTRONE SOUP (INSTANT POT®)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®) on Saute mode. Add beef and onion; cook until beef is no longer pink on the outside, about 4 minutes. Add celery, green beans, carrot, garlic, oregano, dried basil, and pepper. Stir to combine.
• Pour broth, diced tomatoes, and crushed tomatoes into the pot with the beef. Stir well. Select Soup setting; close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 35 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
• Release pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid. Stir in kidney beans and pasta. Turn on Slow Cook mode and cook until pasta and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt. Ladle soup into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

HEARTY SAUSAGE MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, onion, celery and carrots over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink and onion is tender, breaking sausage into crumbles; drain., Stir in tomatoes, beans, broth, garlic powder and pepper; bring to a boil. Add pasta; cook, covered, 6-8 minutes or until pasta is tender. Freeze option: Freeze cooled minestrone in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add a little broth if necessary.

HEARTY MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, cook the sausage until no longer pink. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towel to drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of drippings. Saute celery and onion in drippings for 5 minutes. Add sausage and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

MAMA'S HEARTY MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add ground beef; cook and stir until beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Drain excess grease.
• Transfer ground beef mixture to an 8-quart stockpot; add chicken broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and carrots. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until carrots are partially cooked, 10 minutes. Add zucchini, bell pepper, basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper; simmer until carrots are tender, about 10 more minutes.
• Stir broccoli and macaroni into soup; simmer until macaroni is cooked through but firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Garnish with Parmesan cheese to serve.

HEARTY VEGETARIAN MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add carrots and celery; cook and stir until soft, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Stir in green beans, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper; cook for about 5 minutes. Add diced and crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth; bring to a boil. If it looks too thick, add a bit of water.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in kidney beans, cannellini beans, and macaroni; cook until pasta is tender yet firm to the bite, 7 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, if needed.
• Ladle into bowls and garnish with Parmesan-style cheese and fresh basil.

HEARTY MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook the pork, celery and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. , Stir in the tomatoes, beans, tomato juice, tomato sauce, broth, carrots, zucchini, Italian seasoning, salt, sugar if desired and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until carrots are tender. , Transfer 6 cups of soup to a freezer container; cool. Freeze for up to 3 months. Add water and pasta to remaining soup; bring to a boil. Cover and cook until pasta is tender. , To use frozen soup: Thaw in the refrigerator; transfer to a large saucepan. Stir in water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Add pasta; cover and cook until tender.

HEARTY MEATLESS MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, saute onion in oil for 2 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, cabbage, green pepper, zucchini and garlic; saute 3 minutes longer. Stir in the water, tomatoes, beans, tomato puree, tomato sauce and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes., Stir in pasta; cook 12-15 minutes longer or until tender. Garnish each serving with basil and cheese if desired.

HEARTY AND HEALTHY 3 BEAN MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Set aside or prepare the stock and roasted tomatoes.
• Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat, add extra-virgin olive oil, a couple of turns of the pan. Add the prosciutto and stir a couple of minutes. Add the chopped onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and chile pepper, season with salt, and pepper. If you are using potatoes, add them here. If you are using pasta, heat a second medium pot of water to a boil for the pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente. Cool the pasta and drizzle with a touch of extra-virgin olive oil. Cover and store separately from the soup. Cover the pan and sweat the vegetables 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cannellini beans, garbanzo beans, prepared stock and prepared tomatoes. Bring the soup to a boil and add the green beans. Bring the soup back to a bubble, then turn off the heat and cool the soup. Store the soup in the refrigerator for a make-ahead meal.
• To reheat the soup: Place the soup over medium-high heat. Crisp up the bread in a warm oven. When the soup comes to a boil, stir in the cooked pasta, escarole, and a little lemon zest. Turn off the heat when pasta is warmed through. Serve the soup in shallow bowls and top with cheese, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, and crusty bread alongside for mopping.
• For the stock:
• Place the cheese rind, herb bundle, onion, celery, carrots, lemon rind, bay leaves, chicken stock, and water into a pot and bring to a bubble, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer at least 1 hour, and then remove the rind, herb bundle, and vegetables with a slotted spoon or strainer.
• For the tomatoes:
• Heat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Arrange the tomatoes on a baking sheet or baking sheets in a single layer. Scatter the garlic among the tomatoes, dress with extra-virgin olive oil to coat and season with salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes until they burst and skins split and begin to char, about 30 minutes. Cool the tomatoes until cool enough to handle and peel. Place the tomatoes in a bowl.

HEARTY BEEF AND RICE MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter with oil in a 6-quart pot (or larger) over medium heat; add in beef cubes and cook stirring occasionally until the beef is browned (about 10 minutes) remove to a bowl.
• Add in onions, red pepper flakes, jalapeno pepper (if using) carrots, celery, Itaian seasoning and thyme, adding more oil and/or butter if needed; saute for about 5 minutes adding in the garlic the last 2 minutes of cooking time.
• Add in the browned beef back to the pot along with the water, broth, Worcestershire sauce, canned tomatoes with juice, potatoes and zucchini slices; bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer covered for about 50 minutes, or until the veggies are crisp-tender.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in the cooked rice and kidney beans; cook until heated through.
• Ladle into bowls and top with grated parmesan cheese.
• Delicious!

HEARTY MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• Dissolve 1 1/2 tbsp salt in 2 qts. cold water in large bowl. Add beans and soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.
• Heat oil and pancetta in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pancetta is lightly browned and fat has rendered, 3-5 minutes. Add celery, carrots, onions, and zucchini; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 5-9 minutes. Stir in garlic, cabbage, 1/2 tsp salt and red pepper flakes; continue to cook until cabbage starts to wilt, 1-2 minutes longer. Transfer vegetables to rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
• Add soaked beans, water, broth, Parmesan rind, and bay leaf to now-empty Dutch oven and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and vigorously simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are fully tender and liquid begins to thicken, 45-60 minutes.
• Add reserved vegetables and V8 juice to pot; cook until vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf and Parmesan rind, stir in chopped basil, and season with salt and pepper. Serve with olive oil and grated Parmesan.

HEARTY MINESTRONE CHILI

Steps:

• Finely chop the onion.
• Brown the ground beef and the onion together.
• Drain the ground beef/onion mixture on a paper towel.
• Chop the stewed tomatoes in a food processor.
• option: you can add the Rotel to the stewed tomatoes in the processor if you would like for the Rotel to be a finer consistency.
• In a large pot simmer everything together for at least 15 minutes.

HEARTY MINESTRONE WITH PARMESAN RIND

Steps:

• Crostini: In bowl, toss together bread, oil and pepper; spread on rimmed baking sheet. Bake in 400 oven, tossing once until golden and crisp, 6 - 8 minutes. (Can make ahead).
• Cook pasta before adding to soup.
• Soup: Saute onion, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, salt and pepper for about 5 - 8 minutes or until cooked. Scrape into slow cooker.
• Stir in tomato paste, ham hock, parmesan rind, potato, red and white beans and water. Cover and cook on low for 6 - 8 hours or until ham can be pulled off bone easily. Discard bay leaves and Paremesan rind.
• Increase heat to high. Stir in red pepper and zucchini; cook, covered for 20 minutes.
• Stir in cooked pasta.

HEARTY MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Bring broth, beans, and tomatoes to boil in large saucepan.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
• Add onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Stir in broth mixture and pasta and simmer until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in vegetables and basil and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper.

HEARTY SAUSAGE MINESTRONE

Steps:

• 1. In a stockpot or Dutch oven, cook sausage with onions and celery over medium heat until sausage is browned, breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon during cooking. Drain excess grease, if desired.
• 2. Add remaining ingredients to pot, and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat to low and let simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until the pasta is soft and zucchini is tender. Serve immediately.

HEARTY MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• Place all ingredients except pasta and pesto in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil;.cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add pasta and cook uncovered, for 15.minutes longer. Spoon into large bowls and swirl a teaspoon. of pesto into each.

HEARTY MEATLESS MINESTRONE RECIPE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, saute onion in oil for 2 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, cabbage, green pepper, zucchini and garlic; saute 3 minutes longer. Stir in the water, tomatoes, beans, tomato puree, tomato sauce and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Stir in pasta; cook 12-15 minutes longer or until tender. Garnish each serving with basil and cheese if desired.
• Yield: 8 servings (3 quarts).
• Originally published as Hearty Meatless Minestrone in Taste of Home
• February/March 2010, p85
• Nutritional Facts
• 1/2 cups (calculated without optional ingredients) equals 191 calories, 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 664 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 6 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 vegetable, 1 starch, 1 fat.
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HEARTY MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks, celery, minced garlic, dried oregano, pepper, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the broth, Swiss chard, green beans, and pasta. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 8 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the pasta is al dente. Meanwhile, in a cup, combine the chopped garlic with the parsley. Stir into the soup along with the zucchini. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until heated through. Ladle the soup into 4 bowls and top each with 1 teaspoon of the cheese. Garnish with the oregano sprigs.

HEARTY MINESTRONE

Steps:

• 1. Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large stock-pot over medium to medium-low heat.
• 2. Add onion to the pot, and sauté the onion for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes.
• 3. Add the garlic, and sauté the garlic for 1 minute.
• 4. Add the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pot, plus the celery and carrots, and sauté the vegetables for 2 minutes.
• 5. Add the chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, great northern beans, potatoes, chicken bouillon granules, oregano, basil, salt and pepper.
• 6. Cover the pot, bring soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, and simmer the soup covered, for 30 minutes. (I stir the soup once or twice while it's simmering.)
• 7. While the soup is simmering, in a small saucepan, add water to it, plus a little bit of vegetable oil, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring water to a boil, then add the pasta.
• 8. Once the water comes to a second boil, which doesn't take long, cook the shells for 8 minutes; stirring the pasta frequently.
• 9. Once the pasta is cooked, drain pasta in a colander, and gently rinse it under cold water. Drain well, then set the pasta aside, covered, until it's time to add it to the stock-pot.
• 10. After the soup has simmered for 30 minutes, add the cooked pasta and the spinach. Stir the soup, and then ladle the soup in to bowls.
• 11. Top each bowl of soup with a bit of the parmesan cheese, if desired.