Classic Minestrone Soup

As the vegetables soften in the Dutch oven, the kitchen starts to smell like the beginning of a good soup: sweet onion, celery, and garlic, with tomatoes close behind. Classic…

By Ava
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November 14, 2026
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Reading time: 8 min

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As the vegetables soften in the Dutch oven, the kitchen starts to smell like the beginning of a good soup: sweet onion, celery, and garlic, with tomatoes close behind. Classic Minestrone Soup brings those familiar flavors together with cannellini beans, small pasta, and spinach for a generous pot that serves eight.

I like this version because the vegetables stay distinct and the broth stays light enough to ladle easily. The pasta goes in after the green beans have had time to simmer, so it can cook through without spending the whole time in the pot. A quick handful of spinach at the end keeps the finish fresh, and Parmesan at the table lets everyone choose how much to add. Each bowl has a little of everything without feeling heavy.

Why This Minestrone Stays Brothy Instead of Turning Into Tomato Sauce

Minestrone can be a thick vegetable stew or a bowl with plenty of broth. This pot lands on the brothy side: diced tomatoes bring tomato flavor and texture, while the chicken broth remains the main liquid. The result should look like vegetables and beans suspended in a clear, tomato-tinted broth, not a thick red sauce.

That balance is intentional. The vegetables, beans, and pasta bring plenty of substance, so there’s no need to cook the liquid down until it clings heavily to a spoon. A long reduction would concentrate the broth and change how the salt and Parmesan come through. Keep the soup recognizable as soup, with enough liquid to gather in each spoonful alongside the vegetables.

This also gives the small pasta a job beyond filling the bowl: it adds a tender, starchy bite without taking over the pot. The finished soup has several textures at once—soft beans, al dente pasta, and vegetables that still hold their shape—rather than one dense, uniform consistency.

What the Beans, Pasta, and Spinach Each Bring to This Pot

• Cannellini beans — These creamy white beans add a soft, substantial bite without needing to be mashed into the broth. Canned beans are convenient here; draining and rinsing them keeps the canning liquid from carrying into the soup.
• Small pasta — Ditalini is a natural fit because its small pieces are easy to catch on a spoon. Another small pasta shape works too; larger shapes change the feel of each bite and may need a different cooking time.
• Green beans — Cut into short pieces, they stay easy to eat with the other diced vegetables. Fresh, crisp beans are a good choice because they keep their shape during the simmer.
• Dried oregano, dried basil, and bay leaf — The dried herbs have time to season the broth while it simmers. The bay leaf adds a quiet background note; it’s there to infuse the soup, not to end up in a serving bowl.
• Baby spinach — Its tender leaves wilt quickly, so it adds green color without needing a long cook. Parmesan is a salty, savory finishing touch, rather than something that needs to melt into the pot.

Building the Vegetables First and Keeping the Pasta Al Dente

Soften the diced vegetables

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a 6-quart Dutch oven, then add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, and green beans. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened. The vegetables should look glossy and begin to lose their raw edge, but they don’t need to be completely tender yet. Stir often enough that the pieces cook evenly across the bottom of the pot.

Let the garlic turn fragrant

Stir in the minced garlic once the vegetables have softened. Cook it for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Garlic can turn bitter if it browns, so keep it moving and don’t leave it alone over the heat. The quick cook gives it a head start before the broth goes in.

Simmer until the green beans are nearly tender

Add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, kosher salt, black pepper, cannellini beans, oregano, basil, and bay leaf. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Check a piece of green bean: it should be close to tender, not still hard in the center. If the pot keeps bubbling vigorously, lower the heat so it simmers gently.

Cook the pasta, then wilt the spinach

Stir in the small pasta and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or follow the package timing, until it’s al dente. Start checking near the shorter end of that window so the pasta doesn’t go soft. Stir in the spinach and cook for about 1 minute, just until the leaves wilt, then remove the bay leaf. Ladle into bowls and finish with grated Parmesan.

Three Small Changes That Shift This Pot of Minestrone

Questions That Come Up While This Minestrone Cooks

Classic Minestrone Soup

Classic minestrone soup simmers vegetables, cannellini beans, and small pasta in a tomato and chicken broth base. Baby spinach wilts in at the end, with grated Parmesan on top.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 33 minutes mins

Total Time 48 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 180

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion medium, diced
• 2 carrots medium, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 zucchini medium, diced
• 1 cup green beans trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup pasta small, such as ditalini
• 2 cups spinach baby
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese grated, for serving

Equipment

• 1 6-quart Dutch oven

Method

 

1. In a 6-quart Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, and green beans and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the onion has softened.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
4. Add the diced tomatoes, broth, salt, pepper, cannellini beans, oregano, basil, and bay leaf.
5. Bring the soup to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the green beans are nearly tender.
7. Stir in the pasta and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or according to the package directions, until al dente.
8. Stir in the spinach and cook for about 1 minute, until wilted.
9. Remove the bay leaf.
10. Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese.

Notes

For the best texture, cook the pasta until al dente and serve soon after adding it. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days; freezing is possible, though the pasta may soften. For a vegetarian variation, use vegetable broth and vegetarian Parmesan.