I realized last week it’s officially soup season here – we couldn’t leave the house without sweatshirts in the morning! Really can’t say I’m sad about the return of fall weather.

Cooler days mean I’m craving cozy dinners – and this one just hit the spot! It’s an old favorite – and a fresher-tasting version of the soup you get at an Italian chair restaurant. (If you know, you know!)

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Directions
• More of our favorite soups
• Recipe for Hearty Minestrone

Ingredients

• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 2 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 1/3 cups diced zucchini
• 1 cup small shell pasta
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can dark red kidney beans
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 1 can green beans
• 2 cups spinach

I love this soup because I usually have all the ingredients on hand to make it. Don’t have it all? It’s flexible – feel free to sub in the vegetables and beans you do have on hand – or the pasta shape you need to use up!

Directions

• In a large pot, stir together the vegetable stock, water, tomatoes, celery, carrots, onions, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for two hours.
• Add zucchini, pasta, garlic, kidney beans and cannellini beans to the pot and stir to combine. Cook until pasta is tender, about 30 minutes.
• Stir in the green beans and spinach and cook a few minutes, until heated through. Serve warm.

This soup does take a bit to cook, but it’s mostly hands-off time. It reheats well so I always make it when I have time (like the weekend, between loads of laundry) and then quickly reheat for lunch or dinner another day.

More Soups We Love

Soups are a favorite cold-weather meal here – and the fact that they make amazing leftovers is a great bonus. Two other meatless soups that we make frequently are Dill Pickle Soup and Southwestern Broccoli Chowder.

Our favorite soups with meat are Cheeseburger Soup and Slow Cooker Pepperoni Pizza Soup – both are family favorites!

Recipe

Hearty Minestrone

Yield: 8 Servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

Print

Ingredients

• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 2 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 1/3 cups diced zucchini
• 1 cup small shell pasta
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can dark red kidney beans
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 1 can green beans
• 2 cups spinach

Instructions

1. In a large pot, stir together the vegetable stock, water, tomatoes, celery, carrots, onions, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for two hours.
2. Add zucchini, pasta, garlic, kidney beans and cannellini beans to the pot and stir to combine. Cook until pasta is tender, about 30 minutes.
3. Stir in the green beans and spinach and cook a few minutes, until heated through. Serve warm.

Notes

Adapted from Cooking Classy