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Classic Minestrone Soup

Tomato-rich minestrone packed with vegetables, beans and small pasta, with the pasta added late so it stays distinct.

Prep20 minCook35 minTotal55 minYield6 servingsLevelEasy

Source-reviewed. No original CookClue test is claimed unless it is actually recorded.

Tomato-rich minestrone with beans, vegetables, small pasta and Parmesan

Before you start

What this method is trying to achieve

Build the aromatic vegetable base first, simmer tomatoes and broth, then add beans and pasta only for the final cooking window.

Success looks like

Know the target before you cook

The soup should stay brothy with tender vegetables and distinct pasta rather than turning into a thick gummy pasta pot.

Ingredients

What you need

Base

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced

Vegetables

  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 150 g green beans, cut

Tomato

  • 800 g diced and crushed tomatoes

Liquid

  • 1.4 L low-sodium broth

Beans

  • 425 g kidney or cannellini beans, drained

Pasta

  • 100 g small pasta

Method

Cook by the cues, not just the clock

Cook aromatics

  1. Soften onion, carrot and celery.

Add vegetables

  1. Cook green beans and herbs briefly.

Simmer base

  1. Add tomatoes and broth and simmer.

Add beans and pasta late

  1. Stir in beans and pasta near the end.

Finish

  1. Stop when pasta is just tender and add Parmesan and basil.

Critical checkpoints

Stop here and check

timing

Pasta added late?

The broth is already developed before pasta enters.

Delay pasta until final stage.

other

Pasta just tender?

Pieces retain shape and a slight bite.

Stop the simmer.

other

Pasta gummy?

The pasta is swollen, sticky or collapsing.

Use pasta-gummy.

If yours looks different

Route the failure before changing the recipe

The minestrone pasta becomes swollen, sticky or gummy.Pasta gummy? Diagnose overcooking and hot holding.

Why Is My Pasta Gummy?

After cooking

Storage, reheating & substitutions

Storage

For best leftovers, store extra pasta separately when possible.

Reheating

Reheat gently and add broth if pasta absorbed liquid.

Substitutions

Use small shells, ditalini or elbow pasta.

Evidence

Sources & methodology

Technical claims and method decisions are tied to sources. Recipe-specific advice is not presented as a universal food-science law.

  1. Minestrone SoupFood Network / Ellie Krieger

    Food Network simmers vegetables and tomato broth before adding beans and pasta for the final cook.

    publisherPassage verified
  2. MinestroneFood Network Kitchen

    Food Network adds small pasta after the vegetable broth is established and simmers only until tender.

    publisherPassage verified