Some people are just soup people. I am a soup person. I don’t care if it’s 100 degrees out, I will still eat soup lol.

Originally Published 09/29/2021

My Super Simple Minestrone recipe is my go-to meal when my husband is gone.

It’s easy to throw together, makes a bunch so I can eat it for days, and the already amazing flavor just gets better after all the delicious ingredients sit and meld! I also make it when he’s gone because it’s not his favorite, lol. He always says, “Where’s the meat?!”

Who needs meat when you’ve got the perfect, steamy hot tomato soup swirling with delicious veggies, chickpeas, fresh spinach, and all the parmesan on top? Throw in a slice of homemade Sourdough Bread to dip…it’s a meal I could eat weekly! And being that we’re coming up on prime soup season, I thought I’d share! So here’s a really quick and easy recipe for this Super Simple Minestrone! (gonna be a short post today lol)

Super Simple Minestrone Step One:

Get the water boiling for the penne pasta.

I like to use penne, but traditionally minestrone has macaroni noodles I believe. If you want to make this Super Simple Minestrone recipe even more simple, grab one of those microwave pasta pouches in the pasta aisle at the store. Simply microwave it for 90 seconds or whatever it is, and throw the noodles in at the end. No boiling water is necessary!

Otherwise, just cook your noodles until al dente, strain them, throw them back in the pan, and stir in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Cover the pan with a lid and set them to the side until later.

Step Two:

Combine the tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, sugar, Italian session, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder and cook them all over medium heat for three minutes while stirring. 

I think adding the spices with the tomatoes first helps them to combine with the soup better. Otherwise, I find they all just want to float around the top of the broth.

After three minutes,

throw in the can of mixed veggies, chickpeas, pinto beans, and beef broth. Stir everything together really well. I know a can of mixed veggies seems super cheater-ish. But, I like that the veggies are already soft, so I don’t have to wait for ages for the carrots and potatoes to cook. The can contains all the different kinds of veggies I want in my Super Simple Minestrone. Therefore, I do not have to hunt down all the different veggies individually, chop a bunch of stuff, etc… Anyway you get the idea. It’s part of what makes this recipe super simple. If you prefer adding a fresher version, go for it!!

The pinto beans can also be substituted for great northern or red kidney. And last but not least, I generally use Beef Bone Broth rather than just regular beef broth. The bone broth has a hearty, richer flavor and is a little more nutritious for you! Once everything is combined, simmer the soup over medium heat for about 10 minutes. While it’s simmering, chop up the fresh spinach, and shred some fresh parm!

And now after 15 minutes of work,

the Super Simple Minestrone is ready to eat!

Now you can mix in the noodles and the spinach.

I do have to warn you though, that once the noodles go into the soup, they start soaking up the broth. Tomorrow’s leftovers may be more on the side of goulash, than soup. If you prefer to have more broth left over the next day, just add the noodles to individual bowls when serving and store them in a separate container. Personally, I don’t mind goulash lol 🤷🏼‍♀️. Serve with a generous sprinkling of parmesan and enjoy this Super Simple Minestrone!

I hope you love it as much as I do!

Print Recipe

Super Simple Minestrone

This Super Simple Minestrone is so quick and easy to make! It’s a delicious Italian meal that’s ready in 15 minutes!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Soup

Servings: 6 people

Equipment

• Large Soup Pot
• Medium Pot
• Knife
• Can opener

Ingredients

• 32 oz Beef Broth
• 15 oz can Diced Tomatoes
• 15 oz can Mixed Vegetables
• 15 oz can Chickpeas
• 15 oz can Pinto Beans
• 6 oz can Tomato Paste
• 1/2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 1/4 tsp each of Salt Pepper, Garlic Powder, & Onion Powder
• 2 Cups Whole Wheat Penne Pasta cooked
• 2 Cups Fresh Spinach Chopped
• 1/4 cup Fresh Parmesan

Instructions

• In a medium pot, bring water to a boil, add 2 cups of whole wheat penne pasta, cook until al dente, drain, mix with 1 tbsp olive oil, cover with lid, and set to the side.
• While the penne is cooking, in the large soup pot, add the can of diced tomatoes, the can of tomato paste, the 1/2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar, tsp of sugar, tsp of Italian seasoning, and 1/4 tsp each salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Cook over medium heat while stirring for 3 minutes.
• After this, without draining, add the can of mixed veggies, pinto beans, chickpeas, and 32 oz of beef broth. Stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
• While the soup is cooking, chop 2 cups of spinach leaves and grate the parmesan cheese.
• When you’re ready to serve, stir in the penne and spinach, give every bowl a sprinkle of fresh parmesan, and enjoy!

Share on Facebook

Post on X

Follow us

Save