Name: Best Minestrone Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 cup sliced carrots; 1 cup sliced celery; 1 cup zucchini, quartered and chopped; 1/2 teaspoon dried basil; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; 42 ounces chicken broth; 1 15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon olive oil, for stovetop and Instant Pot versions; 1 15 ounce can green beans, drained

Jump to Recipe

This is the best minestrone soup!

Minestrone is an easy, hearty Italian soup full of vegetables. This classic soup recipe can be made on the stove or slow cooker. If the Instant Pot is calling your name, you can even make Instant Pot Minestrone Soup.

Either way, it tastes incredible!

And there are a variety of reasons this soup needs to be in your rotation. Let's talk about them, shall we??

This minestrone soup recipe is perfect for the slow cooker

It's only fitting that the best minestrone soup is a "dump recipe". What the heck does this mean? This means you add everything to the crock pot at once, set it to cook and walk away until it's done.

These meals are my love language, you know???

minestrone soup ingredients in the slow cooker

Cook it in your Instant Pot

Not feeling the slow cooker vibes? Make it in your Instant Pot. One slight modification and you'll still be dancing your way to the dinner table.

Like I said, it takes only minutes to prep. Basically, cut your onion and open some jars and cans.

Minestrone Soup is also an awesome freezer meal

Another one of my favorites - you can make a batch - or two - and freeze it for later before cooking!

On a busy night all the prep work is already done.

I like to freeze the soup ingredients in a gallon sized plastic ziplock bag and lay it on a sheet pan in the freezer until it's frozen solid.

But here's where the recipe differs just a bit when made as a freezer meal. Don't add your chicken broth. It's not worth the possible mess it will make if it leaks and it takes up valuable real estate in your freezer.

I recommend you label the broth so you know what meal it's for later. Trust me, you may forget.

Or you can use a chicken base like I did and add water when you cooked it. (see that streak of gold near the beans? That's chicken base - basically concentrated chicken stock. So the flavor is in the bag, without all the liquid.

It's a meal in itself. Fiber from the beans and a hearty dose of vegetables mean your tummy will be happy!

That's my kind of meal!

Give my minestrone soup a try and tag me at #thisfarmgirlcooks when you share on social media!

For more meatless recipes, check out my Lenten Dinner Recipes!

6 servings

Best Minestrone Soup

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

This is the best minestrone soup recipe. An easy, hearty Italian soup this can be made on the stove, in the slow cooker or in your Instant Pot.

Ingredients

1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup zucchini, quartered and chopped
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried thyme
42 ounces chicken broth
1 15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil, for stovetop and Instant Pot versions
1 15 ounce can green beans, drained

Instructions

TO MAKE ON THE STOVETOP

In a large pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add carrots, celery, and zucchini. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften and develop some color.
Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes.

TO MAKE IN THE SLOW COOKER/CROCKPOT

Add all ingredients into a slow cooker. Cook for 7 hours on low, or for 4 hours on high.

TO MAKE IN THE INSTANT POT

Set pot to saute. When heated, add carrots, celery, and zucchini. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften and develop some color.
Add remaining ingredients and cook for 15 minutes. Allow to NPR for 5-10 minutes or longer.

TO MAKE AS A FREEZER MEAL

Add all ingredients, uncooked, EXCEPT chicken broth into a gallon sized freezer bag. Freeze. Add chicken broth at cooking time.

Notes

If we happen to have V-8 juice or tomato juice around, I will add about a cup of it for additional flavor. Totally optional!

This can be assembled and frozen for cooking in the slow cooker or Instant Pot. I like to label my chicken broth so I know what recipe I'm saving it for.

Cooked leftovers may also be portioned out and frozen for later.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 47Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 0gSodium: 1144mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 1g

PIN THIS FOR LATER!