Minestrone Soup is loaded with carrots, celery, pasta, kidney beans, zucchini, green beans and more and topped with shredded parmesan cheese for a nutrient-packed comforting soup!

I've always enjoyed ordering minestrone soup at an Italian restaurant but never made it myself until now. I wanted my minestrone to be packed with lots of veggies and nutrients. I made a huge pot of it so that my family could take it for lunches and so I could freeze some for another date. This minestrone is quick, easy and most importantly, delicious!

When I think of minestrone soup, I think of kidney beans. We love kidney beans in soup! They are loaded with fiber and protein. I love using canned beans in recipes because they are so easy to keep a bunch of cans on hand of in my pantry, are affordable and my family is obsessed with them. We definitely eat beans more often than we cook with meat. It's just easy and we love it!

The possibilities are endless for including beans in your diet. Eating canned beans also makes it easy to eat more plants. The USDA classifies beans as a subgroup of the vegetable group and they can also be considered part of the protein group- I love that they count for both. I just love that you can stock them in your pantry easily for super quick meals. 

I loaded my minestrone soup with canned kidney beans, carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic, onions, green beans, tomatoes and spinach for a veggie packed soup. I happened to have the fresh green beans on hand but frozen would work just as well. The most time-consuming part of this recipe is chopping up the veggies. I put them in individual bowls to make dumping them into my soup really easy but you certainly don't have to do that.

With it being January, I know that lots of people are wanting to eat healthier and this soup is a great option. It would be perfect for lunch or part of your dinner. A great way to add in extra veggies to your diet along with fiber. The heavy sprinkle of quality shredded parmesan cheese takes this minestrone to the next level. It also freezes well to enjoy at a later date on a busy night.

Minestrone Soup

Yield: serves at least 10 Author: Amanda HernandezPrint Recipe

Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup is loaded with carrots, celery, pasta, kidney beans, zucchini, green beans and more and topped with shredded parmesan cheese for a nutrient-packed comforting soup!

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Total time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 pound box ditalini pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups onion, chopped
• 4 cups zucchini, chopped
• 4 large carrots, chopped
• 2 cups celery, chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 2 cups green beans, s trimmed and chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 2-32 ounce containers low-sodium chicken stock
• 2-14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes
• 2 cans low-sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 2 cups baby spinach, loosely chopped
• Shredded parmesan cheese to top

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Boil a pot of water and cook ditalini pasta according to directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat olive oil and cook onion, zucchini, carrots and celery for about 5-7 minutes until vegetables are softened.
3. Add in the garlic and green beans and cook for a few minutes more.
4. Add in the chicken stock, tomatoes, beans, basil, pepper and Italian seasoning and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add in the pasta, turn off the heat. Add in the spinach and stir well.
5. When serving, top with parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

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This post is sponsored by Bush Brothers. All opinions are my own.