Simple Summer Minestrone Soup Recipe by Ina Garten

Summer minestrone soup bursts with vibrant seasonal vegetables and robust flavors that dance across your palate.

This classic Italian-inspired dish transforms ordinary ingredients into an extraordinary culinary experience.

Fresh produce mingles with aromatic herbs, creating a symphony of textures and tastes.

Each spoonful tells a story of sunshine-ripened vegetables and careful preparation.

Rich and comforting, the soup embodies warmth and nourishment in a single bowl.

Its versatility allows for creative adaptations while maintaining traditional essence.

Why Summer Minestrone Soup Feels So Fresh

• Craft Summer Freshness: This minestrone soup captures the vibrant essence of summer with its colorful mix of crisp vegetables like zucchini, green beans, and bell peppers, creating a light and refreshing meal that celebrates seasonal produce.
• Simplify Cooking Experience: The recipe offers an easy, approachable method that requires minimal technical skills, making it perfect for home cooks of all levels. With straightforward sautéing and simmering techniques, anyone can create a delicious soup without feeling overwhelmed.
• Boost Nutritional Power: Packed with white beans, vegetables, and lean ingredients, this soup delivers a nutritious one-pot meal that provides protein, fiber, and essential vitamins. The combination of ingredients supports a balanced and healthy eating approach without sacrificing flavor.
• Create Flexible Comfort: Designed to be adaptable, the soup can be customized with different vegetables or proteins, making it an ideal recipe for using up leftover ingredients. Its warm, comforting nature makes it suitable for casual family dinners or relaxed summer gatherings with friends.

Ingredients for a Vibrant Summer Minestrone

• Onion: Sweet base for the soup with a mild, aromatic flavor.
• Leeks: Delicate onion-like vegetable adding subtle depth to the soup.
• Celery: Provides a light, fresh crunch and earthy undertone.
• Bell Pepper: Adds bright color and subtle sweetness to the soup.
• Zucchini: Tender summer vegetable with a mild, fresh taste.
• Green Beans: Crisp and green, bringing a garden-fresh element.

• Garlic: Powerful, aromatic flavor enhancer for the entire dish.
• Bay Leaf: Adds subtle herbal complexity to the soup's background.
• Thyme: Delicate herb with earthy, slightly minty notes.
• Fresh Basil: Bright, aromatic herb for garnishing the soup.
• Salt: Essential seasoning to bring out the vegetables' natural flavors.

• Chicken Stock: Rich, savory liquid forming the soup's foundation.
• White Beans: Creamy, protein-packed addition for substance.
• Tomatoes: Juicy, tangy element adding depth and acidity.

• Parmesan Cheese: Optional, sharp and salty cheese for garnishing.
• Olive Oil: Used for sautéing vegetables and adding richness.
• Pasta: Hearty ingredient providing texture and filling quality.

How to Make Summer Minestrone in One Pot

Step 1: Prepare Cooking Space

Gather a large pot with a thick bottom, cutting board, knife, and measuring tools.

Step 2: Sauté Aromatic Vegetables

• Onion
• Leeks
• Celery
• Bell pepper

Lower heat to medium and cook for 8-10 minutes until vegetables soften

Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant

Step 3: Create Flavor Base

• Bay leaf
• Thyme
• Salt

Pour in chicken stock

Increase heat and bring mixture to a gentle simmer

Step 4: Incorporate Hearty Ingredients

• Pasta
• Zucchini
• Green beans
• Tomatoes
• White beans

Return soup to a simmer

Step 5: Slow Cook To Perfection

Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer

Cover pot and cook for 10 minutes

Ensure pasta and vegetables reach desired tenderness

Remove bay leaf

Step 6: Serve With Flair

Ladle soup into bowls

• Thinly sliced fresh basil
• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Enjoy immediately while warm

Tips to Keep Your Summer Soup Light and Bright

• Master Your Knife Skills: Chop all vegetables into uniform, bite-sized pieces to ensure even cooking and a consistent texture throughout the soup.
• Preserve Pasta Perfection: Cook pasta separately and add it to individual servings to prevent overcooking and maintain ideal texture, especially when storing leftovers.
• Elevate Flavor Layers: Taste and adjust seasoning just before serving, using salt, pepper, and a splash of lemon juice to brighten the soup's overall taste profile.
• Herb Harmony: Add fresh basil and parsley at the last moment to maximize their vibrant flavor and aromatic qualities, giving the soup a fresh, garden-inspired finish.
• Customize Your Bowl: Experiment with different grated cheeses like parmesan or pecorino on top, and consider adding a drizzle of high-quality olive oil for extra richness.

How to Store Minestrone Without Losing Flavor

• Preserve Peak Freshness: Transfer the cooled soup to vacuum-sealed bags, removing all air to prevent freezer burn and maintain robust flavor profiles. This method locks in nutrients and prevents ice crystal formation, ensuring the soup tastes just as delicious weeks later.
• Portion Strategically: Divide the soup into individual serving containers before refrigerating or freezing. Single-serve portions make reheating convenient and prevent repeated thawing, which can degrade food quality and texture.
• Smart Defrosting: When ready to enjoy, move the frozen soup to the refrigerator 24 hours before serving. Gently reheat on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally to restore the soup's original creamy consistency and prevent scorching.

Variations for Every Summer Harvest

• Mediterranean Summer Soup: Replace chicken stock with vegetable broth and add kalamata olives, diced eggplant, and a splash of red wine for a Greek-inspired version.
• Spicy Southwest Minestrone: Swap green beans for corn, add diced jalapeños, use black beans instead of white beans, and finish with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
• Hearty Autumn Vegetable Soup: Substitute zucchini with butternut squash, add diced carrots, use kale instead of green beans, and include a pinch of nutmeg for warmth.
• Protein-Packed Minestrone: Include diced chicken or Italian sausage during the vegetable sautéing stage, and add quinoa instead of traditional pasta for extra protein and nutrition.

Wrap-Up of Summer Minestrone Goodness

Ina Garten’s summer minestrone soup transforms simple garden ingredients into culinary magic, weaving Mediterranean flavors into each spoonful.

Garden-fresh vegetables dance with aromatic herbs, creating an Italian-inspired symphony of comfort and nutrition.

Hearty white beans provide robust protein while delicate zucchini adds summer’s light touch.

Mediterranean warmth radiates through each carefully crafted bowl, connecting classic Italian cooking traditions with modern palate preferences.

Garten’s recipe celebrates seasonal produce with elegant simplicity, inviting passionate cooks to explore rustic elegance.

Share this delightful culinary journey with friends, spread the recipe’s charm across social platforms, and let fellow epicureans savor its delectable narrative – your engagement keeps culinary stories alive.

Ina Garten Summer Minestrone Soup Recipe

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4.6 from 19 reviews

• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s Summer Minestrone Soup celebrates garden-fresh vegetables in a hearty Italian classic. Simmering with rich herbs and seasonal produce, this comforting soup offers a delightful journey through Mediterranean flavors you’ll savor with each spoonful.

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Ingredients

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Vegetables:

• ½ cup diced onion (about ½ onion)
• ½ cup sliced leek, white and light green parts only
• ½ cup diced celery (about 1 celery rib)
• ¼ cup diced red bell pepper (about ¼ bell pepper)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 2 cups large diced zucchini
• 1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced

Liquid and Seasoning:

• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Beans and Pasta:

• ½ cup cooked small white beans
• ½ cup dry ditalini pasta
• Fresh basil, for garnish
• Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

1. Prepare a robust cooking vessel with a thick base, drizzle of olive oil across the surface over medium-high temperature. Introduce diced onions, delicate leeks, crisp celery, and vibrant bell peppers into the heated environment.
2. Reduce heat to medium and allow vegetables to soften and become translucent, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Incorporate finely chopped garlic and continue cooking for an additional minute until an aromatic fragrance emerges.
3. Enhance the mixture by introducing a fragrant bay leaf, fresh thyme sprigs, precise salt measurements, and rich chicken stock. Elevate the temperature and encourage the liquid to reach a gentle, rolling simmer.
4. Carefully fold in uncooked pasta, tender zucchini chunks, crisp green beans, ripe quartered tomatoes, and protein-packed white beans. Return the mixture to a consistent simmer.
5. Gently lower the heat, maintaining a steady simmer. Cover the pot and allow ingredients to meld and cook for approximately 10 minutes, ensuring pasta achieves perfect al dente texture and vegetables reach desired tenderness.
6. Extract the bay leaf and discard. For a final flourish, garnish with delicately sliced fresh basil ribbons and optionally sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese before serving.

Notes

• Slice vegetables uniformly to ensure even cooking and consistent texture throughout the dish.
• Prepare pasta separately to maintain its ideal consistency and prevent overcooking when storing leftover soup.
• Enhance flavors by tasting and adjusting seasonings with salt, pepper, and a splash of bright lemon juice.
• Sprinkle fresh herbs like basil and parsley at the last moment to preserve their vibrant aroma and color.
• Allow soup to cool completely before refrigerating to prevent condensation and maintain optimal flavor profile.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
• Method: Sautéing
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 150 kcal
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 400 mg
• Fat: 5 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 24 g
• Fiber: 5 g
• Protein: 6 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg