Loaded with vegetables, ground beef, and pasta, this Minestrone Soup is hearty and healthy!

I didn’t like minestrone soup growing up, so I never tried making it. Then my neighbor Lorraine brought her minestrone soup over when I had my last baby. (Oh man, that was 4 years ago, I can’t believe it.) It changed me to a minestrone soup lover! I got the recipe from her and have made it countless times since then. The only thing I changed is that I add extra veggies.

Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients–besides chopping a few vegetables, this soup is really easy to make. It is wonderful on a cold winter evening. (I know it’s not winter yet, but I just couldn’t wait to make it. It was calling my name.) Next to chicken noodle soup, it is my meal of choice when I have a head cold. It makes a large pot, and the leftovers are great. The noodles do soak up the broth and get quite large the next day though. You can add extra water to compensate.

I love to serve this minestrone soup with focaccia bread or rolls.

Best-Ever Minestrone Soup

Yield: 12 servings

Best-Ever Minestrone Soup

Name: Best-Ever Minestrone Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground beef; 4 stalks celery, sliced; 1 onion, diced; 1/4 cup diced green pepper; 2 15oz cans diced tomatoes; 2 8 oz cans tomato sauce; 1 quart water; 4 large carrots, sliced; 2 cups beef broth; 1 Tbsp dried parsley; 1 tsp dried basil; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1/4 tsp pepper; 1/4 tsp salt; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 can green beans, drained; 1 can kidney beans, drained; 1 can garbanzo beans, drained (or navy beans); 1 1/4 cup dry penne pasta

Delicious minestrone soup with ground beef, vegetables, and pasta.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
4 stalks celery, sliced
1 onion, diced
1/4 cup diced green pepper
2 15oz cans diced tomatoes
2 8 oz cans tomato sauce
1 quart water
4 large carrots, sliced
2 cups beef broth
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can green beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can garbanzo beans, drained (or navy beans)
1 1/4 cup dry penne pasta

Instructions

Brown meat with celery, onion, and green pepper in a large soup pot. Drain off the fat. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, carrots, broth, and spices. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add beans and pasta and simmer for about 15 minutes or till pasta is tender. (Don’t overcook.)

Other soup recipes to check out:

Chicken Noodle Soup