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Italian Vegetable Soup

Italian Vegetable Soup, the perfect winter time comfort food. Full of tasty vegetables and just the right amount of pasta. A delicious Vegetarian Lunch or Dinner Recipe idea.

Vegetable soup in two white bowls.


 

I make this soup at least once a week, forget the meat, sprinkle with lots of Parmesan cheese if you like and serve with some Homemade Italian bread or Focccia nothing could be better!

I always make a big pot, we eat it at lunch and finish it up at dinner. Nothing left to go in the fridge!

Recipe Ingredients

  • Garlic
  • Olive oil
  • Vegetables
  • Beans – Borlotti, pinto beans, white beans
  • Tomato passata – also known as puree
  • Broth – Vegetable broth either homemade or store bought
  • Basil
  • Oregano
  • Fresh parsley
  • Salt – depending if you make your own broth or not will depend on the amount of salt added
  • Red pepper flakes – optional
  • Pasta – small pasta such as ditaloni

What are the best vegetables to use?

I like to use kale, cabbage, carrots, celery, broccoli, zucchini, butternut squash, potatoes, spinach, green beans, frozen peas and of course add your favorites.

How to make Vegetable Soup

In a large pot add the olive oil and garlic, saute, then add the vegetables, beans, tomato purée, broth and spices, stir to combine, bring to a boil.

Ingredients in the pot before cooking.

Turn the heat down and simmer until the beans are tender. Time depends if you use dried beans, they take longer to cook.

Adding the spinach to the pot.

How to make homemade broth

For this recipe I like to use a vegetable based broth but if you prefer you can make a meat broth either beef or chicken. Of course, you can use store bought one also.

In a large pot add a carrot and an onion peeled and cut in half, a celery stalk cut in two, a bay leaf, 2-3 pepper corns, 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt and 12 cups of water, if you make a meat based broth then add a few pieces of meat (bone in is also a good idea).

Bring it to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for about three hours. Stir occasionally and remove any foam that appears on the top of the broth. Pour the broth through a sieve, and let the liquid cool completely if not using.

Any unused broth can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 4-5 days. It can also be frozen in freezer safe containers and will keep for up to 6 months.

Soup in a ladle.

Cooking Tips

If you add greens to the soup then they should be added at the end of the cooking time.

If you are picky about the pasta being overcooked and mushy in the leftovers then I would advise making your pasta separately in a pot of boiling salted water and then adding it to the soup.

If not then you can add the pasta in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time, you may need to add additional water or broth if the soup has become too thick. Once the pasta is cooked al dente, add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese to the bowl and serve.

How to store the Vegetable Soup

Any leftover soup should be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated. It will last up to 3-4 days in the fridge.

Can you freeze the soup?

Freeze the completely cooled soup in a freezer safe container. It will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer. I would advise freezing it without the pasta.

Or you could have it for dinner and leave the leftovers for the next day. Believe me it tastes even better after all those amazing vegetables and spices linger together. Buon Appetito!

Soup in a white bowl with parmesan cheese on top.

More Delicious Soup Recipes

Vegetable soup in a black pot.

Italian Vegetable Soup

Rosemary Molloy
Italian Vegetable Soup, the perfect winter time comfort food. Full of tasty vegetables and just the right amount of pasta. A delicious Vegetarian Lunch or Dinner Recipe idea.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 servings
Calories 369 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1-2 cloves garlic minced
  • 5 cups mixed chopped vegetables (medium to large chopped / I used kale cabbage, carrots, celery, broccoli and zucchini)
  • 3 cups frozen Borlotti beans or Pinto beans**
  • ¾ cup tomato purée (passata)
  • 7-8 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon basil
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1-2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon salt*
  • 1-2 dashes hot pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1-1¼ cups small pasta (dried)

*salt amount depends on if you make your own broth or purchase it.

    **If you prefer you can use dried beans. Place the dried beans (rinse them in cold water first) in a bowl of cold water let sit for 8 hours then drain, rinse and cook. If you use canned then drain and rinse, it is probably a good idea to add in the last 10 minutes of cooking time since they are already cooked.

      Instructions
       

      • In a large pot add the olive oil and garlic, sautee for 1 minute then add the, vegetables (if you are adding greens to the soup be sure to add them towards the end of the cooking time), beans, tomato purée, broth and spices, stir to combine.
      • Bring to a boil and then turn heat down to simmer for approximately 30-60 minutes or until beans are tender (halfway through taste for salt). Time depends if you use dried beans, they take longer to cook.
      • I would advise making your pasta separately in a pot of boiling salted water and then adding it to the soup (if you are keeping half the soup for later consumption then make half the pasta and only add it to the soup you will be eating or the pasta will get mushy). Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!

      Notes

      Any leftover soup should be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated. It will last up to 3-4 days in the fridge.
      Freeze the completely cooled soup in a freezer safe container. It will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer. I would advise freezing it without the pasta.

      Nutrition

      Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 1423mg | Potassium: 803mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 8442IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 4mg
      Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a comment below or pin it to your Pinterest account!

      Updated from November 15, 2015.

      15 Comments

      1. 5 stars
        I have made this soup 5 times in 4 weeks. I’ve added sausage once, I always add kale and sometimes Brussels sprouts. I’ve used beef broth, vegetable broth and chicken broth. I’ve added chicken. I make extra broth, it’s our favorite part. Lots of garlic and seasonings. It’s so delicious thank you!

        I’ve also made a few of your desserts and cookies and I love them all. I just ordered your cookbook as a thank you and so I will have your dessert recipes handy. I hope you make another cookbook, thank you for posting all of your family recipes.

        1. Hi Karee Sue, thanks so much, so glad you love the soup, and I love the additions you made and thank you for ordering the book, I hope you enjoy it. Happy New Year.

        1. Hi Rose Ann I did an update to include dried soaked beans, but I don’t recommend canned because I never use them. Have a great Sunday. 🙂

        1. Hi Robin, Borlotti beans are available in the US but I also heard they are sometimes called Cranberry beans or Horticultural Beans. Hope that helps. Have a great day.

      2. I can tell by reading the recipe that I’m going to love this soup! Thank you! It’s on my weekend list of things to fix! Brenda

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