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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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