Quick Italian Vegetable Minestrone Soup (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ For the Base

01 - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
02 - 1 tablespoon butter
03 - 1 cup diced yellow onion
04 - 1 cup diced carrots
05 - 1/2 cup diced celery
06 - 1 large zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
07 - 3 teaspoons minced garlic

→ For Seasonings and Flavor

08 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
09 - 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
10 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
12 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
13 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
14 - 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
15 - 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
16 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ For Beans and Vegetables

17 - 1 cup chopped green beans
18 - 14.5 oz can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
19 - 14.5 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
20 - 15 oz can diced tomatoes

→ For the Pasta and Broth

21 - 1 cup ditalini pasta
22 - 4 cups beef broth

# Instructions:

01 - Heat the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once it's hot, add the diced onion, carrots, celery, and sliced zucchini. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables soften up - about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until it smells amazing.
02 - Stir in the tomato paste and Italian seasoning until everything is evenly coated. Add the chopped green beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas. Stir to combine and cook for another 5 minutes so all the flavors start to come together.
03 - Pour in the diced tomatoes, dried thyme, fresh parsley, and beef broth. Stir everything together and bring the soup to a boil. As soon as it's boiling, turn the heat down to low to keep it at a gentle simmer.
04 - Add the onion powder, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, and ditalini pasta. Stir everything together and let the soup simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes until the pasta is tender and all the flavors have melded together. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
05 - Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot. If you want, top with shredded Parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread for dipping. So good!

# Notes:

01 - Minestrone is super versatile - add whatever vegetables you have on hand like potatoes, kale, spinach, or broccoli.
02 - Don't skip the balsamic vinegar! It adds a subtle brightness that really makes the flavors pop.
03 - If you have a Parmesan rind, toss it in while the soup simmers for extra flavor depth.
04 - This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop.

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