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Beef Minestrone Soup

Beef Minestrone Soup Recipe

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 310
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 6 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced
  • 1/2 cup small pasta, like ditalini or small shells
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 Parmesan rind (optional)
  • Grated Parmesan and fresh basil, for serving

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking it up, until browned and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
  3. Stir in the tomato paste and Italian seasoning and cook 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the pot. Bring to a boil.
  4. Stir in the kidney beans and green beans, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
  5. Add the pasta and zucchini and continue to simmer until the pasta is al dente and the zucchini is tender, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Remove the Parmesan rind if used. Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmesan and fresh basil.

Notes

If you plan on having leftovers, cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl right before serving. This keeps the pasta from swelling and breaking down in the fridge. The soup base tastes even better the next day.