I know I said a while back that this lasagna soup would be my last soup recipe until the fall. But now we’re in a time when I want to give you recipes that use ingredients that you may have on hand already. Also, something about being home all day just feels a little cozy. We have had a lot of sunshine and warm weather, but a cozy bowl of soup and a hunk of homemade sourdough just feels perfect at the end of the day right now. This pantry minestrone soup is just that: it’s made with ingredients that are staples in many pantries and freezers, or ingredients that are common in your refrigerator. And it’s very customizable based on what you have on hand!
This minestrone soup has a great base that you can customize based on what you have on hand. One of the ingredients is two cups of vegetables. Whatever you want to use! That last sad zucchini or yellow squash, the random cubed butternut squash in the freezer, a sweet potato from the pantry, frozen peas, etc. There are so many options and all of them are delicious! I love using red kidney beans in this soup, but again, if you don’t have them you can always use another type of bean. Any type of canned bean will work!
This is also a meatless meal that’s super hearty. You can’t go wrong with a soup made of beans, vegetables, and pasta. What pasta you use is also customizable. Something with a smaller size is best, but since you only need a cup of pasta you can use up whatever is left in your pantry. I used orzo, but mini farfalle, elbows, and ditilini are all great options. No pasta? You can add half a cup or rice or skip it all together and add an extra can of beans to bulk it up. With the flavor base on this pantry minestrone soup, you can customize it in so many ways and still have a delicious meal.
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- ½ tsp. dried thyme
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 28 oz. canned crushed tomatoes
- 15 oz. canned diced tomatoes
- 3 cups broth
- 1 tsp. salt + more to taste
- 1 cup frozen green beans
- 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups vegetables of choice (chopped zucchini, yellow squash, potato, butternut squash, peas, and/or mushrooms are all great options)
- 1 parmesan rind (optional) + shredded cheese for topping, if desired*
- 1 cup pasta of choice (a small-sized pasta works best)
- Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery and cook until tender.
- Add oregano, basil, thyme, pepper, red pepper flakes, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, broth, salt, pepper, green beans, kidney beans, vegetables, and parmesan rind. Bring to a simmer.
- Add pasta and cook until tender. Taste and add additional salt if desired. Remove parmesan rind, if using.
- Serve topped with shredded parmesan cheese and with crusty bread on the side.
- Enjoy!
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[…] I’m back in the new year with a new recipe! If you’re following along on Instagram, you know that we welcomed our fourth baby in September. Aurora Marie joined her two big brothers and one big sister and we are all smitten with her. I always wanted two boys and two girls and I feel very blessed that she’s joined our family. We are still in the midst of virtual learning and I gave myself a bit of a “maternity leave” from blogging until the new year. Life feels slightly less chaotic now that we are in a bit of a routine, which is why I was able to whip up this creamy and delicious butternut squash and tomato soup! […]