Yummy Minestrone Soup

This soups recipe is the definition of a feel-good bowl, a classic minestrone packed with cannellini beans, green beans, cabbage, carrots, and tomatoes in a basil-scented broth. It is naturally high in fiber and low in fat, the kind of dinner that fills you up without weighing you down.

The order of cooking matters. The hardier vegetables go in first to simmer and soften, and the pasta joins near the end. Adding pasta too early means it overcooks into mush and drinks up all your broth, so give it just enough time to turn tender.

That said, if you are making this ahead, cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl. Left to sit in the soup, pasta keeps swelling and turns bloated. The cannellini beans lend body and creaminess, and a generous shower of parmesan on top ties it all together. Serve with crusty bread for a complete meal.

Kitchen Tips

• Add the pasta near the end so it stays tender instead of overcooking into mush and soaking up the broth.
• Making it ahead? Cook the pasta separately and add it per bowl, since pasta keeps swelling in the soup.
• Drop a parmesan rind into the pot while it simmers for extra savory depth.

Variations

• Use vegetable broth to make it fully vegetarian.
• Swap in zucchini, spinach, or kale for the cabbage.
• Stir in cooked Italian sausage or pancetta for a heartier, meaty version.