Minestrone is a beloved and delicious soup made with bright colors and a variety of flavors. Whether serving it for family dinner or a big gathering, read on for ideas about what to serve with minestrone soup!
I’ve always felt like an apt alternate title for minestrone soup would be Kitchen Sink Soup. So many delicious textures and flavors go into this versatile recipe. We’ve got pasta, a variety of vegetables, kale or spinach, broth, meat, beans and seasonings. Yum!
Soup is especially difficult to find side dish pairings for because it such a perfect standalone meal. If you are hosting family for dinner or a holiday meal, you may want ideas beyond the bowl for what to serve with minestrone soup.
Read on for a nicely packaged, scrumptious list of ideas to choose from!
FAQ About Minestrone
Minestrone soup can be frozen when stored in an airtight container for up to 6 months for best results.
Minestrone is known for being high in fiber and eliminating toxins from the body, making it a healthy meal.
There are 356 calories in a bowl of minestrone.
Minestrone contains Italian flavors and is filled with beans, ground sausage, tomatoes, vegetables and pasta or rice.
Easy Homemade Minestrone Soup Recipe
This classic minestrone recipe is hearty and jam-packed with vegetables and pasta. Use the veggies you have on hand for this super easy dinner. Great as a weeknight meal and also perfect for larger gatherings!
How to Add Flavor to Soup
Flavor in any recipe is important, but what do you do if you find yourself with a bland dish that has already been cooked? Keep reading for some tips about how to enhance the flavor in any type of food or dish, including soup!
Why You Should Make Minestrone
- With its hearty ingredients (pasta, meat, beans), it is an all-in-one meal and it is very filling.
- It requires only 10 minutes of prep and everything is cooked in a single pot!
- The ingredients in the recipe are easy to find.
- It is a SUPER affordable recipe to purchase ingredients for.
- THE FLAVOR! It can’t be beat.
- It is a great soup for leftovers and it also freezes well! Store in individual containers to use throughout the week or freeze for up to 6 months in an air-tight container.
Recipe Notes – Easy Minestrone Soup
- Use bacon, ground beef or sausage to create this recipe.
- Any type of cooked pasta can be used to create this recipe, such as penne, elbow macaroni, rotini or any other small pasta.
- Bean options to use in this hearty soup: red kidney beans, white beans, great northern beans or black beans.
- For a vegetarian soup, omit meat from the recipe entirely and substitute the beef broth with vegetable broth or vegetable stock. Also, add and leftover vegetables to the Dutch oven when cooking for a super easy vegetarian meal packed with veggies!
- The beef broth can also be substituted with chicken broth, chicken stock or water.
- Swap out the Italian sausage with shredded chicken breasts to create a chicken soup.
- Add red pepper flakes and/or cayenne pepper to the soup for a spicy kick!
- If you have already cooked the pasta separately, throw it in at the very end and heat for 5 minutes until warmed through.
- Use GF pasta for a gluten free soup or omit the pasta entirely!
- A teaspoon or two of Italian seasoning would be a delicious addition to this meal!
- Replace kidney beans with any bean of your choice, if desired.
- Top with fresh herbs (such as parsley or fresh basil), shredded cheese, black pepper or sour cream.
What To Serve With Minestrone Soup
This is such a hearty and satisfying dish to enjoy any time of the year. Serve as a main course or a side. Either way, here are great side dishes to accompany this easy soup recipe.
- Dinner rolls
- Garlic bread
- Bruschetta
- Baked potato or roasted sweet potatoes
- Chopped or Caesar salad
- Roasted vegetables such as carrots, green beans, butternut squash, bell peppers or any fresh seasonal vegetables
- Grilled cheese sandwich
- Pizza or calzone
- Grilled chicken
- Mozzarella sticks
- Antipasto skewers
- Pizza pasta bake
- Ham or bacon
- Roast beef
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