Hearty Winter Minestrone Soup
This hearty winter minestrone is packed with vegetables: onions, celery, carrots, zucchini, Yukon gold potatoes, and Savoy cabbage.
Ever since the weather has gradually become colder and the days have gotten shorter, I’ve had a hankering for homemade soup.
I love hearty soups for many reasons. They are very satisfying and filling and also happen to make excellent leftovers. In fact, they usually improve in flavor the day after cooking.
This Hearty Winter Minestrone Soup has been a family favorite for years. Unlike traditional Southern Italian minestrones which usually contain pasta or lots of beans, this soup contains mostly vegetables.
For a bit more heartiness, this version also contains Yukon gold potatoes and canned cannellini beans. The long simmer time is essential for this soup, it really does have a dramatic difference on the flavor.
If you’re looking to prep it ahead or save time, I recommend prepping all of the vegetables (excluding potato, which will oxidize) and placing them in separate containers a day ahead. It saves a lot of time!
Hearty Winter Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 medium yellow onions medium dice
- 4-5 peeled carrots medium dice
- 4 celery stalks medium dice
- 4-5 small Yukon Gold potatoes chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 4-5 medium zucchini trimmed and chopped into ½-inch pieces
- ½ head Savoy cabbage cored and thinly sliced into ribbons
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1¼ cup (300 mL) canned chopped tomatoes
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1-2 Parmigiano-Reggiano rind optional
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans drained and rinsed well
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- finely grated parmiginao-reggiano cheese for serving
Instructions
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a large soup pot on medium-low heat. Once the butter has melted and is lightly sizzling, add the onions and a generous pinch of kosher salt. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes or until slightly translucent in color. Add the diced carrot and carrots and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Follow the same method with the with the addition of each vegetable: potatoes, zucchini (allowing each vegetable to cook and saute for 2 to 3 minutes before adding the next). Add the cabbage and let cook for 6 minutes, until slightly wilted, stirring every few minutes.
- Add the broth, canned tomatoes, bay leaves, and parmigiano-reggiano rinds. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and slowly simmer the soup for 3 hours. Once ready, the vegetables should be very soft and tender and the soup should be considerably thicker.
- In the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking, add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans. Season to taste, adding a touch more salt and pepper as needed. Serve with a generous sprinkling of finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese.
10 Comments on “Hearty Winter Minestrone Soup”
You forgot the tomatoes in your pictures
Hi! Yes, I know that! These pictures are more than six years old at this point. I can assure you they were in the soup though (I don’t post step-by-step photos, so I don’t often include every ingredient photographed in every recipe post). If you want a more updated recipes with images, try this one: https://www.abeautifulplate.com/slow-cooker-winter-minestrone-with-split-red-lentils/
Thanks so much Susan! It is a very comforting soup, I must say. Let me know if you decide to try it. I promise it won’t disappoint.
<3 Laura
Haha! I liked it..and then my radio started playing it 5 times in a row. Aghh.
haha, it’s weird… when I moved out of California, I stopped hearing California Gurls. I like the song so much I eventually downloaded it on iTunes 🙂 I do love me some Katy Perry.
That soup looks extremely wholesome and just what I need when it gets cold. You take great pictures!
It IS, I was shivering in my car the other day. Then again, my car is 16 years old, so that doesn’t help. Can’t wait for your giveaway 🙂
Bay leaves are great in stews, I also use them in my homemade tomato sauce. Definitely try them. Thanks Liz!
Oh yummy! It is getting chilly, isn’t it? Once again, loving the photos. My favorite is of the gorgeous golden onion next to the carrots and celery.
Brrrr I’m not a fan of the colder temperatures, but that minestrone soup looks really good!!! I always hear of using bay leaves in soups but I’ve never actually done it! This recipe looks really good 🙂