I mentioned before that my lasagna soup would be my last soup recipe until fall, but lately I’ve been focused on simple dishes that use pantry and freezer staples. Being home more makes a cozy bowl of soup and a piece of sourdough feel just right. This pantry minestrone is that kind of recipe: comforting, flexible, and built from ingredients you probably already have on hand. It’s easy to adapt to what’s in your fridge or freezer and makes a satisfying meal any night of the week.
The base of this minestrone is simple and forgiving. The recipe calls for two cups of vegetables, but those can be whatever you have: a lonely zucchini, yellow squash, frozen cubed butternut, a sweet potato, or frozen peas all work beautifully. I usually use red kidney beans, but any canned bean you have will do—cannellini, chickpeas, or pinto beans are all good substitutes. The goal is a hearty, vegetable-forward soup that’s easy to tailor to your pantry.
This minestrone is meatless yet filling thanks to beans, vegetables, and a bit of pasta. Use a small pasta shape—like orzo, mini farfalle, elbows, or ditalini—but feel free to use whatever small pasta remains in your pantry. If you’re out of pasta, add 1/2 cup rice or another can of beans to bulk it up. The flavor base is flexible, so you can swap ingredients freely while still ending up with a delicious, comforting soup.
- 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
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1/4 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)
- 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 over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery and cook until softened, about 5–7 minutes.
- Stir in oregano, basil, thyme, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, broth, salt, frozen green beans, rinsed kidney beans, your choice of additional vegetables, and the parmesan rind if using. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the pasta and cook until tender according to package directions. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Remove the parmesan rind before serving.
- Ladle into bowls and top with shredded parmesan. Serve with crusty bread if desired.
- Enjoy!
Like what you see? Pin it here!
