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Vegetable Minestrone Nourishes Busy Moms

This hearty vegetable minestrone is the ultimate make-ahead meal that just gets better as it sits in the fridge. It's loaded with veggies (hello, sneaking nutrition into picky eaters!), and you can easily double the batch for those crazy weeknights when you need dinner in a flash. Trust me, your fut
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 3 celery stalks diced
  • 2 medium carrots diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 medium zucchini diced
  • 1 can 28 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 can 15 oz cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup green beans trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup small pasta ditalini or elbow macaroni
  • 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Method
 

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 7-8 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
  2. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly.
  3. Stir in zucchini, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
  4. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Add cannellini beans, green beans, and pasta. Simmer for 10-12 minutes until pasta is tender and green beans are cooked through.
  6. Stir in baby spinach and cook for 2 minutes until wilted. Remove bay leaf and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Serve hot with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top and crusty bread on the side. Leftovers keep beautifully for up to 5 days!