Italian Vegetable Soup is the last stop on the soup-to-stew train. It’s loaded with bite-sized chunks of veggies from beans to zucchini – and those beans help naturally thicken the broth just right. Smoky pancetta and nutty parmesan add tons of depth to the flavor. It’s the perfect Italian soup recipe for dunking crusty Italian bread.
Soup season is upon us, and while I love a smooth, creamy, pureed vegetable soup, I equally love a hearty, chunky vegetable soup. And, in my opinion, no one does those quite like the Italians.
Making Italian soups always reminds me of the Stone Soup fable. If you don’t know it, in an impressive feat of gaslighting, some broke people con some poor people out of precious foodstuffs in order to improve upon their totally fake “stone soup.” Conveniently enough, all the ingredients go together, so the result is a beautiful communal meal in the town square, rather than a public beheading.
If “conveniently enough, all the ingredients go together,” doesn’t sum up Italian vegetable soup, I don’t know what does. It’s pretty clear that all Italian soup recipes started by throwing stuff in a pot and seeing what clicked. (Even Wikipedia flat out says “there is no set recipe for Minestrone.”) That being said, when something does click, we write it down.
Not all vegetable-forward Italian soups (like Minestrone) call for pasta – my Italian Chickpea Soup uses garbanzo beans for bulk. Some Italian soup recipes rely heavily on pasta, like Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup with Kale. And if that’s any hint, not all Italian “vegetable soups” are vegetarian, much less vegan. My classic Italian White Bean Soup also has sausage in it.
Now, this particular soup, pulls a bit from all those columns. At its core, in its soul, it’s textbook Italian vegetable soup. Sure, it calls for pancetta and parmesan, but that’s to elevate the flavor. It nixes pasta and uses cannellini beans for starchiness. And then, conveniently enough, it hits you with veggie after veggie. Tomatoes. Carrots. Celery. Green Beans. Zucchini. Yellow Squash. Clicks on every level.
How to Make Italian Vegetable Soup
Surprisingly, you start this Italian Vegetable Soup recipe by cooking pancetta. Unsurprisingly, it’s going to add beautiful, smoky notes to your broth. Cook by adding your vegetables and liquids in layers, then let everything simmer together. Serve this Italian soup warm with fresh basil and parmesan.
- Heat pancetta and olive oil to medium in a dutch oven or soup pot until Saute 6-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until pancetta is crispy.
- Increase heat to medium high. Add mirepoix ; saute about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
- Work tomato paste into vegetable for 2-3 minutes.
- Deglaze the pot with white wine, stirring constantly to dissolve tomato paste and loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in broth, tomatoes, white beans (with canning liquid), Italian seasoning, fresh thyme, and bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil over high heat. Then, reduce to maintain a steady simmer. Cook 20 minutes, uncovered.
- Stir in remaining vegetables. Simmer 10 minutes, until squash are just barely tender.
- Stir in lemon juice; adjust seasoning to taste.
- Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh basil and parmesan cheese, and serve right away.
Chef’s Tips!
- Use the cannellini beans with their canning liquid – since it’s starchy, it will add some bulk to the broth. Just be forewarned! The canning liquid can also be salty, so don’t add extra until your final tasting.
- Use the best quality vegetable broth and canned tomatoes you can afford – it really enhances the flavor. Use fire-roasted tomatoes for added depth.
- If you need to substitute frozen green beans for fresh, add them in the last 3-5 minutes so they don’t get mushy. Avoid canned green beans – they’re too soft and too sweet for this recipe.
- Dice each vegetable into small, bite-sized pieces for a balanced spoonful every time.
- If you cannot find pancetta, substitute four slices of thick cut bacon, chopped into ½” pieces.
- Cook pancetta (or bacon) on medium heat at most to ensure the fat renders properly and the meat crisps without burning.
- Take the 2-3 minutes to really work the tomato paste into your mirepoix – it will remove the tinny, canned taste.
What to Serve with Italian Vegetable Soup
We love this soup as a starter (or a side) for lighter meals with fish or poultry – it’s already got all the veggies! Serve it with salmon and rice, or try it alongside easy, 30 minute garlic butter chicken thighs and crispy potatoes.
This is the perfect Italian soup recipe to turn into a “soup and salad” meal. It’s hearty and flavorful without being overindulgent. Serve it with a gorgeous tossed Italian salad and a loaf of warm, crusty bread.
Alternatively, since any salad worth its salt is gonna call for crunchy croutons, do yourself a favor and make a batch of your own and split them between your soup and salad. If you’re a bit of a heathen (like me), let them get nice and mushy in your soup. (You can thank me later.)
Freezing and Storing
In the Fridge: store leftovers in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Reheat as instructed below.
In the Freezer: this recipe holds up well in the freezer, even with the softer vegetables! Place into an air-tight container in the freezer for up to 6 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then reheat as instructed below.
How to Reheat: microwave single portions for 60-90 seconds, stirring at least once halfway through. Reheat larger portions in a sauce pot on the stove over medium heat until simmering, stirring occasionally.
Did you make this Italian vegetable soup? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
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Italian Vegetable Soup
Description
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 oz diced pancetta, see Note 1
- 1 medium Vidalia (sweet) onion, diced to ½”
- 2 large carrots, diced to ½”
- 2 stalks celery, diced to ½”
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ c dry white wine
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 15-oz can cannellini beans, undrained
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large zucchini, diced to ½”
- 1 large yellow squash, diced to ½”
- 6 oz fresh green beans, chopped to 1”
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- kosher salt, to taste
- ground pepper, to taste
- fresh basil, for serving
- grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Place the pancetta and olive oil into a dutch oven or large soup pot, then heat to medium; see Note 2. Allow the oil and pancetta to heat until sizzling, then saute, stirring frequently, until the pancetta is golden brown and crispy, 6-7 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium high. Add the onion, carrots and celery and saute, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more.
- Add tomato paste and work into the vegetables. Cook 2-3 minutes to work off the canned flavor.
- Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pot and dissolve the tomato paste. Stir constantly until the tomato paste is dissolved and any browned bits from the bottom of the pot have been absorbed.
- Add the broth, crushed tomatoes, white beans with their canning liquid, Italian seasoning, fresh thyme, and bay leaf. Give everything a good stir, then increase the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce to maintain a steady simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
- Add the zucchini, squash, and green beans and stir until well combined. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the softer vegetables are just barely tender.
- Stir in the lemon juice, then taste for seasoning; adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh basil and parmesan cheese, and serve right away. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Note 2. Pancetta’s smoke point hovers around 400°F, which is on the low side of medium. This means you should never cook on high heat or the pancetta will burn. Cooking on medium-low to medium heat will ensure the fat renders properly without smoking and your meat will crisp without burning.
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