Delia Smith Minestrone Soup Recipe

This Delia Smith Minestrone Soup is a comforting Italian-style vegetable soup filled with seasonal vegetables, beans, and small pasta. The texture is hearty and satisfying, with a rich tomato broth that becomes even more flavorful as it cooks. It is a wholesome, nourishing dish that is simple to prepare and perfect for a warming lunch or light supper. The recipe is beginner-friendly and takes about 1 hour from start to finish.

Ingredients

For the Soup Base

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery sticks, sliced

Vegetables and Broth

• 1 medium potato, diced
• 1 courgette, chopped
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pasta and Beans

• 100g small pasta such as ditalini or macaroni
• 200g tin cannellini beans, drained

To Finish

• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

How to Make Delia Smith Minestrone Soup

• Prepare the vegetables: Finely chop the onion, crush the garlic, dice the carrots and potato, slice the celery, and chop the courgette so everything is ready to cook.
• Cook the base: Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots and celery and cook gently for about 8 minutes until softened and fragrant.
• Add more vegetables: Stir in the diced potato and courgette. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the vegetables to begin softening.
• Add tomatoes and stock: Pour in the chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock. Stir well and bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
• Simmer the soup: Add the dried oregano, salt and pepper. Allow the soup to simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
• Cook the pasta: Stir in the small pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until just tender.
• Add the beans: Stir in the cannellini beans and cook for another 5 minutes until heated through.
• Finish and serve: Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.

Tips for the Best Minestrone Soup

How do I make the soup thicker?

Minestrone naturally thickens as the pasta and beans release starch. If you prefer a thicker soup, mash a few beans into the broth before serving.

Can I use different vegetables?

Yes. Minestrone is very flexible. Leeks, green beans, cabbage, or spinach all work well and add variety.

How do I keep the pasta from becoming too soft?

If you plan to store the soup, cook the pasta separately and add it when serving to keep it from becoming overly soft.

How can I boost the flavour?

A Parmesan rind simmered in the soup adds depth and richness to the broth.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with warm crusty bread
• Pair with garlic bread
• Top with extra Parmesan cheese
• Enjoy with a simple green salad

Storage

Room Temperature

Allow the soup to cool slightly before serving. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Refrigerator

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a little extra stock if the soup has thickened.

Freezing

Minestrone freezes well for up to 3 months. For best results, freeze the soup without pasta and add freshly cooked pasta when reheating.

Nutrition

• Calories: 280 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 40g
• Protein: 11g
• Fat: 8g
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Sodium: 620mg

Nutrition values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients used.

FAQs

Delia Smith Minestrone Soup Recipe

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: SoupCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

bowls

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Total time

55

minutes

Calories

280

kcal

55

minutes

A hearty Italian-style vegetable soup packed with seasonal vegetables, beans, pasta and a rich tomato broth. This comforting minestrone is filling, nutritious and perfect for a warming meal.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 2 carrots, diced

• 2 celery sticks, sliced

• 1 medium potato, diced

• 1 courgette, chopped

• 400g tin chopped tomatoes

• 1 litre vegetable stock

• 100g small pasta (such as ditalini or macaroni)

• 200g tin cannellini beans, drained

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Directions

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and gently cook the onion, garlic, carrots and celery for about 8 minutes until softened.
• Add the diced potato and courgette and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Pour in the chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock. Stir well and bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
• Add the dried oregano, season with salt and pepper, then simmer for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
• Stir in the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until tender.
• Add the cannellini beans and cook for a further 5 minutes until heated through.
• Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
• Serve hot topped with chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

• Use seasonal vegetables for the best flavour.
• The soup thickens slightly as it stands.
• Add a splash of extra stock when reheating if needed.