Tomato Garlic Minestrone

I’ve got another warm, nourishing, one pot dish for you: Tomato Garlic Minestrone! It’s packed with vegetables, orzo pasta, and the most flavorful roasted garlic marinara sauce by Rao’s. This marinara has a cult following, and as soon as I tried it for the first time, I was hooked, too.

Traditionally, minestrone is a mixed vegetable soup with onions, celery, carrot, beans, and pasta or rice in a tomato broth. I really like green beans and zucchini in this soup, but feel free to use up whatever you have on hand. Mushrooms, butternut squash, maybe meatballs? Go for it! Just don’t forget the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese!

Speaking of cheese… when you finish a wedge of Parmesan cheese, wrap the rind tightly and stash it in the freezer to use later. When you make soup, throw the entire rind in while the soup is simmering to add flavor.

Tomato Garlic Minestrone is truly one of my FAVORITE recipes, and I’m so happy to share it with you!

Tomato Garlic Minestrone

Thick, rich vegetable and pasta stew

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Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Equipment

• Large Dutch oven or stock pot
• Apron (tomato sauce will splatter!)

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 3 large carrots, diced
• 1 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups green beans, trimmed and diced (1/2-inch)
• 2 zucchini, diced (1/2-inch)
• 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 24-oz jar roasted garlic marinara sauce, such as Rao's
• 8 cups water
• 1 Parmesan rind (optional)
• 1 cup orzo pasta, dried
• 1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan cheese, plus more to serve
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

 

• Heat olive oil over medium in a large Dutch oven or stock pot. Add onion and cook 2-3 minutes until it begins to soften. Add garlic, celery, carrot, salt, and pepper, cooking 4-6 minutes more. Stir in green beans and zucchini and cook 5 minutes.
• Add marinara sauce, beans, water and Parmesan rind (if using), and bring to a simmer. Add orzo, stir and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Stir pasta often so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.
• After 10 minutes, remove from heat and let stand with lid on 10-15 minutes. Stir in 1/3 cup grated cheese and chopped parsley. Serve with additional cheese, if desired.

Notes

My favorite jarred marinara sauce to use in this recipe is Rao’s Roasted Garlic Sauce. You could substitute another brand or a large can of crushed tomatoes with a bit more garlic, though I have not tested it this way.

The recipe as written creates a thick pasta stew. If you want your soup to have with more broth, increase the water in the recipe from 8 cups to 10  cups or so.

Parmesan rind adds flavor when simmered in a dish. Before serving, discard the rind. 

Keyword minestrone, orzo, soup, tomato, vegetarian, zucchini

When you try this recipe, be sure to tag @dinneronthecouch so I can cheer you on!