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You are here: Home / Food & Health / Classic Minestrone (or “Imposter Minestrone”) Soup Recipe

Classic Minestrone (or “Imposter Minestrone”) Soup Recipe

February 6, 2013 by Demelza Young 50 Comments

minestrone soup

I usually use Hungry Girl’s recipe as my go-to for minestrone, but something about this version (from the same cookbook as my sukiyaki recipe) caught my eye.  Maybe it was the lack of noodles and spinach (which I’m used to seeing in minestrone recipes) and their replacement with cabbage and mushrooms (I had some in the fridge that I needed to use up).  Either way, it provided my sister and me with some interesting running commentary while we were cooking together.

I’d call this more of an imposter soup, as I didn’t feel like I was making (or later, eating) minestrone (which is my favorite), but it was still a delicious vegetable soup.  It kind of reminds me of how sometimes people complain about faux meat products not tasting “meatlike.”  They aren’t actually meat, so I’ve found that you it’s best not to expect them to taste like meat.  They can, however, be enjoyed for what they are – a nice alternative.  This recipe is similar in that, while I find that it is not what I consider true minestrone, the flavors do meld nicely together, making for a delicious dish.  Additionally, while I’m not usually a fan of cooked cabbage, I actually enjoyed the taste and texture of it in this particular soup.  It’s a pretty forgiving recipe, too.  I forgot to add in some of the ingredients at the proper time (hey, it’s distracting when the food paparazzi keeps you talking and laughing while cooking), but the final result wasn’t affected.  My family was happy to arrive home to a hot, veggie-packed lunch after a chilly morning spent out at our farm.

Classic Minestrone Soup Recipe

  • Yield: 8 Servings

Ingredients

    • 1 Teaspoon Virgin Olive Oil
    • 1/4 Cup Water
    • 1 Large Sweet Onions chopped
    • 2 Carrots Chopped
    • 4 Cloves Garlic minced
    • 2 Stocks Celery Chopped
    • 1 Bay Leaf
    • 1 Tablespoon Dried Basil
    • 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
    • 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Rosemary
    • 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
    • 3/4 Pound Mushrooms Chopped
    • 1/2 Cup Vegetable Broth
    • 1/2 Small Head Cabbage
    • 1 20 oz can Diced Tomatoes
    • 2 Cups Cooked White beans
    • 6 Cups Water
    • 1 Cup Green Beans fresh or frozen
    • Pasta (optional) rotini, penne, or egg noodles
    • freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

      1. Heat the oil and ¼ c water in a large soup pot. Sauté the onion until it is translucent.
      2. Add the garlic, carrot, and celery (as well as leeks, if using) to the pot and sauté until the veggies are soft, about ten minutes.
      3. Add the herbs and black pepper and cook, stirring, briefly. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms are soft and have released most of their liquid, about another 8 to 10 minutes.
      4. Add your wine or vegetable broth and boil until the liquid is reduced by half. Scoff at your recipe because it says this will take 45 minutes, but it takes you probably no more than ten.
      5. While your liquid is reducing itself, shred or chop the cabbage. Add it to the pot along with your tomatoes and the white beans. Pour in the 6 c of water and allow the soup to simmer until the vegetables are tender (this took me about half an hour).
      6. Add the green beans and cook just until they turn bright green. You can also add noodles, if you like. I supplemented my soup with garlic pepper, but you can easily throw in a dash of salt or other seasonings to your taste. The parmesan cheese is optional, but I find that it adds another dimension to the flavor. I highly recommend that, when serving, you add about 1 t per bowl.

Source: Adapted from the (1995) Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook, by the editors of the Vegetarian Times and Lucy Moll.

About Demelza Young

Demelza Young is an alumni of Northern Kentucky University. She currently enjoys volunteering her time in her local community, reviewing online content with her cat, and sharing quality recipes.

Filed Under: Food & Health, Homemade Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes Tagged With: healthy eating, healthy recipes, homemade, natural food, recipe, recipes, vegetable, vegetarian, vegetarian recipes

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sabrina says

    February 6, 2013 at 9:39 pm

    That's my fave soup to order at restaurants.

    Reply
  2. mitchelle says

    February 6, 2013 at 9:43 pm

    thanks.. i think its easy to do.  and i can replace some of the ingredients with what we have in the market.

    Reply
  3. Tara says

    February 6, 2013 at 9:53 pm

    Oh this looks really yummy!  I love minestrone soup.  Oh, who am I kidding?  I love most soups 🙂

    Reply
  4. Elizabeth Towns says

    February 6, 2013 at 10:03 pm

    I've used a few of the Hungry Girl's recipes myself. I know this is not one, but that made me feel like we had something in common! This soup reminds me of a soup my mom made while I was growing up – I can almost smell the aroma. This is one I may try.

    Reply
  5. @Mommy_Jennof3 says

    February 6, 2013 at 10:07 pm

    It is a soup time of year! I'll have to add this to my roster! Especially with the cold front moving in tomorrow!!

    Reply
  6. Becky Ryan- Willis says

    February 6, 2013 at 11:59 pm

    When I was a kid I had a few favorite homemade soups; but this one I could eat whether it was homemade or store bought. Your recipe sounds awesome so I look forward to trying it!

    Reply
  7. Pam says

    February 7, 2013 at 1:14 am

    I love a good Minestrone soup and this looks delicious! Healthy too. I will give this a try. Thank you. 

    Reply
  8. Ashley S says

    February 7, 2013 at 9:10 am

    I am pinning this recipe. I have always wanted a good recipe for a good Minestrone soup

    Reply
  9. Paula -Growing Up Bilingual says

    February 7, 2013 at 9:37 am

    Love minostrone and this version with cabagge and mushrooms looks delicious. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  10. Kelly R says

    February 7, 2013 at 9:39 am

    This looks yummy. I was looking for a new recipe. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  11. melandria romero says

    February 7, 2013 at 9:44 am

    what a good looking and yummy recipe,  we also love soup, 

    Reply
  12. Mary W. says

    February 7, 2013 at 9:46 am

    I love Minestrone and this one looks easy to make too.  Gonna give it a try.  Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  13. Donna says

    February 7, 2013 at 9:49 am

    I love soups, and love easy to make soups even more! This looks so delicious… will be trying it soon!

    Reply
  14. Jennifer Mae Hiles says

    February 7, 2013 at 10:04 am

    I don't think I've ever had minestrone soup before but it looks and sounds delicious, I will have to give it a try!

    Reply
  15. sheila ressel says

    February 7, 2013 at 10:10 am

    gotta try making this this weekend

    Reply
  16. Nickida says

    February 7, 2013 at 10:29 am

    I would like to give this a try but I have to omit the onions since I have an allergy.  It looks yummy though.

    Reply
  17. Alisha Kostiuk says

    February 7, 2013 at 11:17 am

    I am not a huge fan of minestone soup but my husband sure does love it. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  18. Michelle Proper says

    February 7, 2013 at 11:45 am

    Perfect recipe for a chilly day! Thanks!

    Reply
  19. Sandy McFadden says

    February 7, 2013 at 4:36 pm

    I will have to try this thanks for the recipe

    Reply
  20. Motherhood on the Rocks says

    February 7, 2013 at 10:17 pm

    That looks delicious! I'm going to pin it and make it soon. Looks so comforting and warming this time of year.

    Reply
  21. Nena Sinclair says

    February 8, 2013 at 4:02 am

    There's nothing better than a bowl of hot homemade soup on a cold day! This sounds delicious! I'll definitely have to make it! Thanks for the recipe! 🙂

    Reply
  22. maddie k. says

    February 8, 2013 at 7:34 pm

    I like this soup, however, it has WAY to many mushrooms in it for me. I suppose I could leave them out. When I make this soup I don't usually use too many beans because my husband doesn't care for beans.

    Reply
    • Susan Bewley says

      February 8, 2013 at 9:35 pm

      Demelza and I are both big mushroom fans. I have to make it without mushrooms since my husband won’t touch them.

      Reply
  23. Laura @ Frugal Follies says

    February 9, 2013 at 8:25 pm

    That looks delicious!  Pinned and shared!

    — Laura @ <a href="http://www.frugalfollies.com/">Frugal Follies</a>
     

    Reply
  24. Debbie Corbin says

    February 10, 2013 at 1:12 am

    i will have to try and make a pot of this soon.. i have never made minestone soup before thanks! 

    Reply
  25. Wendy Mastin says

    February 10, 2013 at 2:41 pm

    I like to try new soup recipes.  Thanks

    Reply
  26. Colleen Boudreau says

    February 10, 2013 at 3:52 pm

    Looks good!!

    Reply
  27. Anne C says

    February 10, 2013 at 3:55 pm

    Thanks! This looks so delicious! Healthy too! 🙂

    Reply
  28. Faith says

    February 10, 2013 at 6:04 pm

    Another DELICIOUS recipe! Thanks:)

    Reply
  29. Sonya Morris says

    February 10, 2013 at 8:08 pm

    I have never tried Minestrone soup but this sounds delicious!

    Reply
  30. Jennifer Roberts says

    February 10, 2013 at 9:55 pm

    This looks easy and delicious 

    Reply
  31. Lifes A Bargain says

    February 11, 2013 at 10:12 am

    I love Minestrone soup.. I'll have to try this one out! 🙂

    Reply
  32. Amanda Skeens says

    February 11, 2013 at 8:22 pm

    mmmmm looks sooo goood

    Reply
  33. Nicole Carter Weasley says

    February 12, 2013 at 12:31 pm

    Oh now I want some soup! This doesn't look too terribly hard to do! Great review

    raventally00@aol.com

    Reply
  34. denise smith says

    February 12, 2013 at 8:59 pm

    this looks really good 

    Reply
  35. Dorothy Boucher says

    February 13, 2013 at 10:05 am

    i love minestrone soup, actually i love soup all kinds of soups hehhe great recipe and thanks for sharing @tisonlyme143

    Reply
  36. Aubrey says

    February 13, 2013 at 2:57 pm

    looks delicious, thanks for the recipe

    Reply
  37. lisa says

    February 13, 2013 at 3:24 pm

    Thanks for the recipe. It's one of my favorites.

    Reply
  38. Beth says

    February 13, 2013 at 8:07 pm

    yummy soup. ( :

    Reply
  39. patrice says

    February 13, 2013 at 8:08 pm

    I love Minestrone Soup. I like garlic bread with it.

    Reply
  40. sam dock says

    February 19, 2013 at 11:15 am

    I bet I could get my son to eat this! Thanks.

    Reply
  41. s riches says

    March 1, 2013 at 11:27 am

    Minestrone is one soup that you cannot go wrong with. I mix and match whatever is on hand  and the soup always comes out fine.

    Reply
  42. Katharine Davis says

    March 20, 2013 at 11:05 am

    looks quick and easy, must share this with my vegetarian niece

    Reply
  43. Jenn McCullar says

    April 12, 2013 at 7:10 pm

    I love soup so much. I think it tates better after being in the freezer.

    Reply
  44. sara m ford says

    April 29, 2013 at 4:07 pm

    thank you for this amazing recipe my family love it

    Reply
    • Susan Bewley says

      April 29, 2013 at 7:50 pm

      So glad they liked it!!

      Reply
  45. Shannon says

    April 28, 2014 at 10:47 am

    I love this soup and it is what I usually get from the OG with a salad. Thank you for sharing, I will have to try it out!

    Reply
  46. ElizabethB says

    May 20, 2014 at 1:01 am

    Not vegetarian, but I sometimes like to try vegetarian-type meals once in a while, and minestrone is one of my favorite soups. I’ll give this recipe a shot.

    Reply
  47. Marie Lowther says

    September 14, 2016 at 2:17 pm

    My husband makes something similar mushrooms sound like a good addition, than you

    Reply

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