Recipes and Cooking Minestrone Soup 4.3 (48) Add your rating & review Chock-full of veggies in a tomatoey broth, pretty much any minestrone you come across is going to be a reasonably good choice. But the real spoiler is sodium, which is off the charts in most typical recipes and prepared versions. This mouthwatering meal in a bowl is case in point that you don't need to lean on salt for flavor when you use lots of herbs like basil, oregano, and parsley and aromatics like garlic and onion. By BHG Test Kitchen BHG Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen has been in continuous operation for nearly 100 years, developing and testing practical, reliable recipes that readers can enjoy at home. The Test Kitchen team includes culinary specialists, food stylists, registered and licensed nutritionists, and other experts with Bachelor of Science degrees in food science, food and nutrition, or culinary arts. Together, the team tests more than 2,500 recipes, produces more than 2,500 food images, and creates more than 1,000 food videos each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on January 1, 2012 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 32 mins Total Time: 52 mins Yield: 6 servings plus leftovers Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients 1 large onion, diced 2 tablespoon olive oil 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 ribs celery, diced (1/2 cup) 1 large carrot, peeled and diced 1 medium zucchini (about 8 ounces), diced 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 6 cup low-sodium vegetable broth or low-sodium chicken broth (48 ounces) 1 28 ounce cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes 1 45 ounce can no-salt-added crushed tomatoes 1 15 ounce can low-sodium cannellini beans, drained and rinsed ½ cup whole grain elbow pasta ⅓ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves Directions In a large soup pot over medium-high heat cook and stir onion in hot oil for 4 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic; cook for 30 seconds. Add celery and carrot. Cook and stir for 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften. Add zucchini, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the broth and the diced and crushed tomatoes. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Add the beans and pasta. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until pasta and vegetables are tender. Top servings with cheese and parsley. Make it vegetarian Use the vegetable broth option as directed. For hearty appetites Serve with Prosciutto-Arugula Panini. Make it gluten-free Use gluten-free broth and substitute 1/2 cup of uncooked rice for the pasta. Cook 5 minutes longer or until rice is tender. Rate it Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 236 Calories 7g Fat 36g Carbs 10g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Calories 236 % Daily Value * Total Fat 7g 9% Saturated Fat 1g 5% Cholesterol 3mg 1% Sodium 719mg 31% Total Carbohydrate 36g 13% Total Sugars 13g Protein 10g Vitamin C 30.7mg 154% Calcium 181.7mg 14% Iron 3.6mg 20% Potassium 471mg 10% Folate, total 28.2mcg Vitamin B-12 0.1mcg Vitamin B-6 0.2mg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.