Minestrone Soup Recipe with Vero Gusto® Sauce by Barilla®

Check out this delicious and healthy minestrone soup recipe made with Vero Gusto® Heritage Marinara sauce by Barilla®, fresh vegetables, beans and pasta.

This minestrone soup recipe is easy to make and enjoy anytime, but is especially appetizing on a cold fall or winter day. Minestrone is a hearty, healthy soup that will keep you full and nourished due to the abundance of fresh vegetables, beans, herbs, and pasta. The broth of this minestrone soup recipe is infused with the star of this dish - Vero Gusto® Heritage Marinara sauce by Barilla® which helps add flavor, richness, and maintains that homemade taste. Minestrone soup is a great option for an easy dinner that the whole family will love, and it will stretch throughout the week for tasty leftovers!

Using the Vero Gusto® Sauce by Barilla® in Minestrone Soup

The Vero Gusto® sauce by Barilla®, made in Parma, Italy, is a great addition to this healthy minestrone recipe because there is nothing artificial and no added sugar. The exceptional Barilla® pasta sauce is also non-GMO Project Verified. The Vero Gusto® is slowly sautéed with the finest regional ingredients including: caramelized onion, garlic, and carrot, an authentic Italian soffiritto, which gives it an aromatic, homemade taste.

The high-quality of the Vero Gusto® Heritage Marinara sauce is accomplished by using the traditional tomato passata technique, which originated in Italy. Tomato passata, is an uncooked tomato puree, and the process includes straining all the seeds and skins, so that only the most flavorful and rich parts of the tomato (the pulp) are utilized. This process helps to make the sauce perfectly rich and smooth. With the Vero Gusto® you can truly enjoy and appreciate the journey to this nourishing meal. The Vero Gusto® Heritage Marinara sauce can be purchased at your local Kroger store. There are three different Vero Gusto® varieties available at Kroger including the Heritage Marinara, Tomato and Basil, and Sicilian Herb sauces, click here for more details!

What is Minestrone Soup?

Did you know that minestrone soup has a long history dating back hundreds of years, and it was traditionally made to use up leftover vegetables? That is why, to this day, there is no one exact recipe for minestrone due to the varying mixture of vegetables and fresh ingredients used.

This healthy minestrone soup recipe includes the Vero Gusto® Heritage Marinara-infused broth with fresh, organic vegetables, beans, and pasta. The wholesome pasta-based soup can be made utilizing a wide range of vegetables, but traditionally the core-ingredients of minestrone include tomato, onion, celery, garlic and carrots. This minestrone recipe is a complete meal packed with nutrients, and is considered vegetarian.

How to Make Minestrone Soup Using Vero Gusto® sauce by Barilla®

What You Need to Make Minestrone Soup:

-½ jar of Vero Gusto® Heritage Marinara sauce by Barilla®

-½ cup of shredded carrots

-3 celery stalks, diced

-1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed

-1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

-½ cup of cut green beans (fresh or frozen)

-½ cup of red onion, diced

-1 zucchini, diced

-4 cups of vegetable broth

-4 ounces of Barilla® medium shell pasta

-Handful of fresh parsley, chopped

-2 garlic cloves, minced

-1 tsp dried basil

-1 tsp dried oregano

-Salt and pepper to taste

-Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation and Directions for Minestrone Soup:

1. Wash, prepare, and cut the vegetables and herbs. Then, add olive oil to a large soup pot on the stovetop over medium heat (you can also use a separate pan). Sauté the diced onion, celery, shredded carrots, and zucchini for 4-5 minutes. Simultaneously, bring a small pot of salted water to boil and add 4 ounces of Barilla® medium shell pasta to the pot, and cook al dente according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and rinse with cool water, set aside.

2. Add the vegetable broth, drained and rinsed beans, and sautéed veggies to the soup pot. Slowly stir in ½ the jar of the Vero Gusto® sauce. Add the dried oregano and basil, garlic, and chopped parsley. Simmer on low to medium heat for 15-20 minutes covered, until vegetables are tender and ingredients are well-combined. Add pasta, let cook for another 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with additional fresh parsley and parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

How to Make the Perfect Bowl of Minestrone Soup

If you are looking for a quick, healthy and delicious recipe, try making this minestrone soup using the Vero Gusto® sauce, you won’t be disappointed! The soup also makes for great leftovers for lunch or dinner, so be sure to store extra servings in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. All the ingredients can easily be found at the grocery store, and/or your pantry.

Head to your local Kroger to pick-up a container of Vero Gusto® Sauce by Barilla® and give this amazing soup a try today with your family or friends!

Easy-Peasy Minestrone Soup

This soup is similar to my Vegetable Tortellini Soup which everyone enjoyed! This recipe can be made gluten free with quinoa noodles or by leaving out noodles completely. I use organic bone broth for many of my soups because of the collagen and gut healing benefits, however that can be subbed out with more veggie broth and water. 

Ingredients:

• 1 32 ounce container of organic bone broth
• 1 32 ounce container of organic vegetable broth
• 4 large carrots
• 4 celery stalks 
• 1 can of cannellini beans
• 1 can of red kidney beans
• 1 can of garbanzo beans
• 1 cup of diced red onion
• 2 cups of frozen green peas
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 2 cups of fresh spinach
• 1 handful of fresh parsley leaves
• 5 oz (or half jar) of Tomato-Basil Sauce (I use 365 organic brand)
• 1 box of organic shell noodles or elbow quinoa noodles
• Italian seasoning
• pink salt and pepper

Recipe:

1. Wash and cut the carrots and celery into small pieces.
2. Dice 1/4 of a red onion into tiny pieces
3. Chop 2 cups of small spinach, removing the stems (set aside for the end)
4. Boil a pot of water for the noodles, and add noodles and cook to al dente (leave a little firmer than normal since they will be added back into hot water). Rinse with cold water so they don't stick together.
5. Heat a large pot on the stove and add the entire container of bone broth and veggie broth. Next, press 3-4 garlic cloves (depending on your preference), add the celery, carrots, onion, peas to the soup mixture *HOLD OFF on spinach*
6. Rinse and drain all of the beans and add them to the pot. 
7. Add the handful of fresh parsley (can rip into smaller pieces)
8. Add about 5 oz of marinara sauce to pot and stir well.
9. Let cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes.
10. Lower heat and add cooked noodles, spinach, dry Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cook until noodles are fully cooked and carrots are tender. 

This soup will last you several days and can simply be reheated over the stovetop and can re-season with Italian seasoning and pepper. 

Creamy Chicken + Wild Rice Soup (Dairy-Free)

This recipe is a healthier version of the famous Panera soup that I developed from scratch. I used all organic and fresh ingredients! This soup is dairy free and you can make it vegan by leaving out the chicken and using all vegetable broth instead of a combo of that an bone broth. Cream-based soups are delicious and satisfying during the winter months, but they can pack lots of extra calories and fat, so this recipe is a better-for-you alternative! Plus, bone broth is one of the best foods you can feed your gut this time of year to help fight and prevent illness and strengthen your immune system. If you are lactose intolerant, sensitive to dairy, or live a vegan lifestyle this is a great way to still enjoy a rich soup! 

Ingredients:

-4 cups of bone broth (1 container as you may use more)

-4 cups of vegetable broth (1 container as you may use more)

-3 cups of wild rice

-1 box of organic pre-cut chicken breast or 2-3 small organic chicken breasts cooked on the stove top over olive oil, salt and pepper. 

-1/4 cup of nutritional yeast

-1/4 cup of raw cashews (soaked prior to blending)

-1 regular potato or 2 small potatoes

-1 tbs white wine vinegar

-Olive oil

-Pink salt and pepper to taste

-Handful of fresh parsley

-3 large carrots

-3 large celery stalks

-1/4 cup of diced red onion

-3-4 cloves of fresh garlic

-1 can of organic cannellini beans

RECIPE:

1. Soak the cashews. Can do this overnight or I prefer to boil a small pot of water, remove from heat and then cover the cashews for 15-20 minutes. Drain once the time is up.

2. While the cashews are soaking you can boil a pot of water to cook the potato. Can leave the peel on if you prefer. I used two small golden potatoes and did not peel them prior to boiling. Once cooked set aside to cook and cut into small pieces. You can also cook the chicken breast if you did not buy the organic packaged version. Cook in olive oil with salt and pepper, remove from heat and use food scissors to cut into smaller pieces, set aside for later. 

3. Heat a large soup pot on the stove top with olive oil and add cut-up carrots and celery, diced onion, and press the 3 garlic cloves. Stir in 1-2 cups of bone broth and cook until the veggies start to soften. 

4. Add the wild rice to the pot mixture for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the remainder of the bone broth and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes with lid on. 

5. While the rice is cooking in pot, combine the cooked potato, raw soaked cashews, and rinsed beans into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. I added a little bit of water to help the consistency blend easier. You may want to use a spatula to scrape the sides and blend a few times to make sure the mixture is smooth. 

6. Add the cream mixture to the soup pot and stir well. Add 1 tbs of white wine vinegar, 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast, pepper, and salt. If you are using chicken, now would be the time to add the cooked chicken to the pot as well. 

7. Cook on low heat until rice reaches desired texture. Make sure to stir frequently to prevent the rice from sticking together or the bottom of the pot. You may need to add more broth or water as the cream mixture will be pretty thick, it depends what kind of consistency you like. I added more broth at the end and let it heat for a little while before serving.

Top with fresh parsley and can serve with oyster crackers or fresh bread if you eat gluten. 

Can store in the fridge and enjoy as left-overs, but may need to stir in more water prior to reheating as it will thicken up from being stored. 

Italian Veggie Tortellini Soup

This soup is super easy and super satisfying for these colder winter evenings!! I used all organic products to put this recipe together!

Ingredients:

• 2 packages of cheese tortellini
• 2 zucchinis
• 1 large container of organic vegetable broth
• 5 large carrots chopped up
• Handful of fresh parsley
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 jar of organic basil marinara sauce
• Olive oil (for sauteing carrots) 
• Dried Italian seasoning 
• 2 cups of chopped spinach 
• Pink salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Cut up veggies and sauté carrots in pan with olive oil to soften a bit.
• Add zucchini, garlic, veggie broth, spinach, dry seasonings, and marinara to large pot on stove-top. (I only used 3/4 of the jar of marinara for a more soupy consistency)
• Add carrots and parsley to the pot. 
• When veggies seem softened enough, add the tortellini and cook for about 15 minutes or until soft. (careful to not overcook the pasta)
• Garnish with more fresh parsley, salt, pepper and optional-parmesan cheese

**Can also cook in a crock-pot, but same as the above recipe do NOT add in the tortellini until the last 15-20 minutes because they will get soft quick. Time will vary based on your crock-pot**

Crock-pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 can of organic chickpeas/garbanzo beans 
• 1 can of organic corn
• 1 can or container of enchilada sauce (used 365 organic brand from Whole Foods)
• 2 small containers of green chiles (usually found on international aisle)
• 1 large container of chicken broth (I used organic chicken bone both for added health benefits)
• 1 lb of fresh chicken breast 
• 1 tsp olive oil 
• Handful of fresh cilantro
• 1 garlic clove
• Pink salt and pepper
• 1 Tbs chili powder (can get away with more if you like a kick)
• 1 Tbs cumin
• Organic yellow corn tortilla shell or chips to break as topping
• Optional-shredded cheddar cheese to top

Recipe:

1. Add tsp of olive oil to pan and cook chicken breasts with salt and pepper, remove from heat and let cool.
2. Warm-up crock-pot
3. Once chicken it cooled cut or shred to smaller pieces, I prefer to use cooking shears
4. Add to crockpot: enchilada sauce, can of corn (undrained), drained and washed garbanzo beans, cut-up chicken, 1 pressed garlic clove, chicken broth, green chillies, fresh cilantro, chili powder and cumin and pepper and salt. 
5. Cooking time can vary based on your slow cooker's setting, I cooked mine for around 2 hours, could go longer on a very low setting. 
6. Once soup is warmed and cooked, serve with more fresh cilantro, tortilla crumbles, and cheddar cheese