This hearty winter minestrone soup is packed with vegetables, beans, pasta, and a rich tomato broth. Cozy, comforting, and made in one pot, it’s perfect for cold nights, easy dinners, and leftovers that taste even better the next day.

Hearty Winter Minestrone Soup with Vegetables, Beans, and Pasta

When winter settles in and comfort food is calling, a big pot of hearty winter minestrone soup feels just right! This cozy, vegetable-packed soup is inspired by the kind of unfussy winter cooking I love—simple ingredients, rich flavor, and a pot that simmers away while the kitchen fills with warmth.

Loaded with seasonal vegetables, creamy cannellini beans, tender pasta, and a tomato-rich broth finished with pesto, this winter minestrone is perfect for cold nights, easy dinners, and leftovers that taste even better the next day.

Why You’ll Love This Winter Minestrone

• A hearty, one-pot soup that’s filling without being heavy

• Packed with vegetables, beans, and pasta

• Perfect for meal prep and make-ahead dinners

• Easy to customize with what you have on hand

• Cozy, comforting, and family-friendly

This winter minestrone is inspired by Ina Garten’s cozy, unfussy approach to cooking—simple ingredients, big flavor, and recipes meant to be shared.

Winter Minestrone Soup Ingredients

Soup Base & Vegetables

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 4 ounces pancetta, diced (may substitute bacon)

• 1½ cups chopped yellow onion

• 2 cups diced carrots

• 2 cups diced celery

• 2½ cups peeled and diced butternut squash

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

• 1 bay leaf

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Add-Ins

• 1 (26-ounce) can diced tomatoes

• 6–8 cups chicken stock (low-sodium recommended)

• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

• 2 cups cooked small pasta (ditalini, tubetti, or similar)

• 8–10 ounces baby spinach

• ½ cup dry white wine (optional)

• 2 tablespoons prepared pesto

For Serving

• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• Extra pesto

• Crusty bread or garlic bruschetta

How to Make Hearty Winter Minestrone Soup

1. Cook the Pancetta

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until lightly browned and the fat has rendered, about 6–8 minutes.

2. Sauté the Vegetables

Add the onion, carrots, celery, butternut squash, garlic, and thyme. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften.

3. Build the Soup

Stir in the diced tomatoes, chicken stock, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Tip: If the soup thickens too much, add additional stock to reach your preferred consistency.

4. Add Beans, Pasta & Spinach

Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the cannellini beans and cooked pasta. Heat through, then add the spinach and cook just until wilted.

5. Finish with Wine & Pesto

Stir in the white wine and pesto. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Garlic Bruschetta for Serving (Optional)

Slice a baguette on the diagonal, brush lightly with olive oil, and toast in a 425°F oven for about 6 minutes. Rub with a halved garlic clove and sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve alongside the soup for dunking.

🥕 Make It Your Own

One of the best things about winter minestrone is how flexible it is. Use what you have and make this soup your own:

• Swap the vegetables: Sweet potatoes, parsnips, zucchini, green beans, or kale all work well.

• Make it vegetarian: Skip the pancetta and use vegetable stock. Add an extra tablespoon of olive oil for richness.

• Change the beans: Great Northern beans or chickpeas are great substitutes for cannellini beans.

• Switch the pasta: Small shapes like ditalini, tubetti, or small shells hold up best.

• Add protein: Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken or cooked Italian sausage.

• Finish it differently: A drizzle of olive oil, extra pesto, or a squeeze of lemon brightens the soup just before serving.

This forgiving, cozy recipe welcomes creativity—perfect for making again and again throughout the winter!

Print Recipe

Hearty Winter Minestrone Soup

Warm up with a cozy bowl of winter minestrone soup! Packed with vegetables, beans, pasta, and rich tomato broth, this hearty one-pot soup is perfect for cold nights.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Barefoot Contessa, bruschetta, butternut squash, cannellini beans, cooked pasta, Ina Garten, minestrone soup, pancetta, soup

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• Good olive oil
• 4 ounces pancetta 1/2-inch-diced
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 2 cups 1/2-inch-diced carrots (3 carrots)
• 2 cups 1/2-inch-diced celery (3 stalks)
• 2 1/2 cups 1/2-inch-diced peeled butternut squash
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic 4 cloves
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 26 ounce can or box diced tomatoes such as Pomi
• 6 to 8 cups chicken stock preferably homemade
• 1 bay leaf
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups cooked small pasta such as tubetti (I used Pipette)
• 6 oz. package of baby spinach
• 1/2 cup good dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons store-bought pesto + more for serving
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Garlic Bruschetta, recipe follows

• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
• Garlic Bruschetta
• 1 French baguette
• Good olive oil
• 1 clove garlic cut in half lengthwise

Instructions

• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven.
• Add pancetta and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.
• Add onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
• Add tomatoes, 6 cups of the chicken stock, the bay leaf, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper to the pot.
• Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
• Discard bay leaf. Add beans and cooked pasta and heat through.
• The soup will be thick but if too thick, add more chicken stock.
• Just before serving, reheat the soup, add the spinach and stir. Cook just until the leaves are wilted.
• Stir in the white wine and pesto. Depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock, add another teaspoon or two of salt to taste.
• Serve with bruschetta on top, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil and serve hot.

Garlic Bruschetta

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Slice the baguette at a 45 degree angle in 1/2-inch-thick slices.
• Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil and bake for 6 minutes, until lightly toasted.
• Take the slices out of the oven and rub the surface of each one with the cut clove of garlic.

Notes

• I used pancetta that was already cubed and closer to 1/4 inch dice, 1/2 inch diced would be better.
• For a time saver, use cubed butternut squash, available in most grocery stores.
• To reseason soup before serving, add a healthy teaspoon of pesto to each bowl.
• One of the best things about winter minestrone is how flexible it is. Use what you have and make this soup your own:
  • Swap the vegetables: Sweet potatoes, parsnips, zucchini, green beans, or kale all work well.
  • Make it vegetarian: Skip the pancetta and use vegetable stock. Add an extra tablespoon of olive oil for richness.
  • Change the beans: Great Northern beans or chickpeas are great substitutes for cannellini beans.
  • Switch the pasta: Small shapes like ditalini, tubetti, or small shells hold up best.
  • Add protein: Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken or cooked Italian sausage.
  • Finish it differently: A drizzle of olive oil, extra pesto, or a squeeze of lemon brightens the soup just before serving.
   

❓ Winter Minestrone FAQ

Can I make this soup ahead of time?
Yes. This soup tastes even better the next day and keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Does winter minestrone freeze well?
Yes—freeze without the pasta for best texture. Add freshly cooked pasta when reheating.

Can I make this vegetarian?
Absolutely. Omit the pancetta and use vegetable stock.

What pasta works best in minestrone?
Small pasta shapes like ditalini, tubetti, or small shells work best.

Why add pesto at the end?
Pesto adds a fresh, herbaceous finish that brightens the soup without overpowering it.

A Cozy Winter Favorite

This winter minestrone is the kind of soup that feels right on a cold day—simple, satisfying, and made to be shared. Whether you’re serving it for a quiet weeknight dinner or reheating leftovers for lunch the next day, it’s a recipe that brings comfort without fuss. Add some crusty bread, a little extra Parmesan, and enjoy the kind of cozy meal that never goes out of season.

🍲 ❄️ 🥣

Find 10 Hearty and Warming Soup Recipes.

You’ll find recipes for chili and soup with hearty ingredients like Italian sausage, potatoes and pasta to flavorful veggies that pack some nutrition like butternut squash, kale and spinach. Additionally, you’ll find a favorite chicken soup recipe for cold and flu season!

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