A little more substantial than your everyday soup, Minestrone is a flexible, soul-warming classic. Everyone has their own twist—and this is mine. It’s packed with vegetables, pasta, and cannellini beans, with golden sausage meat for that extra flavour boost. The best part? You probably have everything you need already in your pantry or fridge.
Whether you’re making it on a chilly night or looking to use up odds and ends, this is a budget-friendly, family-approved recipe that never goes out of style.
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Prep & Cook Time
Prep Time: 10–15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4–6
Budget Notes
You can leave out the sausage entirely—this soup still packs a punch thanks to the herbs, veggies, and tomato base.
Protein Swaps & Add-ins
This recipe is incredibly forgiving:
- Use chicken, beef, or vegetarian sausages
- Add in leftover roast chicken, chopped ham, or even lunchbox salami
- Whatever’s in your fridge, it likely belongs in this pot!
Minestrone Notes
This recipe is inspired by my friend Amy, who whipped up a gorgeous Minestrone without shopping for a thing. That’s the magic of this dish—it’s made for fridge raids.
Don’t have cabbage? Try:
- Zucchini
- Frozen peas
- Baby spinach
- Even celery—if that’s your thing! (I’m not a celery girl myself… it always ends up sad in the veggie drawer.)
Add This One to Your Winter Meal Plan
This hearty minestrone soup is a forever favourite—easy to make, easy to adapt, and perfect for a cold night when you want something warming and nourishing. Grab a bowl, some crusty bread, and settle in.
Minestrone
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp neutral oil - I like canola or vegetable oil
- 500 grams pork sausages skins removed and sausage meat broken up into bite-sized pieces
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 carrots - peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic - finely chopped
- 2 cans chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1¼ litres chicken stock
- 1 tsp salt
- pepper to taste
- herbs - 1 tablespoon of chopped rosemary and thyme OR 1 teaspoon of dried Italian herbs
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 1 cup small pasta - I used seashells
- 1 can cannellini beans - rinsed and drained
- 1 cup cabbage diced
To serve
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- grated parmesan
- toasted bread and butter
Instructions
-
In a medium sized pan over a medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil, once hot, add the sausage pieces and fry until golden and cooked through.
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While the sausage cooks, place a large pot over a medium heat.
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Add 1 tablespoon of oil and once hot, add the onion and carrots. Cook, stirring until translucent, around 5 minutes.
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Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
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Add the sausage to the pot.
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Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken stock, sugar, herbs and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and freshly cracked pepper.
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Bring to the boil and add the pasta. Cook for 8 10 minutes until pasta is cooked al dente, add the cabbage and cannellini beans, and cook for 1 minute.
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Add the parsley, taste, and adjust seasoning if needed.
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Serve with parmesan and toasted bread and butter.
Recipe Notes
BUDGET NOTES
Leave out the sausage, it will still be incredible!
PROTEIN CHANGES
Use whatever flavour sausages you like, chicken, beef or veggie would work well. You can also add any odds and sods you have into this soup, think leftover roast chicken or sliced ham or the kids lunchbox salami.
MINESTRONE NOTES My friend Amy made Minestrone when she came to visit us recently and we all loved it and she didn’t shop for a thing. Its such a great fridge raid dish. If you don’t have cabbage add zucchini or frozen peas or spinach or whatever you need to use up in the fridge! Also you can absolutely add celery which is a traditional addition, however I am not a fan of celery and then I have a whole bunch hanging out in the fridge getting limp so I don’t use it haha! But do feel free if you are celery lovers!
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