Easy Italian Soup Recipes that Everyone Loves

Here is a collection of delicious and easy Italian soup recipes that you’ll love. Served with artisan crusty bread these easy soups can be used for weeknight dinners or for special occasions. From a hearty vegetable-filled winter minestrone soup to a delicate but flavorful Italian wedding soup, you’ll be sure to find the perfect soup that hits the spot!

For extra flavor, make sure to keep some grated Romano or Parmesan cheese on hand to sprinkle on top when serving.

Italian Soup Recipes

Enjoy these Italian soup recipes that taste amazing. Some are modern, while others of authentic origin, straight from Italy. Many of these recipes I include tips for how to modify them to be more suitable for meat lovers, or for vegetarians. I hope you enjoy!

Seasoning Tips for Italian Soup Recipes

Here are a few helpful tips for making Italian soups and ways you can modify them.

1. Use olive oil to saute the basic ingredients for a stock or broth – yellow onions, celery, and carrots. Make sure you saute them until the onions are translucent, this normally takes about 8 minutes over medium heat. This way you don’t have to worry about having crunchy onions in your soup!
2. Use red pepper flakes. This will add some heat to your soup, and it’s commonly used for spicing up Italian recipes.
3. Top your soups with Italian cheese. I personally love Romano cheese, but Parmesan will work just as well. It adds saltiness and some creaminess to the soups. I find this especially true with my cannellini bean soup recipe.
4. Add more vegetables. Any time you’re dealing with a vegetable soup such as minestrone, feel free to add in more vegetables. One common ingredient is green beans. My grandmother included these in her recipe for minestrone and even though I don’t, it doesn’t mean you can’t. The truth is, I use what I have on hand!
5. Make it a meat soup! Turn a vegetable soup into a meat soup by adding in cooked sausage or beef.
6. Add small pasta shapes. Some traditional Italian soups aren’t known for using pasta in them – like minestrone. But that doesn’t mean you can’t add them in if you like them. I recommend using small shapes like ditalini or for more delicate soups, use small shapes like acini di pepe, or orzo!

What Type of Broth Do Italian Soups Use?

This depends on the recipe itself. But here are a few tips.

1. Check the ingredient list. If using store bought broth, always look at the list of ingredients. You may find herbs or spices you wouldn’t normally use. I often see thyme, rosemary, and marjoram listed on boxes and I shy away from those. They may be great for some recipes, but many Italian soups need a basic carrots, onions, and celery mix.
2. Use chicken bullion. If the recipe is one that creates it’s own broth, like my minestrone, but you want to add some more fullness to the flavor, then I recommend using chicken bullion. This way you’re just adding in the chicken flavor without risking changing the entire soup.
3. Recipes that use beef for the meat, will taste good with chicken broth. I at first found this odd in concept, but quickly discovered it was so true. My Italian wedding soup is proof of that.
4. For a tomato base sauce or broth, use a can of diced tomatoes along with the juices. If you don’t want chunks of tomato in your soup, then use tomato puree or tomato paste.

Common Beans to use in Italian Soups

Beans play an important role in Italian soups. Beans are a good source of protein and not to mention extremely economical. So here are some common types of beans that are safe to use in Italian soups.

1. Cannellini beans. These are actually a type of white bean, but they are known for their creamy texture. That’s why I often mash them in soups for a creamier consistency. But these beans are soft and easy to eat, making them great for salads, like my cannellini bean salad recipe.
   These beans are not overly powerful in flavor which is why they are so versatile.
2. Kidney beans. These beans are red and definitely have a stronger flavor than cannellini beans. Which is why they are perfect for hearty soups such as the pasta fazool soup.
   If you’re concerned with it being overpowering, then consider using a mix of the kidney beans and white beans.
3. Chickpeas. I don’t use these too much in soups, but if you’re making a very hearty dish, add some chickpeas! These go great with thick and chunky soups.
4. Borlotti beans. These are those cool looking white colored beans that have a pink or red marbled appearance. They are very mild with a slight nutty undertone, and can be used to replace cannellini beans.

Tips for using Pasta in Italian Soups

Here are a few tips for using pasta with your Italian soups such as pasta e fagioli, or other classic Italian soups.

1. If you don’t want a starchy soup, cook your pasta separately in its own pot. Then rinse it to remove extra starch. Place the pasta in pasta serving bowls or soup bowls and ladle the soup on top.
2. If you want a thick soup like pastina soup where you’re using tiny pasta shapes, then cook the pasta along with the soup.

How to Store Italian Soups

Most if not all Italian soups can be easily stored in the fridge or freezer. Always use airtight containers and label and date the contents.

• If the soup includes meat, store in the fridge for up to 3 days, otherwise most vegetable soups will be fine for up to 5 days.
• For long term storage, store in airtight containers leaving a little room for expansion. Then keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.

What to Serve with Italian Soups?

Italian soups can be used as a first course to a larger meal, often during holidays or special occasions. But they can also work just as well as a meal unto itself. So here are some ideas for side dishes that go well with Italian soups.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of soups and that they’ve inspired you to try some of them!

Do you have a favorite Italian soup recipe you love? Comment below in the comments section. I’d love to hear from you. And if you’ve found this post helpful, give it a share on social!