The ingredient you need to easily thicken your minestrone soup is pasta. Adding pasta to your minestrone soup not only adds substance and texture but also helps to naturally thicken the broth as it cooks.
Choose Pasta Shape: Select a small pasta shape such as ditalini, small shells, or elbow macaroni. These pasta shapes are ideal for minestrone soup as they cook quickly and absorb liquid well.
Add Pasta to Soup: About 10-15 minutes before your minestrone soup is done cooking, add the desired amount of dry pasta directly to the soup pot. The pasta will cook in the broth, absorbing some of the liquid and releasing starches that will help thicken the soup.
Adjust Liquid: Depending on how much pasta you add, you may need to adjust the amount of liquid in your soup. If the soup becomes too thick, simply add a bit more broth, water, or tomato juice to achieve your desired consistency.
Simmer Until Pasta is Tender: Allow the soup to simmer gently until the pasta is cooked through and tender. Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Serve: Once the pasta is cooked and the soup has reached your desired thickness, remove the pot from the heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed with salt, pepper, or additional herbs.
Adding pasta to your minestrone soup is a simple and effective way to thicken the broth while also adding heartiness and substance to the dish.
Plus, it's a classic ingredient in traditional minestrone recipes. Enjoy your thick and flavorful minestrone soup with your favorite toppings and accompaniments!