Description
This Minestrone Casserole is a hearty and flavorful twist on the classic soup, baked to perfection with layers of vegetables, beans, pasta, and cheesy goodness. A comforting vegetarian main course that’s easy to make and sure to please the whole family.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetable Mixture:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion (diced)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 2 medium carrots (sliced)
- 2 celery stalks (sliced)
- 1 zucchini (diced)
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes (with juices)
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups cooked small pasta (like ditalini or elbow)
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (optional for topping)
- fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Sauté vegetables: In a large skillet, heat olive oil and sauté onion, garlic, carrots, and celery until softened. Add zucchini and cook briefly.
- Add beans and seasoning: Stir in diced tomatoes, kidney beans, cannellini beans, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Combine with pasta and cheese: Mix in the cooked pasta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and vegetable broth. Transfer to a baking dish.
- Bake: Top with breadcrumbs if desired, cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes until golden.
- Rest and garnish: Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley.
Notes
- Feel free to swap in other vegetables like spinach, green beans, or mushrooms.
- This casserole is a great way to use leftover pasta or canned beans.
- For added protein, stir in cooked sausage or ground turkey.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 640mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
