Minestrone Soup in Jar (Print Version)

Colorful layered Italian vegetable soup jars for convenient make-ahead meals

# What You'll Need:

→ Base Layer

01 - 1/3 cup small pasta (ditalini, elbow macaroni, or mini shells)

→ Dried Beans & Legumes

02 - 2 tablespoons dried red lentils
03 - 2 tablespoons canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

04 - 1/3 cup zucchini, diced
05 - 1/3 cup carrots, diced
06 - 1/3 cup celery, diced
07 - 1/4 cup frozen green peas
08 - 1/4 cup baby spinach, chopped

→ Tomato & Flavor

09 - 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (oil-packed, drained)
10 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste

→ Seasonings

11 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
12 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
13 - 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
16 - 1 vegetable bouillon cube, crumbled

→ For Serving

17 - 2 cups boiling water per jar
18 - Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Layer ingredients in each clean quart-size mason jar in this order from bottom to top: pasta, lentils, beans, carrots, celery, zucchini, peas, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, seasonings, and bouillon cube. Press down gently to compact if needed.
02 - Seal jars tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
03 - When ready to eat, remove jar from refrigerator. Add 2 cups boiling water to cover ingredients. Stir well or screw lid back on and shake gently to mix.
04 - Let sit for 10-15 minutes until pasta is cooked and vegetables are tender. Alternatively, microwave the open jar without metal lid for 3-4 minutes, stirring halfway.
05 - Stir again, season to taste, and top with grated Parmesan if desired. Serve hot.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • You get the satisfaction of meal prep without actually cooking anything in advance
  • The jar presentation makes ordinary soup feel like something special
  • You can customize the vegetables based on whatever needs using up
02 -
  • Never put metal lids in the microwave. I learned this lesson the hard way and now I keep a small stack of microwave-safe covers specifically for these jars.
  • The pasta continues absorbing liquid as it sits, so if you are not eating immediately, add an extra splash of water before serving.
  • Spinach can turn an unappealing color if layered too close to the bouillon cube. Keep it on a separate layer from the salty seasonings.
03 -
  • Invest in wide-mouth jars. They make layering so much easier, and you can actually get a spoon in to stir without making a mess.
  • Make a batch of the dried spice mix ahead of time and keep it in a small jar. Assembly becomes twice as fast when you are not measuring out individual spices each time.
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