What To Serve With Minestrone Soup (Toppings, Sides, & Main)

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One of my all-time favorite soups is minestrone!  It’s hearty, healthy & can be made with many different ingredients.  Because it has such a wide variety of ingredients, it can be hard to know how to pair it with other dishes.  That’s why I’ve created this list of what to serve with minestrone soup!

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What Is Minestrone Soup

Minestrone soup is a classic Italian vegetable soup that your whole family will enjoy!  Here’s The Best Minestrone Soup Recipe that I make (which in my opinion is even better than Olive Garden Minestrone Soup 😉).

What makes this soup different from vegetable soup is the ingredients used.  

It is packed with vegetables like onion, green beans, celery, potatoes & carrots (or really any leftover vegetables).  Along with the vegetables comes the heartier ingredients like beans (usually kidney beans, white beans, or chick peas) & small pasta noodles. 

It’s seasoned with broth (chicken broth or vegetable broth), Italian seasoning, & tomato paste.  It has such a wonderful melody of flavors!

Toppings for Minestrone Soup

After you simmer your large pot of minestrone soup, it’s time to decide what toppings to use.

There are many different ways you can top this hearty soup for extra flavor.  For example, you can go cheesy or even spicy.  It just depends what you’re in the mood for.

Fresh Herbs

Fresh herbs are a great topping for minestrone soup.  There are several herbs that go well with it.  

Some common ones are fresh basil, bay leaves, & fresh parsley.  Use one or use a combination of all of them!

Olive Oil

Classic minestrone soup is usually drizzled with olive oil & herbs or cheese.  It is an Italian favorite when it comes to serving this soup.  It really brings out the flavors.

Cheese

Nothing beats a sprinkle of cheese on top of your bowl of soup.  In my opinion, it is the best thing to top your soup with!

A sprinkle of parmesan cheese is a common topping to use with minestrone soup.  For the ultimate flavor, use fresh parmesan cheese or even grated parmesan rind.

You can also use other cheeses such as asiago, mozzarella, manchego or romano.

Sour Cream

If you like a little creaminess in your soup, add sour cream.  It is the perfect mix with the tomato-based broth.

Seasonings

Some common seasonings you can add are black pepper, red pepper flakes, & sea salt.  They add so much flavor and give the dish a little bit of a kick.

Seeds

If you’re looking to bulk up your bowl, then add raw seeds as a topping.  You can add hemp seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds or any other ones that you prefer.

Side Dishes

Because minestrone soup is so hearty, it is a great option to serve as a main dish.  Now, you just need to decide what to serve as a side along with it!  

Here are some of the best side dishes that go well with minestrone soup.

Breads

The most classic side dish for soup is bread.  Is there anything better than dipping fresh bread in a hot bowl of soup?  Or better yet, eating out of a bread bowl?

There are a lot of choices of which breads you can serve with minestrone soup.  Some great options are crusty bread (like sourdough), garlic bread, dinner rolls, breadstick, biscuits, or even bagels.

If you want to go a bit of a different route, try serving tortilla chips, cornbread, or baked pretzels with your soup.

You can even make a specialty bread like zucchini bread or jalapeno cheddar bread for your meal.

Vegetables

Vegetables as a side for vegetable soup?  You bet!  There are plenty of specialty vegetable dishes that will pair perfectly with minestrone soup.

Some examples are roasting vegetables such as butternut squash, sweet potatoes, yellow squash, grilled asparagus, or brussel sprouts.

You can also go with seasonal vegetables.  Eat them as fresh vegetables or grilled vegetables.

Salad

Soup and fresh salad is such a classic mix!  It is one of the best sides you can serve with soup. 

You can go with your favorite salad mix or keep it simple with an arugula salad, caesar salad or simple green salad.  

Chips & Dip

Chips and dip are a great way to add some more substance to the meal & can be seasoned however you like!

Go with a classic cream-based dip or choose guacamole or hummus.  All would be the perfect addition to your meal.

Rice

Rice is an inexpensive and hearty side dish to eat with your soup.  You could season it up nicely to be the perfect accompaniment for your minestrone soup.

Main Course

Minestrone soup makes a great side dish, so what should you serve as your main dish?  There are several options!

Sandwiches

Soup & sandwiches go hand in hand.  Choose your favorite sandwich to serve with your bowl of soup.

Some good options are simple cheese sandwiches like a grilled cheese sandwich or any paninis.

Pizza or Quesadilla

Another great main dish for your soup is pizza or quesadillas.  They pair well with soup and you can make them with your favorite cheese & toppings.

Meats

You can’t go wrong with meat as your main dish.  A delicious roast beef with a side of soup is the ultimate comfort meal.

You can also serve chicken breasts, salmon, steak, or fried fish with your soup.  It just depends what you’re in the mood for.

If you prefer to get your protein in another way, you can always add meat to your soup itself.  Ground turkey, beef, or sausage go great in minestrone soup!  (My recipe uses ground sausage).

What To Serve With Minestrone Soup

The ultimate question!  Next time, choose one of the toppings, sides, or mains listed above to serve with your minestrone soup.  Or any other soup for that matter.

You could use this list to help you decide what to serve with other soups such as potato soup, clam chowder, tomato soup, or even chicken soup.  It’s like a universal list for serving soup!

Looking For Other Recipes?

One Pot Rigatoni With Spicy Italian Sausage
Instant Pot Creamy Ground Beef & Potato Soup
Red Hot & Blue Potato Salad Copycat Recipe
Cast Iron Skillet Shepherd’s Pie

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