Minestrone Soup in Jar (Printable Version)

Colorful vegetable and pasta soup layered in jars for convenient, make-ahead meals. Add water and heat.

# What You Need:

→ Base Layer

01 - 1/3 cup (45 g) small pasta (e.g., ditalini, elbow macaroni, or mini shells)

→ Dried Beans & Legumes

02 - 2 tbsp (20 g) dried red lentils
03 - 2 tbsp (20 g) canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

04 - 1/3 cup (50 g) zucchini, diced
05 - 1/3 cup (50 g) carrots, diced
06 - 1/3 cup (50 g) celery, diced
07 - 1/4 cup (30 g) frozen green peas
08 - 1/4 cup (30 g) baby spinach, chopped

→ Tomato & Flavor

09 - 2 tbsp (30 g) sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (oil-packed, drained)
10 - 1 tbsp (15 g) tomato paste

→ Seasonings

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

→ For Serving

17 - 2 cups (500 ml) boiling water per jar
18 - Grated Parmesan cheese (optional, omit for vegan)

# How To Make It:

01 - Layer the ingredients in each clean, quart-size mason jar in the following order (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 the jar from the refrigerator. Add 2 cups (500 ml) boiling water to cover the ingredients. Stir well or screw the lid back on and shake gently to mix.
04 - Let sit for 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked and the vegetables are tender. Alternatively, microwave the open jar (without the metal lid) for 3-4 minutes, stirring halfway.
05 - Stir again, season to taste, and top with grated Parmesan if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Four complete meals ready to grab on your busiest mornings, no last-minute cooking stress.
  • The layering trick means everything stays perfectly separated until you add water, so flavors stay fresh and vegetables don't turn to mush prematurely.
  • One kettle of boiling water transforms these humble jars into a warming, satisfying soup in minutes flat.
02 -
  • The order of layering matters less than your intuition—what actually matters is that harder vegetables go on the bottom where they get the most water contact time, and delicate greens go on top.
  • Don't skip rinsing your canned beans or the soup becomes murky and the broth gets starchy in a way that feels unintentional rather than creamy.
03 -
  • Use truly boiling water, not just hot water from the tap, because the higher temperature rehydrates everything faster and wakes up the flavors locked in those dry ingredients.
  • If you're making these jars for someone else, include a small note with the water amount and wait time—it feels thoughtful and removes any guesswork from their end.
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