Minestra con Carne Macinata (Beef & Vegetable Soup)

Thicker than broth, lighter than stew, and built on simple ingredients. It’s the kind of everyday meal that feeds homes.

By Giovanni Siracusa

@unpezzoditalia

December 09, 2025

Minestra con Carne Macinata (Beef & Vegetable Soup)

By Giovanni Siracusa

Ingredients

1

lb ground beef
1/2

lb pasta (ditalini, tubetti, or any small shape)
2

potatoes, cubed
1

carrot, diced
1

onion, diced
1

clove garlic
1/2

cup fresh peas
1/2

cup tomato purée
Fresh parsley, chopped
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable broth (enough to cover)
Grated cheese, optional
Olive oil

Instructions

TOTAL TIME

45 minutes

4 servings

Minestra is what weeknight Italian cooking is all about. A handful of vegetables, some ground beef, and a slow simmer that brings everything together and everybody to the table!

STEP 1

Warm a generous drizzle of olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion, carrot and garlic. Sauté until the vegetables soften.

Two bowls on a wooden surface: one with diced potatoes, the other filled with chopped carrots, onions, and whole garlic cloves.

A man wearing a white apron stands in a festive kitchen, holding a wooden spoon and a bowl of vegetables over a steaming pot on a stovetop. Various ingredients and holiday decorations surround him.

STEP 2

Add the ground beef and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until no longer pink.

STEP 3

Stir in the tomato purée and let it cook for about a minute to deepen the flavor. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Ground beef, diced carrots, and onions are being cooked in a pan, with tomato sauce added on top in the center, not yet mixed in.

STEP 4

Add the cubed potatoes and pour in enough vegetable broth (or water) to fully cover everything. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.

A pot of stew with peas, diced potatoes, carrots, and ground meat in a rich broth, being stirred with a wooden spoon.

STEP 5

After 20 minutes, check the liquid level and add more if needed. Add the pasta and the peas directly into the pot. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks.

STEP 6

Finish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve hot, with a light sprinkle of grated cheese if you like.

Pour a glass of Gratsi Red and let simple flavors warm you up. Buon Appetito!

A bowl of hearty soup with ground meat, ditalini pasta, peas, carrots, and potatoes sits on a striped towel. A glass of red wine and a large pot of soup are in the background on a wooden table.

A man in a white apron holds a bowl of hearty vegetable soup in a kitchen decorated with festive holiday lights, garland, and kitchen utensils. He smiles slightly and presents the dish using a cloth napkin.

Minestra con Carne Macinata (Beef & Vegetable Soup)

Minestra con Carne Macinata (Beef & Vegetable Soup)