Minestrone is a hearty Italian vegetable soup that features a variety of seasonal vegetables, beans, and small pasta. It is a traditional comfort dish commonly served as a satisfying main course for lunch or dinner throughout the year.
Vegan Vegetarian Pescetarian Dairy-Free Nut-Free Egg-Free Soy-Free
Nutrient score: Good
Goodness for its calories, 25 to 100.
How is this worked out?
The nutrient score shows how much goodness a recipe gives for its calories, from 25 to 100. Every recipe gets at least 25. It is the same for everyone.
It adds up how much of 11 nutrients people need the recipe gives for its calories: protein, fibre, vitamins A, C and E, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, folate and zinc. Each counts up to a full day’s worth for the calories. It then takes points off for saturated fat, added sugar and sodium above a fair share for the calories.
75 and over: Excellent. 60 to 74: Very good. 45 to 59: Good. 35 to 44: Fair. 25 to 34: Low.
The formula (from the recipe’s values per 100 g):
- Share of the day: the recipe’s kcal per 100 g ÷ 2,000 (under 40 kcal per 100 g, such as a herb or tea, counts as 40 kcal).
- 11 nutrients to encourage: protein (50 g), fibre (28 g), vitamin A (900 mcg), vitamin C (90 mg), vitamin E (15 mg), calcium (1,300 mg), iron (18 mg), potassium (4,700 mg), magnesium (420 mg), folate (400 mcg) and zinc (11 mg). For each: amount ÷ (Daily Value × share), at most 1. Add them up.
- 3 nutrients to limit: saturated fat (20 g), added sugar (50 g) and sodium (2,300 mg). For each: amount ÷ (limit × share) − 1, only when above 0 and at most 3. Add them up.
- Result = 100 × (step 2 − 2 × step 3) ÷ 11, kept between 0 and 100.
- Score = 25 + 0.75 × result, rounded. The scale runs from 25 to 100 instead of 0 to 100: every edible recipe gets at least 25, and the order doesn’t change.
It follows the Nutrient Rich Foods index (NRF 9.3) with the U.S. FDA Daily Values for a 2,000 kcal day. Different from the published index: folate and zinc are added (11 nutrients instead of 9), the nutrients to limit count double and each at most three times its share, the 40 kcal floor, and the 25 to 100 scale. When some of the values it needs are unknown, the score is shown as “about”.
A recipe’s values are worked out from its ingredients, whose values are estimates.
Sources: Drewnowski A. Defining nutrient density: development and validation of the Nutrient Rich Foods index. J Am Coll Nutr. 2009;28(4):421S-426S; U.S. FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.
A low score doesn’t make a recipe bad: treats and festive dishes have their place. Use the score to compare similar recipes. In the GapPlate app you also see how much of the gaps in your day a serving fills.
Units:
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Olive oil (27 g)
- 1 medium Onion (150 g)
- 2 medium Carrot (120 g)
- 2 pieces Celery (80 g)
- 3 cloves Garlic (15 g)
- 6 cups Vegetable stock (1.42 kg)
- 1 cup Canned crushed tomatoes (248 g)
- 1 tsp Dried oregano (1.2 g)
- 1 medium Zucchini (200 g)
- 2 cups Cannellini beans (canned and drained) (520 g)
- 0.5 cup Pasta shells (53 g)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 handful Basil (25 g)
- Ingredients in total: 2.86 kg
- Weight lost in cooking: 460 g (mostly water boiling off)
- Net weight (cooked): 2.4 kg · 6 servings of about 400 g
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add the finely diced onion, carrots, and celery, cooking for about 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the vegetable stock and crushed tomatoes, then add the dried oregano, bringing the mixture to a gentle boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes to develop the flavors.
- Add the chopped zucchini, drained beans, and pasta, then continue to simmer for another 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender.
- Season the soup with salt and black pepper to your preference.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the torn fresh basil leaves before serving warm.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 207 kcal | 51.8 kcal |
| Protein | 9.28 g | 2.32 g |
| Water | 348 mL | 87 mL |
| Sodium | 1,180 mg | 295 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 34.5 g | 8.62 g |
| Total Fat | 5.66 g | 1.42 g |
| Sugar | 6.59 g | 1.65 g |
61 more nutrients
Carbohydrates
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Added Sugar | 0 g | 0 g |
Minerals
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 2.94 mg | 0.74 mg |
| Calcium | 129 mg | 32.2 mg |
| Magnesium | 71.4 mg | 17.8 mg |
| Potassium | 824 mg | 206 mg |
| Iodine | 1.3 mcg | 0.32 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 198 mg | 49.5 mg |
| Zinc | 1.6 mg | 0.4 mg |
| Chloride | 673 mg | 168 mg |
| Selenium | 7.92 mcg | 1.98 mcg |
| Copper | 0.39 mg | 0.097 mg |
| Fluoride | 0.11 mg | 0.028 mg |
| Manganese | 0.83 mg | 0.21 mg |
| Molybdenum | 2.7 mcg | 0.67 mcg |
| Chromium | 1.68 mcg | 0.42 mcg |
Fats
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Trans Fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.81 g | 0.2 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3.42 g | 0.86 g |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids | 0.098 g | 0.024 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.74 g | 0.19 g |
| Omega-6 Fatty Acids | 0.65 g | 0.16 g |
| DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) | 0.086 g | 0.021 g |
| Arachidonic Acid | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Medium-Chain Triglycerides | 0 g | 0 g |
| Omega-9 Fatty Acids | 3.4 g | 0.85 g |
Fibre
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber | 7.55 g | 1.89 g |
| Soluble Fiber | 2.05 g | 0.51 g |
| Insoluble Fiber | 6.79 g | 1.7 g |
Vitamins
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 15.2 mg | 3.81 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 71.6 mcg | 17.9 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.68 mg | 0.42 mg |
| Vitamin A | 207 mcg RAE | 51.8 mcg RAE |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.2 mg | 0.05 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.39 mg | 0.099 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.15 mg | 0.039 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 0.63 mg | 0.16 mg |
| Vitamin E | 1.31 mg | 0.33 mg |
| Vitamin K | 32.5 mcg | 8.13 mcg |
| Biotin (B7) | 3.9 mcg | 0.97 mcg |
| Beta-Carotene | 2,241 mcg | 560 mcg |
Others
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Choline | 46.5 mg | 11.6 mg |
| Leucine | 698 mg | 174 mg |
| Lysine | 519 mg | 130 mg |
| Polyphenols | 259 mg | 64.8 mg |
| Methionine | 112 mg | 28.1 mg |
| Oxalates | 39.5 mg | 9.87 mg |
| Threonine | 355 mg | 88.8 mg |
| Tryptophan | 101 mg | 25.1 mg |
| Valine | 486 mg | 121 mg |
| Flavonoids | 95.9 mg | 24 mg |
| Histidine | 315 mg | 78.9 mg |
| Lutein / Zeaxanthin | 0.68 mg | 0.17 mg |
| Lycopene | 9.23 mg | 2.31 mg |
| Phenylalanine | 449 mg | 112 mg |
| Purines | 80.5 mg | 20.1 mg |
Proteins
| Nutrient | Per serving (400 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Isoleucine | 413 mg | 103 mg |
Worked out from the ingredients with the GapPlate food library, per 100 g of the cooked dish. Estimates, not medical advice.
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