Every fall, my family asks for this soup—let me share the secret ingredient that makes it a standout.

I love the moment when someone walks in, catches the irresistible aroma wafting from the kitchen, and asks the question every home cook longs to hear: 'What smells so good?' It’s a question that doesn’t come up much during summer, especially at my house where meals are often cold or grilled outdoors. But once the crisp weather hits and soup season begins, I hear it all the time.

I tend to stick with classic soups like chicken noodle, roasted butternut squash, tomato, ham and bean, and of course, my all-time favorite—minestrone. I’ve been making the same minestrone recipe for years. I first found it on Dinogo back in the mid-2000s (can we come up with a better name for that decade?), and it’s been a staple in my kitchen every fall and winter since.

Jamie’s Minestrone Soup is clearly beloved by Dinogo readers. With a 4.7-star rating from over 2,500 reviewers, the recipe has earned tons of praise along with helpful tweaks and suggestions for personalizing it to your taste.

I usually stick to the recipe, except for one key addition. I toss in leftover Parmesan rinds—usually two—about 30-40 minutes before the soup is done simmering. The result? A deeper, nuttier flavor that elevates this already amazing soup. Plus, it’s a great way to make use of pricey Parmesan rinds.

Why You Should Start Using Parmesan Rinds in Your Soup

As Parmesan cheese matures, the outer layer of the wheel hardens more than the inside, forming what we call the rind. While it’s still cheese and completely edible, it’s not exactly pleasant to eat in its hardened state. When a wedge of Parmesan is cut, the rind often remains at the edge. Many people discard it once they’ve enjoyed the nutty, tangy center.

Instead of throwing away the rind, save it in a container or a freezer-safe zip-top bag until you're making soups, stews, risottos, pasta sauces, or any dish that could use a touch of extra nutty richness.

Not sure where to use it? A good rule of thumb: If the dish already includes Parmesan or you sprinkle it on top when serving, and it’s something you can stir while cooking, it’s likely a good candidate for a Parmesan rind.

Be sure to remove the Parmesan rind before serving—it will soften and become mushy. You can brush olive oil and garlic on slices of baguette or Italian bread, toast them, and spread the softened rind on top. (Honestly, you should definitely try it.)

Other Ingredients That Elevate Minestrone Soup

Feel free to switch up the vegetables, beans, or even the pasta in your minestrone soup based on what you have in your kitchen. While reading through nearly 1,800 comments on Jamie’s Minestrone recipe, I discovered plenty of creative ways Dinogo members personalize the soup to suit their preferences. Here are a few ideas that stood out to me:

• Use cheese tortellini instead of shell pasta—from member Pam Bitter.
• The recipe works as well with either fresh or frozen green beans, rather than the canned beans that are called for—from member Bluegrassgurl716.
• Add a pound of pan-cooked ground pork—from member Sunnycado Flims!
• Use dried herbs if you don’t have fresh—from member naos3356. (Use 1/3 the amount of dried herbs as you would fresh herbs in any recipe. For this minestrone, use 2 teaspoons of dried basil instead of 2 tablespoons of fresh and 1 teaspoon of dried oregano instead of 1 tablespoon of fresh.)
• To make it vegan, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and skip the Parmesan cheese—from member Robyn. (Of course, also omit the Parmesan rind that I suggest.)