Minestrone Soup
Servings: 4 people
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small (1 small) onion chopped
- 1 medium (1 medium) carrot chopped
- 1 rib (1 rib) celery chopped
- 1 (1) leek cut in half lengthwise, rinsed, and thinly sliced
- 3 cloves (3 cloves) garlic pressed
- 1 sprig (1 sprig) rosemary
- 2 (2) bay leaves
- 1 can (15-ounces) (240 grams) beans or 1½ cups cooked beans. You can use borlotti, kidney, pinto or cannellini beans.
- 2 medium (300 grams) potatoes (10 oz) - diced
- 2½ cups (350 grams) cauliflower florets (10 oz)
- 2½ cups (350 grams) vine tomatoes (12 oz) - diced
- 1½ cup (200 grams) frozen peas (7 oz)
- 1 cup (150 grams) ditalini pasta (5 oz)
- 1 medium (180 grams) zucchini (7 oz) - chopped
- 4 cups (1 liter) water or vegetable broth
- 1½ teaspoon (1½ teaspoon) salt or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) black pepper
- 1 crust (1 crust) parmesan optional. Use only if from Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano.
Serves well with
- ½ cup (50 grams) parmesan shaved or grated
- 4 tablespoons (4 tablespoons) basil pesto + basil leaves for garnish + crusty bread
- MAKE FLAVOR BASE: Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large pot.Add 1 small onion, 1 medium carrot, 1 rib celery, all chopped.Stir in 1 leek (thinly sliced) and 3 cloves garlic (pressed).Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- COOK MINESTRONE: Add 2 medium potatoes (diced), 2½ cups cauliflower florets, 1 can (15-ounces) beans (drained), 1 sprig rosemary, and 2 bay leaves.Pour in 3 cups water. Season with 1½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 12 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Add 2½ cups vine tomatoes (diced), 1 medium zucchini (chopped), 1½ cup frozen peas, 1 crust parmesan, and 1 cup ditalini pasta.Add 1 more cup water and finish cooking for 12 minutes.The pasta should be cooked, but with a bite. Add more water to reach your desired consistency.Taste and adjust for salt.Turn heat off. Let the minestrone cool down 5 - 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- SERVING TIP: Add a thick slice of toasted crusty bread to the bowl. Cover the bread with grated Parmesan cheese. Pour the hot Minestrone over the bread and cheese. Garnish with shaved parmesan and basil pesto. The cheese will melt and the bread will soften, creating a delicious and satisfying dish.
Nutritional information is for 1 serving of minestrone out of 4 large servings with 2 teaspoons of basil pesto per portions and a sprinkling of parmesan on top.
TIPS
For experienced cooks, you can peel and chop the vegetables as you cook the Minestrone.
For those with less kitchen experience, it's recommended to take a few minutes to chop the vegetables before starting to cook.
SUBSTITUTIONS
- Potatoes: substitute sweet potatoes.
- Cauliflower: substitute broccoli, chard, or kale.
- Vine tomatoes: substitute canned tomatoes, canned, crushed, or whole peeled.
- Frozen peas: substitute green beans, snap peas, or snow peas.
- Zucchini: you can use any summer squash or courgette. Substitute mushrooms or bell peppers.
- Beans: You can use white beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, or borlotti beans. You can also use canned beans or dried ones cooked in water.
- Rosemary: Substitute thyme.
- Bay leaves: Substitute sage or oregano:
- Pasta: Substitute pearled farro or barley, but we recommend precooking them first or adding them at the start, as they take about 30 minutes.
- With pasta, it keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Without pasta (use farro or barley instead), it lasts up to 4 days in the fridge.
- Minestrone made with fresh vegetables can be frozen for up to 2 months.
- When reheating frozen Minestrone, defrost it in the fridge or add a dash of water while reheating in a saucepan.
