Minestrone is a classic Italian vegetable soup that’s hearty, versatile, and usually meatless. Sometimes pancetta or ham is added for flavour. What’s “typical” can vary by region, but the core elements are vegetables, legumes, pasta or rice, broth, herbs, olive oil and tomato. Looks like a healthy recipe and balanced meal to me!
A soup like minestrone can be quite elaborate when made from scratch. To make it a bit simpler we can also use pre-cooked canned beans. That said, such soups often taste even better as leftovers the next day, making them perfect to prepare in the evening for a hassle-free lunch or dinner.
Minestrone
Minestrone is all about flexibility! Stick to the main ingredient groups—vegetables, beans, and pasta or grains—but let your fridge decide the specifics. Any seasonal or leftover veggies can shine in this classic soup.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1.5 tsp tomato paste
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 125 g white beans canned
- 1 potato small cubes
- 2 tomatoes, skin removed (or canned) chopped
- 1 carrot, small chopped
- 1 parsnip, small chopped
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 30 g green beans, fresh or frozen in little pieces
- 3 tbsp parsley, fresh chopped
- 1 liter water + Fresh Bouillon Vegetable Paste = veggie broth use 3-4 tsp of the paste
- 1 zucchini, small in slices
- 40 g elbow macaroni (or other)
salt & pepper to taste
thin parmesan shavings as garnish and extra flavour
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pot. Add the tomato purée, onions, and garlic, and sauté while stirring until softened.
- Add the white beans, potato, tomatoes, celery, parsnip, carrot, parsley, green beans, and broth. Cover and let simmer gently over low heat for 15-20 minutes until tender.
- (The vegetable broth is created by adding 1 liter of water and 3-4 tsp of Fresh Bouillon Paste)
- Add the zucchini and pasta. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes until the pasta is done.
