Italy Minestrone
Minestrone is a classic Italian soup that was first made popular among the poorest farmers who scraped together hearty beans and seasonal vegetables to create this humble meal. Minestrone’s comforting warmth and rich combination of flavors later made it a popular winter staple among average Italians. The soup retains its original foundation of seasonal vegetables but is commonly altered according to personal preference—including a debate over which shape of noodle is most befitting of minestrone. Recipe Servings: Serves 4
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Total Time
1 hour
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 stick celery, chopped
- 1/2 onion, minced
- 2 cups (480 ml) vegetable broth
- 2 cups (480 ml) water
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 7 oz (200 g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp (5 g) dried oregano
- 1 tsp (5 g) dried basil
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1/4 cup (40 g) green beans
- 1/2 cup (50 g) pasta, preferably elbow macaroni
- 2 cups (450 g) spinach
- 14 oz (400 g) cooked kidney beans
- 1 Tbsp (4 g) chopped parsley
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- Parmesan cheese, grated, for garnish
Directions
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat and sauté garlic, celery, and onion for about 5 minutes.
- Add chopped carrot and crushed tomatoes to pot. Season with oregano and basil. Pour in vegetable broth and water and bring mixture to a boil. Cover pot and cook soup for 10 minutes.
- Add elbow macaroni, green beans, and chopped zucchini. Stir to combine and boil until noodles are tender.
- Finish soup with fresh spinach and cooked beans.
- Garnish with parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve hot, garnished with freshly grated parmesan.
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