Ingredients
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 medium ribs celery, chopped
¼ cup tomato paste
2 cups chopped seasonal vegetables (potatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, butternut squash, green beans or peas all work)
4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried thyme
1 large can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 bay leaves
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup whole grain orecchiette,
or elbow or small shell pasta
1 can Great Northern beans or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked beans
2 cups baby spinach, chopped kale or chopped collard greens
2 tsp lemon juice
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnishing (optional)
METHOD
Warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, tomato paste and a pinch of salt.
Cook, stirring often until the vegetables have softened and the onions are turning translucent about 7 to 10 minutes. Add the seasonal vegetables, garlic, oregano and thyme.
Cook until fragrant while stirring frequently, about 2 minutes.
Pour in the diced tomatoes and their juices, broth and water. Add the salt, bay leaves and red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper.
Raise heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot with the lid, leaving about a 1” gap for steam to escape.
Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove the lid and add the pasta, beans, and greens.
Continue simmering, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until the pasta is cooked al dente and the greens are tender.
Remove the pot from the heat, then remove the bay leaves.
Stir in the lemon juice and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Taste and season with more salt) and pepper until the flavors really sing.
Garnish bowls of soup with grated Parmesan, if you’d like.
Traditional minestrone soup is characterised by a tomato-y broth and mixed with pasta or rice. It’s a tasty crowd-pleaser that is not only hearty but nutritious as well.
The great thing about minestrone soup is that it was originally intended to make use of any leftover vegetables in your home. Whatever veggies and greens in season you have at home, you can tweak this recipe so it will fit your needs.
The reason why I’m recommending this is because it’s easy to make. The recipe itself may look long but going through every step and process, they are self-explanatory and does not necessarily require other skills. While it is also delicious to eat while fresh, a good minestrone soup tastes even better the next day. It can be frozen and defrosted easy. I hope you enjoy preparing it at the convenience of your home and if you want to taste our way of preparing it, feel free to visit it us at any time.
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