Minestrone Soup
- Yield 6
- Prep 15 minutes
- Cook 40 minutes
- Total 55 minutes
Minestrone Soup is a soup recipe on Avoteb. The yield on the card is 6. Plan on 55 minutes from start to plate. The amounts and the method are both on this page.
Ingredients
Yield: 6 servings
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 small zucchini, diced
- 1 medium russet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 Parmesan rind (plus extra grated Parmesan for serving)
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup small pasta (such as ditalini or mini shells)
- 2 cups chopped fresh spinach or kale
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- chopped fresh basil or parsley, for garnish (optional)
Method
Sauté the vegetables. Warm olive oil in a large stockpot over a medium burner. Tip in onion, carrots, and celery and sauté for 6–7 minutes, until softened. Tip in garlic and cook for 1 minute more, stirring frequently.
Caramelize the tomato paste. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until it darkens slightly and becomes fragrant. This step deepens the broth’s flavor.
Build the soup base. Stir in zucchini, potato, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Tip in the diced tomatoes (with juices), stock, and Parmesan rind. Whisk well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Let it bubble gently. Raise to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Let it bubble gently uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the broth has rich, layered flavor.
Tip in beans and pasta. Stir in the kidney beans, cannellini beans, and pasta. Let it bubble gently for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.
Finish the soup. Stir in the spinach until wilted. Lift and discard the Parmesan rind. Tip in lemon juice and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Plate Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmesan and fresh basil or parsley. Plate warm with crusty bread.
