Soup season is on its way! Minestrone straddles the important seasonal divide of feeling vibrant and fresh for the end of summer, while still offering up cozy and nourishing vibes for the beginning of fall. Endlessly customizable, you can swap ingredients here for whatever veg you have hanging out in your fridge - or freezer! There are so many minestrone recipes out there, but this is the one Rebecca found several years ago and comes back to year after year.
| Servings: 4-6 |
Prep: 20 minutes
|
Cook: 45 minutes |
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 medium ribs celery, chopped
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 cups chopped seasonal vegetables (potatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, green beans, peas, butternut squash, etc.)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 bay leaves
- Pinch red pepper flake
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup small shell pasta (ditalini, macaroni, orecchiette, even orzo in a pinch!)
- 1 15 oz. can cannellini or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups baby spinach or chopped kale
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Instructions
-
Warm 3 Tbsp olive oil in Dutch oven 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 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.
Rebecca's Notes
- If you haven't been doing it already, be sure you're saving your veggie scraps in a gallon zip-top bag in the freezer. Bonus if you save your rotisserie or roast chicken carcasses there, too! You can use it to make homemade broth which takes all of your soups to that next level.
- If you have an extra parmesan rind hanging out in your freezer, adding it in Step 3 and simmering it through the end will help add an umami, rich flavor to your soup. Be sure to remove the rind before serving.
- Recipe courtesy of Cookie and Kate