Minestrone
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This vegetarian soup can easily become plant-based just by swapping the parmesan cheese for a vegan version, or skipping it altogether. And while this might seem like a lot of ingredients, they all come together for a wonderful, filling soup!
Servings:
Calories: 306kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion (peeled and diced)
- 1 carrot (peeled and diced)
- 2 celery stalks (diced)
- 15 ounces cannellini beans (canned, drained and rinsed. Or Great Northern, or other beans)
- 15 ounces kidney beans (drained and rinsed. Or great northern or other bean)
- 3 ounces tomato paste
- 28 ounces tomato puree (or up to 32 ounces tomato sauce)
- 1 parmesan cheese rind (optional)
- 6 cups water (divided. More may be needed)
- 1 zucchini (diced)
- 1 summer squash (diced)
- 1 russet potato (peeled and diced)
- 1 ½ pounds cauliflower
- 1 head escarole (or kale)
- 1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
- 1 ½ cups elbow macaroni (or ditalini, or other small pasta)
- salt
- pepper
- ½ teaspoon Tabasco ( or other hot sauce. Optional)
Instructions
- Place a large stockpot over a medium heat. When it’s hot, add the olive oil, then the onion, carrot, and celery. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables start to cook through
- Mix in the tomato paste, and add the cannellini and kidney beans, tomato puree, parmesan rind, and enough water to cover the soup, approximately 2 cups. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes
- Add the zucchini, summer squash, potato, and cauliflower. If needed, add more water, enough to cover the soup. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes
- Add the escarole, corn, and peas. If needed, add more water, enough to cover the soup. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes
- If you cook the pasta in advance, simmer the soup for 5 minutes more, then add the pasta. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and Tabasco
- If you don’t cook the pasta in advance, add two cups of water to the soup, and bring it to a boil. Add the uncooked pasta, and bring the soup back to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer until the pasta is cooked through, approximately 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and Tabasco
- Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Notes
Note: If you add cooked pasta to the soup, it will be terrific. If you add uncooked pasta, and it cooks in the soup, it will also be terrific. But two things will happen: it will continue to absorb liquid from the soup, even after it’s cooked. That means you may have to add more water to make it less thick. And the pasta will add a silky texture to the soup that would not happen if you added cooked pasta
Nutrition Facts
Minestrone
Serving Size
10 g
Amount per Serving
Calories
306
% Daily Value*
Fat
4
g
6
%
Saturated Fat
1
g
6
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
2
g
Sodium
235
mg
10
%
Potassium
1298
mg
37
%
Carbohydrates
58
g
19
%
Fiber
13
g
54
%
Sugar
10
g
11
%
Protein
15
g
30
%
Vitamin A
2944
IU
59
%
Vitamin C
63
mg
76
%
Calcium
120
mg
12
%
Iron
5
mg
28
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.