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, some of whom brought the recipe to America as immigrants. 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: 4
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Total Time
1 hour
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- ½ onion, minced
- 1 carrot chopped
- 7 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup elbow macaroni
- ¼ cup green beans
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 2 cups spinach
- 14 oz cooked kidney beans
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- Salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese, as needed 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 the carrot, tomatoes, oregano, basil, vegetable broth, and water to the pot.
- Bring mixture to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the elbow macaroni, green beans, and zucchini.
- Increase heat and boil until noodles are tender.
- Stir in the spinach and cooked beans.
- Add the parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve hot, garnished with freshly grated Parmesan.
Recipe introduction and directions © Copyright 2016-2024 World Trade Press. All rights reserved.