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Minestrone

Serves 4 to 6 Soup vegetarian, Soups

Minestrone

Minestrone is a hearty Italian soup, celebrated in regions like Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. It's a dish that brings together a variety of vegetables, beans, and pasta, simmered in a flavorful broth. The use of good olive oil, added generously, and salt measured by hand, reflects the simplicity and authenticity of Italian home cooking.

This version captures the essence of a family meal, where the focus is on fresh ingredients and straightforward preparation. The soup should taste rich and comforting, with the flavors of onion, garlic, and ripe tomatoes mingling with the earthiness of beans and the subtle sweetness of carrots and zucchini. Finished with a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano, it offers a satisfying balance of textures and tastes.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbspextra virgin olive oil
  • 1onion — finely chopped
  • 2carrots — diced
  • 2 stalkscelery — diced
  • 3 clovesgarlic — minced
  • 400 gcannellini beans — cooked
  • 200 ggreen beans — cut short
  • 2zucchini — cubed
  • 400 gripe tomatoes — diced
  • 120 gditalini pasta
  • 1.5 Lvegetable broth
  • 60 gParmigiano-Reggiano — grated to finish
  • to tastefine sea salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Begin by heating 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Dice 1 onion and mince 3 cloves of garlic, then add them to the pot. Stir occasionally, allowing the onion to become translucent and the garlic to release its aroma, without letting them brown.
  2. Peel and dice 2 carrots and chop 2 stalks of celery. Add these to the pot, stirring to coat them in the oil. Cook for about 5 minutes until the carrots and celery start to soften, enhancing the base flavor of the minestrone.
  3. Rinse and drain 400 g of cannellini beans, then add them to the pot along with 200 g of trimmed and halved green beans. Stir well to combine, allowing the beans to warm and absorb the flavors of the soffritto.
  4. Dice 2 zucchini and add them to the pot. Stir in 400 g of ripe tomatoes, chopped, ensuring their juices blend with the other ingredients. Pour in 1.5 L of vegetable broth, stirring to combine everything evenly.
  5. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have melded together. The green beans should be tender but still vibrant in color.
  6. Add 120 g of ditalini pasta to the pot, stirring well. Continue to simmer until the pasta is cooked al dente, absorbing some of the broth and thickening the soup slightly.
  7. Grate 60 g of Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir half of it into the soup. Season with fine sea salt and black pepper to taste, adjusting the seasoning as needed to balance the flavors.
  8. Finish by drizzling a little extra virgin olive oil over the soup and sprinkling the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. Serve the minestrone hot, allowing the cheese to melt slightly and enhance the richness of the broth.
Cover of Authentic Italian Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Italian Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Italian Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Italian volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

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