Classic Italian Minestrone Soup

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January is the bleakest of all months, all the glitz and glimmer of Christmas is over, giving way to the doldrums of midwinter. The season brings along the natural force of slowing down and resting, and we as humans also want to slow down and hibernate, seeking out warmth and comfort. I believe it is the perfect time of the year to embrace a slower pace of life and work with the natural energy of the season, rather than against it.

Just like the way of living, the food that my souls yearns for is distinctively different from that in the summer, and my only goal is to keep my belly satiated rather than to experience a new culinary feat. For times like these, this Classic Italian Minestrone Soup is my reliable companion.
This Italian Minestrone Soup boasts hearty vegetables and pasta in a tomato broth and finished off with Parmesan cheese. Serve this with some crusty bread and call it a day!

WHAT IS A MINESTRONE SOUP?

The word “minestrone” comes from the word “minestra”, which is an Italian word that encompasses a variety of brothy soups. Minestrone in particular refers to a thick vegetable soup. Marcella Hazan in her cookbook, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking mentions that there isn’t a hard-and-fast rule on which vegetables must be used to make it minestrone — different regions of Italy use different vegetables, and the ingredients change with the season.
Reasons to Love this Soup
  • A BELOVED ITALIAN CLASSIC: Minestrone Soup is rustic Italian cooking at its finest! One that can stand on its own.It’s hearty, nourishing and warms you from inside out!
  • FULL OF WHOLESOME VEGGIES: This soup is filled to the brim with a variety of vegetables, beans and pasta making it an incredibly nourishing and wholesome meal.
  • EASY TO ADAPT: The beauty of this recipe is that it is endlessly customizable. You can use whatever is in season or what you have on hand.

If you love this Classic Minestrone Soup, try one of these delicious soup recipes next:
Recipe Variations
  • Type of Pasta: Small pasta works best for this soup. I recommend using small shells, ditalini, macaroni, or even small tortellini.
  • Type of Vegetables: This soup can be made with just about any vegetables you like! You can also use mushrooms, butternut squash, broccoli, kale, and leeks.
  • Type of meat: Even though the soup is traditionally made vegetarian (with the exception of a parmesan rind), you can add pancetta to create a rich, meaty-flavored broth.
  • Type of beans: I have used red kidney beans in this recipe, you can use other beans such as cannellini, navy or even garbanzo.

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS

The soup will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container.


If you made this Classic Italian Minestrone Soup, I would love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment below.



Classic Italian Minestrone Soup Classic Italian Minestrone Soup
Author: Happily Cooking
Preparation Time:
Cooking Time:
Yields: 5-6 people
Calories per serving: 390kcal




Ingredients:
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 zucchini, diced
  • 150 g baby spinach
  • 500 g crushed tomatoes
  • 4 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 can (400g) kidney beans,drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups vegetable stock/broth
  • 2 cups water
  • Salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 cup small pasta like ditalini, tiny shells, baby macaroni
  • 1/4 cup parmesan,grated

Instructions:
  1. Heat olive oil over high heat in a very large pot.
  2. Add the diced onion to the oil and cook until translucent for about 5 minutes, then add in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
  3. Add the diced carrot, celery, zucchini and the green beans and cook until they become soft.
  4. Next, add in the crushed tomato, tomato paste, the kidney beans, vegetable stock, water, Italian seasoning, salt and the black pepper.
  5. Stir everything together, cover the pot with a lid and allow it to simmer on medium heat for 25 minutes.
  6. Then, stir in the pasta and cook until “al dente” (about 8-10 minutes).
  7. Please keep in mind that the longer the soup sits with the pasta, the pasta will begin to absorb a lot of the liquid. The broth should cover the top of the vegetables and the pasta. So add in more broth if required.
  8. Then add the baby spinach and let it cook in the hot soup for a few minutes.
  9. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper, if necessary. Remove from heat and add in the parmesan cheese.
  10. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with a sprinkle of extra parmesan.
  11. Serve hot along with crusty pieces of bread for dunking!

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