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Ligurian Minestrone Soup with Pesto
5 from 4 votes

Ligurian Minestrone Soup with Pesto

Ligurian Minestrone Soup packed full of goodness with squash, zucchini, cabbage, beans, pasta, and topped with homemade Genovese pesto. This recipe is not only hearty and healthy but is packed full of delicious flavour.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 349 kcal
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 1 onion
  • 1 butternut squash 3 cups/450g, small
  • 4 potato 3 cups/450g, medium
  • 2 cups green beans (180g)
  • 2 zucchini (courgette)
  • ¾ cups savoy cabbage (250g)
  • 2 cups cannellini beans 300g) * see notes if using dried beans, canned
  • 1.5 cups short pasta (150g)
  • 1 parmesan optional, rind
  • 7 cups chicken stock 1.6 litres, or vegetable stock
Pesto ingredients
  • 2 tightly packed cups basil 50g, fresh
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts 30g
  • 1 garlic small clove
  • 2/3 cup pecorino cheese 40g, freshly grated, or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • ⅓ cup olive oil (80ml)
  • salt to season

Instructions

Prepare your ingredients
    Cup of Yum
  1. Finely chop the onion and cut all other vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Make sure your stock is ready.
To make the minestrone
  1. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large, deep pot. Add the finely chopped onion and saute until soft (around 2-3 minutes).
  2. Next, add the zucchini, squash and potatoes to the pot along with 6.5 cups (1.6 litres) of stock and add a good pinch of salt. Add a parmesan rind if using, bring to a boil then cover the pot and let it simmer for 25 minutes.
  3. Uncover the pot and add the green beans, canned beans, cabbage and pasta. Cover again for 5 minutes to wilt the cabbage then uncover and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the pasta is cooked.
  4. To make the pesto
  5. Add all the pesto ingredients to a bowl and blitz to a smooth paste using an immersion blender (hand-held). Alternatively you can so this in a food processor or mortar and pestle.
To serve
  1. Taste the soup for seasoning and add salt as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each bowl with a heaped teaspoon of basil pesto, stir in and serve.

Notes

  • If using dried beans - make sure to soak the beans overnight first (usually at least 12 hours) then add them at the same time as the stock.
  • What vegetables to use - this is a great soup for using up any leftover veggies that are hanging around, use anything you have.
  • Cutting your veggies - make sure to cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces so they cook evenly and are easy to eat with a spoon.
  • Adding pasta to your soup - pasta inflates and turns mushy the longer it's in liquid. We recommend only adding pasta to the portions you are going to eat right away.
  • Storing pesto - leftover pesto will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days
  • Leftovers and freezing - leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 2-3 days or can be frozen. This soup is best frozen within 1 day of being made.

Nutrition Information

Calories 349kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 47g (16%) Protein 15g (30%) Fat 13g (20%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g (12%) Monounsaturated Fat 7g (35%) Cholesterol 3mg (1%) Sodium 162mg (7%) Potassium 1006mg (21%) Fiber 7g (28%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 6818IU (136%) Vitamin C 38mg (42%) Calcium 167mg (17%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 349

% Daily Value*

Calories 349kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 47g 16%
Protein 15g 30%
Fat 13g 20%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 3mg 1%
Sodium 162mg 7%
Potassium 1006mg 21%
Fiber 7g 28%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 6818IU 136%
Vitamin C 38mg 42%
Calcium 167mg 17%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.