Minestrone Soup
User Reviews
3.6
Minestrone Soup
Description
Minestrone Soup starts by sautéing onion, garlic, and celery in olive oil and butter to build a flavorful base. Broth, bay leaves, and a parmesan rind are added for depth. Tomatoes and roasted red bell peppers are pureed to create a smooth sauce that simmers with denser vegetables like diced carrots, delicata squash, and golden beet. After initial simmering, cauliflower, green beans, zucchini, kidney beans, and red jalapeño are added, cooking until tender. The vegetables contribute varied textures and natural sweetness to the broth.
Cooked small pasta is stirred in near the end, followed by fresh leafy greens such as spinach, which wilt quickly in the hot soup. Seasoning with fresh cracked salt and pepper balances the flavors. The soup is often garnished with fresh grated parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. This rich and varied combination offers a wholesome, comforting soup suitable for a main course or starter.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 yellow onion diced, small
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- celery plus the leaves, sliced, several inner stalks
- 32 ounces chicken beef, or vegetable broth.
- 2 bay leaf
- parmesan optional but good!, rind
- 26 ounces tomatoes I love Pomi, strained or crushed
- 12 ounces red bell pepper roasted
- 2 carrot diced
- 1/2 delicata squash halved, seeded, and sliced (no need to peel, small
- 1 golden beet diced or cut in small wedges
- 2 cups cauliflower sliced if large, purple and orange florets
- green beans sliced into 1 inch pieces, handful fresh
- 1 zucchini cut in half moons, medium
- 1 red jalapeño peppers or use dried chili flakes to taste, start with 1/2 tsp, 2 sliced
- 15 ounce Kidney Beans drained and rinsed, can
- 1 cup pasta small cut, such as ditalini, cooked
- 2-3 greens I used baby spinach, handfuls fresh
- salt fresh cracked, to taste
- black pepper fresh cracked, to taste
garnish
- Parmesan Cheese fresh grated
- extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add the oil and butter to a large soup pot and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often. Add the celery and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the broth or stock, bay leaves, and cheese rind to the pan.
- While the onions etc are cooking puree the tomatoes and the red peppers in a food processor or blender until smooth.
- Add the tomato sauce to the pot and stir. Bring the soup up to a simmer, lower the heat, and cook for about 15 minutes.
- Add the denser veggies to the pot first, to give them a head start ~ I add the carrots, squash, and beets now. Let them simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Next add the cauliflower, beans, zucchini, red peppers (or dried flakes if using) and kidney beans. Cover and simmer until the veggies are tender. If the soup seems too thick, add a little water to thin it down.
- Stir in the cooked pasta and then add the greens. Stir them into the soup until they have wilted down.
- Remove the cheese rind and the bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve topped with cheese and a drizzle of oil, if you like.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
3.6
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