One of the most popular Italian soups, a complete one pot meal that includes vegetables, chickpeas, beans and pasta and eats like a meal! I tried many versions, and struggled with the recipe for many years, trying to get the flavors right! Finally, I had my Eureka moment, sitting at the local Umberto’s restaurant and as I sipped their near perfect minestrone…all the missing pieces of the recipe fell into place! 🙂
Minestrone Soup from scratch…
Ingredients (4-6 servings)
- 1/4 cup chopped onions
- 1/4 cup chopped carrots
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 1/4 cup French beans
- 1/2 cup chopped cauliflower
- 2-3 cloves of garlic
- 1 medium potato diced
- 1/4 cup chickpeas
- 1/4 cup pink beans/Rajmah
- 1 1/2 cup crushed tomato
Method:
Heat oil and add chopped garlic, onions, celery, 1 small chopped potato, carrots, beans, cauliflower etc. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add the crushed tomato and cook for 2-3 minutes
Add Chickpeas and pink kidney beans and stir.
Add 6 cups vegetable stock/chicken stock (kitchen basics recommended)and a few basil leaves.
Cook for 20 minutes till tomatoes are completely melted and the chickpeas are really soft. Then take the potatoes out from the soup
Mash them and put it back.
This is an important step that gives the soup a silky texture. Garnish with chopped fresh Italian parsley and serve hot with crusty bread. You can also add boiled pasta to this soup just before serving to make it into a meal!
Note: We love to enjoy this soup with my No Fuss Foccacia.
For an interesting garnish….slice big boiled Penne Pasta pieces into thin rings. spray pan with nonstick spray and sear the penne rings on both sides.
Garnish soup with the Pasta rings.
Below I also include a quick version for when you are pressed for time…or just feeling plain old lazy! 🙂
For quick minestrone Soup…
Stir fry garlic, onions, peppers and then add about 1 1/2 cup readymade pasta sauce, 6 cups of chicken/veg stock, kidney beans, chick peas mixed italian seasoning, salt and crushed red pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes add some cooked pasta of your choice (if you like) and enjoy!