Classic Italian Minestrone Soup with Pasta
Serves 6
15 mins prep
25 mins cook
40 mins total
This recipe for a traditional minestrone soup is my kind of everyday Italian cooking — it’s simple, hearty, and endlessly adaptable. You can make it year-round with a mix of basic pantry vegetables and dried pasta (or whatever’s fresh from your garden). Best of all, it comes together in about 40 minutes.
cupchopped carrots (2 large or 3 small carrots)
chopped celery stalks(1 ¼ cups)
tbspfinely chopped or grated garlic2-3 cloves
tbsptomato paste
tspItalian seasoning, dried thyme or oregano
15-ouncetomato puree or crushed tomatoes
15-ouncecans kidney or cannellini beans (or 1 of each)drained
lbgreen beans (fresh or frozen)trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
Parmesan cheese rindoptional
cupsmall dried pastasuch as elbows, small shells or ditalini
cupdark leafy greens such as spinach, chard or kaleroughly chopped
tbspchopped parsley
Grated Parmesan cheesefor serving
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Heat ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil a large (5 or 6 quart) soup pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 ¼ cups chopped carrots (2 large or 3 small carrots), 2 chopped celery stalks, and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables become softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in 1 tablespoon finely chopped or grated garlic, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, dried thyme or oregano, and ¼ teaspoon crushed red chili pepper. Cook one minute, until fragrant. Add 1 15-ounce tomato puree or crushed tomatoes, 2 15-ounce cans kidney or cannellini beans (or 1 of each), 4 cups vegetable broth, 2 teaspoons salt and the Parmesan rind, if using. Pour in 4 cups vegetable broth or water and bring to a simmer. Cook 25 minutes, uncovered.
Meanwhile, cook 1 cup small dried pasta in a pot of salted water. Cook until the pasta is al dente, according to package directions. Drain.
Add the pasta to the soup and stir in 2 cups dark leafy greens such as spinach, chard or kale until they wilt. Add2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Taste the soup for seasoning (if you used water, the soup will need another teaspoon or so of salt). The starch from the pasta will thicken the soup as it sits. Serve in bowls, with grated cheese on top.