Minestrone

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare all vegetables before cooking: dice the onion, carrots, celery, and zucchini into small, even pieces so they cook quickly and evenly. Mince the garlic, rinse the beans well, slice the greens thinly, and chop the parsley.

   150 g yellow onion, finely diced160 g carrots, diced120 g celery stalks, diced10 g garlic cloves, minced200 g zucchini, diced240 g cannellini beans, drained and rinsed100 g cavolo nero or kale, stems removed and sliced10 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2. 2

   Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and salt, then cook for 6–7 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent; do not rush this soffritto, as it builds the soup’s sweetness.

   30 ml extra-virgin olive oil150 g yellow onion, finely diced160 g carrots, diced120 g celery stalks, diced3/4 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
3. 3

   Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, and rosemary. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and smells sweet rather than raw.

   10 g garlic cloves, minced30 g tomato paste1 tsp dried oregano1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
4. 4

   Add the chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock, bay leaf, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 10 minutes to let the tomato broth develop flavor.

   400 g canned chopped tomatoes1 litre vegetable stock1 bay leaf1/4 tsp black pepper
5. 5

   Add the cannellini beans, zucchini, and ditalini pasta. Simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring frequently so the pasta does not stick to the bottom, until the pasta is al dente and the zucchini is tender but not mushy.

   240 g cannellini beans, drained and rinsed200 g zucchini, diced120 g ditalini pasta
6. 6

   Stir in the cavolo nero or kale and cook for 3–4 minutes, just until wilted and tender. Remove the bay leaf, then taste and adjust with a little more salt if needed.

   100 g cavolo nero or kale, stems removed and sliced3/4 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
7. 7

   Turn off the heat and let the minestrone rest for 3 minutes; this helps the broth thicken slightly around the pasta and beans. Stir in the parsley and serve hot.

   10 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Origin & History

Minestrone is one of Italy’s classic cucina povera dishes, traditionally made with seasonal vegetables, beans, and whatever small pasta or rice was available. There is no single fixed recipe; versions vary by region and season, but a soffritto base, legumes, vegetables, and a generous broth are central to its character.