Minestrone
Minestrone is a hearty, rustic vegetable soup packed with tender cannellini beans, small pasta, zucchini, carrot, celery, and tomato-rich broth. This vegan version is bright, comforting, and satisfying without being heavy, with the pasta cooked directly in the soup for extra body.
Ingredients
Soffritto and vegetables
- 30 mlextra-virgin olive oil
- 150 gyellow onion, finely diced
- 160 gcarrots, diced
- 120 gcelery stalks, diced
- 10 ggarlic cloves, minced
- 200 gzucchini, diced
Tomato broth
- 30 gtomato paste
- 400 gcanned chopped tomatoes
- 1 litrevegetable stock
- 1bay leaf
- 1 tspdried oregano
- 1/2 tspdried rosemary, crushed
- 3/4 tspfine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 tspblack pepper
Beans, pasta, and greens
- 240 gcannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 120 gditalini pasta
- 100 gcavolo nero or kale, stems removed and sliced
Finishing
- 10 gflat-leaf parsley, chopped
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •If the soup thickens too much as it sits, loosen it with a splash of hot vegetable stock or water before serving.
- •For the best texture, keep the pasta slightly al dente; it will continue to soften in the hot broth.
- •To make it gluten-free, replace the ditalini with a small gluten-free pasta or cooked rice and adjust the simmering time accordingly.
Background
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.
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