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Hearty Vegetable Minestrone with Beans

Hearty Vegetable Minestrone with Beans

Minestrone is less a fixed recipe than a habit: a pot of vegetables, beans, tomatoes and a little pasta that changes with whatever is in season. This version is a reliable everyday base that makes a big batch for lunches.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 2 medium carrots diced
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 medium zucchini diced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) diced tomatoes
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) cannellini or borlotti beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups chopped kale or green cabbage
  • 3/4 cup small pasta such as ditalini or small shells
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt or to taste
  • grated Parmesan and olive oil to serve

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
  2. Add the garlic, zucchini and oregano and cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Pour in the tomatoes and broth, add the salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.
  4. Add the beans and kale and simmer for another 10 minutes until the greens are tender.
  5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a separate pot of salted boiling water until just tender. Drain.
  6. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning. Put a spoonful of pasta in each bowl, ladle the soup over, and finish with Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

  • A Parmesan rind added with the broth gives the soup a deeper, savory flavor; remove it before serving.
  • Cut all the vegetables to roughly the same small size so they cook evenly and fit on a spoon.