Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
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- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion – finely chopped
- 2 medium carrot – finely chopped
- 2 ribs celery – finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic – minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 28 ounces canned whole peeled tomatoes – crushed by hand
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- 1 piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind – optional
- 1 medium potato – peeled and diced 0.5-inch
- 1 cup green beans – trimmed and cut 1-inch
- 1 medium zucchini – diced 0.5-inch
- 2 cups savoy cabbage – shredded
- 15 ounces canned cannellini beans – drained and rinsed
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper – freshly ground
- 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley – chopped (~0.5 n/a parsleys)
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese – finely grated (for serving)
Instructions
1. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat until shimmering, 1–2 minutes.
2. Add the yellow onion, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, 7–8 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste; cook until fragrant and the paste darkens in color, 1–2 minutes.
4. Add the canned whole peeled tomatoes with their juices; cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, 3–4 minutes.
5. Pour in the vegetable broth and add the bay leaf, Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, potato, and green beans; bring to a boil over high heat, 3–4 minutes, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook 10 minutes.
6. Stir in the zucchini and savoy cabbage; simmer until all the vegetables are tender but not mushy, 10–12 minutes.
7. Add the canned cannellini beans and ditalini pasta; simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente, 8–10 minutes.
8. Fish out and discard the aromatics added earlier; season the pot with the kosher salt and black pepper, stir in the flat-leaf parsley, and let the soup rest off the heat for 5 minutes to meld flavors.
9. Ladle into bowls and top with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated (for serving). Serve hot.
Minestrone is Italy’s beloved vegetable soup, a hearty bowl that balances tender beans, sweet soffritto, and soft vegetables in a savory tomato-kissed broth. Its texture is rustic and varied: creamy beans and small pasta against cubes of potato, ribbons of cabbage, and bites of zucchini and green beans. Fragrant with olive oil and herbs and often finished with a grating of Parmigiano, it’s warming yet bright, substantial yet light enough to enjoy as a first course or a simple meal with bread.
Rooted in home kitchens, minestrone evolved from ancient Roman vegetable stews into a regional canvas that changes with the seasons. In Liguria, cooks might add a spoonful of basil pesto; in some northern towns, rice replaces pasta; and in others a Parmesan rind perfumes the pot. Despite the variations, the core remains constant: a soffritto base, seasonal vegetables, legumes, and a starch simmered together into a generous, nourishing soup that epitomizes Italian cucina povera.