Minestrone Soup

It is the end of January and we are very deep into winter. The past couple of weeks in Israel we have gotten a good amount of rain and those chilly rainy winter nights call for a bowl of steaming hearty soup. Minestrone soup is a great soup all year long because it uses whatever vegetables are in season and really whatever you have on hand. Serve this soup with some crusty bread to sop up the tomatoey broth and you have yourself a full cozy meal. 

Minestrone soup is an Italian vegetable soup, but there's no rule as to what type of vegetables are used and different regions in Italy use different combinations of vegetables and seasonings. 

An important part of making this soup is the stages of cooking. Start with sauteing the onions, carrots, and celery which will be the base of flavor. Then the longer cooking vegetables like sweet potatoes and parsnip are added along with some tomato paste to caramelize and deepen in flavor. Then tender vegetables like zucchini are added along with crushed tomatoes, water, and a major flavor boost comes from parmesan rind. Canned beans are added which add starch and creaminess to the soup. If you do choose to add pasta or rice to the soup keep it separate when storing leftovers so they don't continue to absorb the broth and get mushy. 

I like to finish the soup with a generous swirl of pesto to give the soup a bright fresh flavor just before serving. 

Minestrone Soup 

3 Tbsp olive oil 

1 large onion, diced

2 medium carrots, diced 

2 ribs of celery, diced 

Salt 

3 Tbsp tomato paste 

1/8 tsp chili flakes - optional 

1/8 tsp black pepper

2 cups of diced hearty vegetables like sweet potato, parsnip, parsley root, kohlrabi, turnip, butternut squash, etc. 

3 cloves garlic, minced 

1 28 oz / 800 grams can crushed tomatoes 

5 cups water

1 parmesan rind - optional

1 15 oz / 500 gram can white beans, drained and rinsed

1 large zucchini, diced

1 big handful of fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into half-inch pieces

2 cups chopped fresh spinach or kale 

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and a good pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables have softened and the onions are becoming translucent - about 8 minutes. 

Add the tomato paste and allow that to cook and caramelize slightly for 2 minutes. Add the chili flakes and black pepper along with the diced hearty vegetables and garlic. Cook for an additional 2 minutes and then add the crushed tomatoes, water, parmesan rind, canned beans, and another pinch of salt. 

Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat, cover the pot, and allow the soup to simmer for 20-30 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add the zucchini, green beans, and spinach or kale and allow the soup to cook for another 5 minutes. 

Ladle the soup into bowls and swirl in a teaspoon of pesto and a good sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese. Serve with crusty bread and enjoy!