Minestrone Soup

Minestrone

Ingredients

200g dried cannellini beans, 2 carrots, 2 celery, 1 onion, 2 potatoes, 200g green beans, 200g cabbage, 2 zucchini, 400g tomatoes, 4 garlic, 1.5L vegetable stock, 100g pasta, herbs

Detail Steps and Procedure

Bean Preparation (Overnight): Soak 200g dried cannellini beans in 1L cold water with 1 tsp baking soda for 12-24 hours. Drain, rinse. Cook Beans: In fresh water, simmer beans with 1 bay leaf, 1 garlic clove for 45-60 minutes until tender. Reserve 2 cups cooking liquid. Drain beans. Prep Vegetables (Mise en Place): Dice 2 carrots ( 1/2cm), 2 celery stalks ( 1/2cm), 1 large onion ( 1/2cm). Peel and dice 2 medium potatoes (1cm). Trim and slice 200g green beans into 2cm pieces. Chop 200g Savoy cabbage. Dice 2 zucchini (1cm). Mince 4 garlic cloves. Chop 400g canned whole tomatoes. Build Flavor Base: Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in large heavy pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrot, celery. Cook 10 minutes until soft but not brown. Add Aromatics: Add minced garlic, 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, 1 tsp chopped fresh sage. Cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add Tomatoes: Add chopped tomatoes with juice, 2 tbsp tomato paste. Cook 5 minutes until tomatoes break down. Add Hearty Vegetables: Add potatoes, green beans, cabbage. Stir to coat with tomato mixture. Add Liquid: Pour in 1.5L vegetable stock, 2 cups reserved bean cooking liquid. Bring to simmer. First Simmer: Partially cover, simmer 20 minutes until potatoes are tender but not falling apart. Add Tender Vegetables: Add zucchini, cooked cannellini beans. Simmer 10 minutes uncovered. Pasta Addition: Add 100g small pasta (ditalini or small shells). Cook according to package time (usually 8-10 minutes). Final Seasoning: Stir in 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, salt and pepper to taste. The soup should be thick but still brothy. Rest: Remove from heat, let stand 15 minutes before serving. The flavors will meld. Serve: Ladle into bowls. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Note: Minestrone improves overnight. Reheat gently, adding extra stock if too thick.

Related Recipes