Description
Hearty minestrone soup brings Italian countryside comfort to your kitchen, packed with seasonal vegetables and rich flavors. Wholesome ingredients blend seamlessly, creating a nourishing meal you’ll savor with each spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables:
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 zucchini, chopped
Proteins and Liquids:
- 1 (15 ounces / 425 grams) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 (14.5 ounces / 411 grams) can diced tomatoes
Cooking and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup small pasta (like ditalini)
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a spacious cooking vessel over medium temperature, gently sautéing chopped onions, carrots, and celery until they become translucent and tender, approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Incorporate zucchini and diced tomatoes into the vegetable mixture, continuing to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and vegetables to soften slightly.
- Stream vegetable broth into the pot, seasoning with salt and pepper, then elevate heat to create a rolling boil.
- Introduce beans and uncooked pasta to the bubbling liquid, immediately reducing heat to a gentle simmer and allowing the ingredients to cook uncovered for 8-10 minutes until pasta reaches perfect al dente texture.
- Conduct a final taste evaluation, fine-tuning seasoning with additional salt and pepper as desired.
- Ladle the steaming, vibrant soup into serving bowls, ensuring each portion captures a harmonious blend of vegetables, beans, and pasta.
Notes
- Swap pasta with gluten-free alternatives like quinoa or rice noodles to make the soup celiac-friendly and accommodate dietary restrictions.
- Enhance soup’s protein content by adding cooked chicken, turkey, or plant-based protein like tempeh for extra nutrition and heartiness.
- Maximize flavor depth by allowing soup to simmer longer, which helps ingredients meld together and develops richer taste profile.
- Extend soup’s shelf life by storing separately from pasta, adding noodles only when ready to serve to prevent overcooking and maintain perfect texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg