Who else loves arriving home and having ready a nice and filling, warm yummy soup...? That is why I like making a very big pot of soup, it really takes no time and you'll have the dinner solved for many days.
You probably are very familiar with this classic minestrone soup, from "minestra"in Italian, that means soup. A traditional one with lots of veggies, pasta and sometimes also legumes. Depending on the region in Italy it is made cooking different vegetables in a good stock, sometimes with rice, pancetta, pasta, beans, grated Parmesan cheese...
It is said that no exclusive nor unique recipe exist as its origin is rural and it has always been made with what was available at the current season.
Although the veggies most typically used are carrots, potatoes, onions, celery, tomato, zucchini, green beans...you can use and add any other of your choice, they all taste and work great in it.
A hearty soup that is so simple and inexpensive, you can even make use of left overs with it. There's almost zero waste in it and we will even be using the water used for cooking the pasta to make the broth.Regarding the pasta, although small or medium size are commonly used for this soup such as snail, ditalini or lumache, any type is ok, I actually used the one I had in hand, a red lentil sort of sedanini that I broke into smaller pieces.
I love using plenty of different veggies and never give up on tomato, lots of freshly ground black pepper and aromatic herbs.
So here's my version of minestrone soup, cooked in my lovely red cocotte, fullly loaded and smoldering for the chilly days ahead.
MINESTRONE SOUP RECIPE
INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)
- 1/2 zucchini
- 1/2 onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 ripe tomatoes
- 2 carrots
- 1 leek
- 1 celery stick
- 2 potatoes
- 10 green beans
- Pasta of your choice
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Water
- Dry basil and oregano
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- Fresh parsley
ELABORATION
- Cook the pasta.
- Meanwhile chop the vegetables in small pieces or little cubes.
- In a large cooking pot, pour some olive oil and cook the garlic, onion, leek and carrot until golden.
- Set to medium heat and add the potatoes, celery, beans, zucchini, tomato, bay leaves...
- When the pasta is cooked pour the water into the pot and reserve the pasta for later. Season with oregano, basil, salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover with the lid and allow to cook at medium heat for about 20-30 minutes.
- Add the pasta and leave for 5-10 minutes.
- Then serve with some fresh parsley and drizzle some olive oil.
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