Minestrone is a traditional Italian soup.
It has a thick, almost stew-like, consistency composed of seasonal ingredients and whatever leftovers you might find in your pantry.
This warm, hearty, delicious soup is easy to make and can be enjoyed in any season. When possible, use fresh, organic and local.
Ingredients
- 8-10 cups of diced veg (onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, plum tomatoes)
- ½ cup ghee or oil
- 3 cloves garlic or ginger – minced
- 2 pinches red chili flakes or smoky paprika
- 2 cups white beans – rinsed
- 1 cups lentils – soaked and rinsed
- Water (about 5X level of veg in pot)
- 3 large bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup small pasta
- Fresh chopped seasonal parsley and basil
Preparation
- Warm oil in a large soup pot.
- Add onions, carrots, celery and potatoes and sauté. Add minced garlic/ginger and chili flakes as the vegetables start to glisten. Stir in tomatoes, beans and lentils.
- Add water to cover vegetables and bring to a boil. Add bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
- After 15 minutes bring the pot down to a simmer for 1-2 hours.
- In the last 15 minutes add the pasta and fresh herbs. Enjoy!!
Ideas
- Great way to use up bits of left over or broken dry pasta.
- Feel free to mix up the beans (try mung dal, chickpeas, kidney beans or navy beans).
Seasonal Considerations
- Play around with adding your favourite seasonal veggies such as peas, squash, sweet potato, sprouts, spinach or kale. Try your favourite fresh herbs as well.
- Experiment with how much water to add. The beans, lentils, and pasta drink up a lot of the broth, especially as it sits and you have it the next day. In the spring and summer, you may enjoy a lighter soup.
Lori talks about how this soup also warms the heart ♥️
