- Submitted by Dahlia
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Minestrone soup is the national soup of Italy. Minestrone literally means big soup. There is no fixed set of ingredients for the soup. It can be made with any combination of vegetables and pasta. You could use any left over vegetables in the fridge or fresh seasonal vegetables. Whenever I make the soup, I like to use some vegetables, some small pasta, some type of beans and some greens. This gives it a combination of textures and makes it very nutritious.
Recipe For Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- Vegetable broth (home made or store bought) - 4-5 cups
- Diced Tomatoes - 1 can (or you can use blanch and chop fresh tomatoes and use them)
- Onion - 1 (chopped)
- Garlic - 4 cloves (minced)
- Vegetables of your choice - 2 cups (I usually like to add carrots, potato, zucchini, celery and cabbage.)
- Beans - 1/2 cup (You can use any beans like white beans, pinto beans, chickpeas etc. If using canned one, use directly. If using dried beans, soak it overnight, cook it and use.)
- Greens - 2 cups packed (You can use spinach, swiss chard or any other greens.)
- Pasta - 3/4 cup
- Dried Italian Herbs - 2 tsp
- Red Pepper Flakes - 1/2 tsp
- Salt - to taste
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 2 tsp
For Garnishing
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Parmesan Cheese (grated)
- Fresh Basil leaves or Parsley (chopped) or spring onions
Slow Cooker Method
- Combine all the above ingredients and cook on low for 6-8 hours or4 hours on high.
Pressure Cooker Method
- Combine all the above ingredients (except the greens) and cook for 2-3 whistles. After the pressure is released, add the greens and simmer the soup for 10 minutes.
Open Pot Method
- Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pot. Saute the garlic and onions till it sweats.
- Add the vegetable stock and bring it to a boil.
- Add the vegetables, cooked beans and cook till the veggies are tender.
- Add the Italian seasoning (dried herbs), salt, red pepper flakes and the can of diced tomatoes. Boil again.
- Now add the pasta and the greens. Cook for 15-20 minutes till the pasta is tender. Add more water if you feel the soup is thick.
Serving Suggestion
- Take the hot soup in a bowl. Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on top. Garnish with some fresh grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Serve this hearty meal with a slice of garlic bread.
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