Minestrone Soup

5 from 4 votes

This thick vegetable minestrone soup is chock-a-block with good stuff. With some crusty bread, it's hard to think of a more satisfying simple meal.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: People

Author: Katie Workman

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup diced pancetta or bacon (optional)
2 cups diced onion
1 cup diced carrots
2 leeks (white and light green parts only, washed and diced)
½ cup diced celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 cups slivered cabbage (preferably napa)
4 cups chopped washed and chopped kale (thick ribs and stems discarded)
1 large potato (peeled and diced, about 1 cup)
3 cups seeded and diced ripe tomatoes (or 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes in juice)
8 cups vegetable or chicken broth (preferably less sodium)
1 Parmesan rind (optional; see Note)
2 cans (15-ounce) white beans (such as Northern or cannellini, rinsed and drained)
3 cups diced zucchini
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Grated Parmesan cheese (to serve; optional)

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large soup or stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pancetta, if using, and sauté until the pancetta is crispy and browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, leeks, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and a very light golden brown. Add the cabbage and kale and stir occasionally for another 5 minutes, until the greens have wilted.
Add the potato, tomatoes, and broth, and turn the heat to medium-high. If you have an extra Parmesan rind, add it here now. Bring the soup to a simmer and simmer, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the greens have softened.
Place half of the white beans in a bowl, and using a potato mashed or a fork, mash the beans into a chunky paste. Add the crushed and whole white beans to the pot along with the zucchini, tomatoes, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Return to a simmer and stir often for another 15 minutes, until the zucchini is tender. Remove the Parmesan rind, if added, stir in the basil and serve.

Notes

The rind or end of a piece of Parmesan is often added to soups and sauces in Italy for a wonderful base of flavor and salinity. You can fish out and discard the rind once the dish is done, or let it sit in the pot until you are done enjoying the soup.

If you want to make your minestrone vegetarian, use vegetable broth, skip the pancetta or bacon, and add another tablespoon or two of olive oil. If you want to keep the minestrone vegan, also skip the Parmesan cheese or use a vegan Parmesan.

Nutrition