Minestrone
Fasting Recipes Italian Budget Recipes Vegetables Soups and Stews
This is a traditional Italian vegetable soup recipe. And since it's made by an Italian aunt, she couldn't help but add some parmesan on top and some pasta 😋 Although we can call it vegetable soup, in Romanian terms it's more like a vegetable stew because it comes out much thicker than any soup we make here.
You can add other vegetables besides the ones I used: leeks, cabbage, spinach, green beans, etc.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
60 g bacon (omit for vegan version)
1 onion
1 medium carrot
1 piece celery root (50g)
1 piece kohlrabi (150g)
2 garlic cloves
250 ml passata
70 g short pasta (fusilli)
1 small zucchini (200g)
100 g peas
250 g potatoes
1/2 bell pepper
150 g canned beans
1 celery stalk (with leaves)
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig thyme
5 sprigs parsley
5 basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
Servings: 5-6
How to prepare minestrone
- Fry the bacon cut into small cubes in hot oil until slightly crispy.
- Add the carrot, celery root, kohlrabi, and onion, all cut into small cubes. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
- Add the crushed garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.
- Add the passata and 4 cups of water. Add salt, pepper, and the whole herbs (thyme, rosemary, and celery). Let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add the peas, zucchini (with skin) cut into slices then each slice into quarters, drained beans, finely chopped bell pepper, pasta, and potatoes cut into small cubes.
* optionally, you can also add a few cauliflower florets - Let it simmer for another 30 minutes over medium heat. Remove and discard the whole herbs. Adjust salt to taste.
- Add the finely chopped basil and parsley and turn off the heat.
- Serve with parmesan sprinkled on top and ciabatta bread.
Frying the bacon
Vegetables cut into cubes
Cook with tomato sauce and water
The rest of the vegetables
Continue cooking
