This Italian soup is a wonderful vehicle for local harvests of the current season.
Minestrone recipes vary by region and season and can be made out of whatever vegetables you have on hand. While most people expect pasta in a bowl of minestrone, any starch can be used in its place. In this recipe, I’ve used potatoes, but you can also use rice or the classic pasta!
The simple and straightforward flavors of the ingredient list will make it important for you to choose a good-tasting, fresh olive oil, as it will lend a prominent taste. In addition to contributing to the flavor profile, the fat from the olive oil will also help amplify the taste of everything else.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 medium leeks or 1 large onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans
- 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 10 cups of vegetable broth or water
- 2 potatoes, diced
- Small radicchio or ¼ head purple cabbage, chopped
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 bay leaf
- Chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Add the olive oil to a large pot and warm over medium heat. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery on medium-high heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, for about 10 minutes. Add the beans and tomatoes and continue sautéing for a few more minutes.
Add the broth or water (or a combination of the two) and bring the soup to a gentle boil. Next, add the potatoes, radicchio or cabbage, wine, bay leaf, parsley, salt, and pepper to the soup. Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for 60 minutes.
When you’re ready to serve, remove the bay leaf and taste for salt and pepper. Add more of each as needed.
Options for garnishing are plentiful: grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino cheese, more parsley, green onion tops, a drizzle of olive oil, black pepper.
Serve with toasted bread or biscuits, rubbed with a cut clove of garlic and patted with butter or drizzled with olive oil. This would also be lovely with a nice garden salad.
About this recipe
Note: This recipe can easily be prepared using the Instant Pot. Follow the instructions above, but only pressure cook the soup for 12 minutes on high pressure. Let it naturally release pressure, then taste for salt and pepper, remove the bay leaf, and serve.
