Minestrone

Ingredients

• 1 can (200 g) white kidney beans (cannellini), drained and rinsed (or dried: soak overnight, simmer 45–60 min until tender; use ~100 g dried to yield ~200 g cooked)
• 1 can (400 g) crushed tomatoes
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 medium potato, diced (about 150 g)
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano (or Italian herb mix)
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 4 cups vegetable broth (or water)
• 1/2 cup small pasta (ditalini, elbow, or broken spaghetti)
• 2 handfuls fresh spinach or kale

For serving:

• Grated Parmesan cheese
• A drizzle of good olive oil
• Crusty bread
• Fresh basil or parsley

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Instructions

1. Sauté the aromatics

1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pot over medium heat.
2. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery.
3. Cook for 5–6 minutes until softened.
4. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

2. Add herbs and tomatoes

1. Add oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.
2. Stir and cook for 1 minute to toast the herbs.
3. Pour in the crushed tomatoes.
4. Stir and cook for 2–3 minutes.

3. Add broth and vegetables

1. Pour in the vegetable broth.
2. Add the diced potato and bay leaf.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.
4. Simmer for 10 minutes until the potato is just starting to soften.

4. Add zucchini and pasta

1. Add the diced zucchini and the pasta.
2. Simmer for another 8–10 minutes until the pasta is cooked and the zucchini is tender.
3. Stir occasionally so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom.

5. Add beans and greens

1. Stir in the white kidney beans and spinach (or kale).
2. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the beans are heated through and the greens are wilted.
3. Remove the bay leaf.
4. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.

6. Serve

1. Ladle into bowls.
2. Top with grated Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, and fresh basil or parsley.
3. Serve with crusty bread on the side.

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Tips

• The pasta absorbs liquid. If you’re making it ahead or having leftovers, add a splash of water or broth when reheating — the pasta will soak up the broth overnight.
• Use whatever veg you have. Minestrone is forgiving — green beans, peas, leeks, or cabbage all work. Just add harder veg earlier and softer veg later.
• Blend a little for body. Scoop out a ladleful of soup, blend it, and stir it back in — it thickens the broth naturally without cream.
• Freezes well (without the pasta — add pasta when reheating). Otherwise the pasta goes mushy.

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Variations

Variation	Change	Notes
With pancetta	Add 50 g diced pancetta in step 1, cook until crispy before adding veg	Richer, more indulgent
Pesto minestrone	Stir in 1 tbsp pesto at the end	Ligurian style, fragrant and herby
With chickpeas	Use chickpeas instead of white kidney beans	Equally good, slightly different flavor
No pasta (gluten-free)	Skip the pasta, add extra potato or a handful of rice	Still hearty and filling

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Result

A thick, hearty vegetable soup with creamy white beans, tender pasta, and a tomato-herb broth. Rustic, nourishing, and infinitely adaptable — the kind of soup that tastes like it’s been simmering all day.