Nonna's Garden Minestrone
A hearty, soul-warming pot of vegetables, beans, and pasta simmered in a rich tomato broth seasoned with garlic, rosemary, and Parmigiano rind. Every spoonful is a different discovery -- tender zucchini, creamy cannellini, silky spinach, and little tubes of ditalini pasta. This is the soup that Italian grandmothers have been prescribing as medicine for centuries, and they were right.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
+ 15 more ingredients
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes.
Add the garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant and the vegetables begin to soften at the edges.
Add the diced zucchini and cubed potato. Stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes to lightly coat everything in the oil.
Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices, the cannellini beans, and the broth. Drop in the Parmigiano rind, rosemary sprig, bay leaves, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the potatoes and carrots are tender.
Add the ditalini pasta and cook uncovered for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom, until the pasta is al dente.
Stir in the chopped spinach during the last 2 minutes of cooking. It will wilt quickly into the hot soup.
Remove and discard the rosemary sprig, bay leaves, and Parmigiano rind (or eat the softened rind -- chef's treat). Taste and adjust seasoning.
Ladle into warm bowls and top generously with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and a drizzle of your best olive oil.
Nutrition Estimate
Per serving • Estimated by Blinner AI