Finally, the colder wintery months are here! There’s nothing better than an amazing bowl of traditional, steaming hot minestrone soup on a chilly winter night, right? Minestrone is a healthy, staple Italian vegetable soup that is actually enjoyed all over the world during the winter season. Essentially, minestrone is a thick soup that includes a large variety of vegetables. Although, in our recipe below we’ve only included certain vegetables, feel free to switch things up and add whatever your hearts and stomachs desire. The total preparation and cooking time usually takes around 45 minutes to 1 hour and is so simple to make…even if you’re an amateur in the kitchen. Another great thing about cooking a big pot of minestrone soup is that you can prepare the soup ahead of time and then freeze it until you and your family are ready to eat it. As there are loads of variations of this recipe available, there is certainly no wrong or right way to make this delicious soup. So, keep reading for our popular Minestrone Soup recipe that will definitely make you love being in the kitchen this winter! Bon Appetit!
How To Make A Classic Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
1 large diced onion
4 cloves of minced garlic
2 stalks of diced celery
1 large diced carrot
1 1/2 cups of green beans
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
800 grams of canned tomatoes
400 grams of canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup of pasta
6 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup of finely grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Directions
- Firstly, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium to high heat. Next, add the diced onions and cook for approximately 4 minutes until they become transparent. Then add the minced cloves of garlic and let it cook for about 30 seconds. Following these steps, add in the celery and carrots- make sure to cook them until they become soft. This usually takes around 5 minutes. Continue to stir, while adding in the green beans, basil, dried oregano, 3/4 teaspoon of salt as well as a bit of pepper to add extra taste. This all needs to cook for a further 3 minutes.
- Folleong this, place the diced and crushed tomatoes along with the chicken broth into the pot, and bring it to boil. Now you need to reduce the heat to medium/ low heat and continue to allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes. Now is the time to add in your choice of pasta- make sure to cook properly until you see the pasta and vegetables are al dente. Usually, this will take around 10 minutes- give or take.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Now that your delicious soup is ready, season with a pinch of salt before serving. If you have any additional preferences for seasoning, add until you achieve your desired flavor. Ladle into bowls, top with a generous amount of parmesan, and then garnish each bowl of soup with chopped basil, if you would like. Voila, the perfect winter, comfort food is ready to be devoured.