Minestrone Soup
This soup develops a deep, rich flavor by sautéing the tomato paste with the aromatics until it darkens – this simple step caramelizes the paste and removes any raw tomato taste, creating a much more complex broth.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ~2/3 cup diced carrots
- ~2/3 cup diced yellow onion
- ~2/3 cup diced celery
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- Salt and pepper
- 1 (14.5-oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1/2 tsp dried crushed rosemary
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 2/3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 (15.5-oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15.5-oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup diced zucchini
- 1 bay leaf, optional
- ~2/3 cup uncooked ditalini pasta
- 1/3 cup frozen peas
- 1/3 cup frozen corn
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Sauté the Aromatics
In a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion, carrot, and celery, and cook for ~8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened and golden. Stir in the garlic and cook for ~30 seconds more, until fragrant.
Add the tomato paste, season with salt and pepper, and cook for ~8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the paste has darkened in color.
Simmer the Soup
Add the diced tomatoes, rosemary, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Cook for ~2 minutes, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Pour in the vegetable stock, beans, and zucchini. Add the bay leaf, if using. Increase the heat to bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover partially and let it cook for ~10-15 minutes.
Cook the Pasta and Finish the Soup
Meanwhile, cook the ditalini pasta in a separate pot of salted, boiling water according to package directions.
Once the soup has simmered, turn off the heat and stir in the frozen peas and corn. Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper as needed.
To serve, place a few spoonfuls of cooked pasta into each bowl and ladle the soup over the top. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ~2/3 cup diced carrots
- ~2/3 cup diced yellow onion
- ~2/3 cup diced celery
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- Salt and pepper
- 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes 14.5-oz, undrained
- 1/2 tsp dried crushed rosemary
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 2 2/3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 can cannellini beans 15.5-oz, drained and rinsed
- 1 can dark red kidney beans 15.5-oz, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup diced zucchini
- 1 bay leaf optional
- ~2/3 cup uncooked ditalini pasta
- 1/3 cup frozen peas
- 1/3 cup frozen corn
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Method
- Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat.
- Sauté onion, carrot, and celery 8-10 min until softened.
- Add garlic, cook 30 seconds.
- Add tomato paste, salt, pepper; cook 8 min until darkened.
- Stir in tomatoes, rosemary, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes; cook 2 min.
- Add stock, beans, zucchini, bay leaf; bring to boil then reduce to simmer.
- Cover partially, simmer 10-15 min.
- Meanwhile, cook ditalini pasta separately according to package directions.
- Turn off heat, stir in peas and corn, remove bay leaf.
- Season to taste.
- Serve pasta in bowls, top with soup and Parmesan.
