We’ve been spoiled here in Central Ohio recently. The days have been mostly mild, creeping up into the seventies here and there, teasing summer weather and summer food. But it is still spring, and we’ve had just enough cool days to keep my cravings alternating between cozy winter cooking and big fresh summer salads. On one of the more recent windy, cool days, I fell back to one of my most cooked soups: minestrone.
Minestrone is basically the Italian version of a vegetable soup. There is no one way to make minestrone. Every region and household in Italy is going to make it differently, because the soup depends on the seasons, what a person has on hand, and, of course, personal preference. It usually involves small diced well-cooked vegetables, sometimes pasta and beans, often tomatoes. It is often vegetarian but not always. It is, basically, all about versatility, and using whatever you have in your fridge and pantry.
I make minestrone at least once a month, and every time I make it, it turns out a little differently. And so what I describe below is not a recipe to be followed precisely. It is a guideline for how to make an Italian vegetable soup with whatever you have on hand. And this is not just a soup for the cold months. I love making minestrone right in middle of summer too, especially when there’s an abundance of fresh summer squash and green beans at the market
First, before I get on to the recipe, some notes on the ingredients:
Tomatoes: I love tomatoes in minestrone, but how many tomatoes I add depends on whether I’m using water or vegetable broth as my base. If I don’t have a good vegetable broth on hand, I use more tomatoes (such as a 28 ounce can vs a 14 ounce can, for example).
Beans: Beans are optional, but I almost always add them. They make the soup more filling and more complete. White beans are my favorite for this soup but any bean works.
Pasta: Pasta is also optional. I recommend sticking with something small, such as ditalini, tubetti, or acini di pepe. You can even use a slightly larger shape, such as orecchiette, for a more pasta heavy soup.
As for when to add the pasta – a lot of people have strong opinions about whether to cook the pasta in the soup or separately. For minestrone, I like to cook the pasta right in the soup. If you would rather boil the pasta in a separate pot and add it when ready to eat, no problem.
The Vegetables: I say 2 to 3 cups of vegetables but that’s a rough estimate. I don’t actually measure them. Keep the veggies small or large – anything goes. By now you may have noticed a constant refrain here: use what you have and you really can’t go wrong.
An Italian vegetable soup that changes with the seasons. Begin by heating the extra virgin olive oil over medium low heat (a few tablespoons will do the trick). Add the onion, carrots, celery, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Saute until very tender, about ten minutes. Add the garlic and oregano and saute another minute or so. If you like a little heat, add some red pepper flakes as well. Add the tomatoes. At this point you’ll want to add any vegetables that take longer to cook (potatoes, parsnips, winter squash, for example). Also add the water or broth, turn the heat up until the soup starts to boil. Turn the heat down and partially cover the pot so that it simmers gently. Let it cook for at least 20 minutes. Once the soup has simmered at least 20 minutes, add the rest of your vegetables and beans (if you’re using them). Wait until the soup starts to simmer again and then add the pasta. Also taste the broth and see if you need to add more salt (if you’re using water instead of broth, you most likely will). Simmer the soup for about another ten minutes. Add the greens and any fresh herbs and taste the soup again to see if it needs any more salt or maybe a little lemon. I love to serve minestrone topped with fresh herbs, if I have them, and a little pecorino or parmesan grated on top. You can also drizzle a little olive oil and add some more pepper. Enjoy!Minestrone
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