Minestrone Soup
The word minestrone indicates a thick vegetable soup. We all want to do those one-pot meals but in a healthy and balanced way. Here is one such recipe where the blend of flavors just makes you drool 😋 over this Italian soup called minestrone soup. 🤤 This soup can be enjoyed during special dinners with friends or family.
Why is it healthy?
- Soup with pasta, beans, and vegetables is a healthy balance of meals with all the macro-nutrients present like carbohydrates, proteins, fiber.
- Beans are a very good protein source and the combination of beans and pasta makes it a complete protein.
- The greens present in the soup provide enough calcium, iron, selenium, and fiber.
- Olive oil is high in healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, contains large amounts of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
Who is it for?
Diabetic, hypertensive, hyperlipidemic, and others can absolutely enjoy this soup in their diet. As it is rich in vegetables and legumes, frequently constipated individuals can include this in their diet to see the difference. Minestrone soup can be also a weight loss recipe but make sure to indulge in it without croutons on top of the soup 😉
The picture shown is only indicative of how the recipe would turn out after cooking as it is subjective to the individual style of cooking & hand.
⏳ Preparation Time: 60–70 minutes
🍽 Serves: 1
🥗 What you’ll need:
- Olive oil- 2 tablespoon
- Onion (chopped)- 1/4 cup
- Carrots (chopped)- 1/4 cup
- Celery (chopped)- 1/4 cup
- Tomato paste/ puree- 1/2 cup
- Chopped seasonal vegetables (potatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, butternut squash, green beans, or peas)- 1 cup
- Garlic (minced)- 3 to 4 cups
- Dried oregano- 1 teaspoon
- Dried thyme- 1 teaspoon
- Tomato (chopped)- 1/4 cup
- Vegetable broth- 2 cup
- Salt- as per taste
- Bay leaves- 1
- Red chilli flakes- 1/2 teaspoon
- Pepper powder- as per taste
- Whole grain or any pasta- 1/2 cup
- Beans (cooked)- 1/2 cup
- Baby spinach/ Kale/ Collard greens (chopped)- 1/2 cup
- Lemon juice- 1 to 2 teaspoon
- Cheese (grated)- for garnish (optional)
✋Method:
- First, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pot. Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, tomato paste, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables have softened and the onions turn translucent about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Next, add the seasonal vegetables, garlic, oregano, and thyme. Cook until they turn fragrant while stirring frequently, about 2 minutes.
- To this, add the diced tomatoes and broth along with 1 cup of water. Add the salt, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper.
- Then, raise heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot with the lid, leaving about a 1” gap for steam to escape. Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.
- Then remove the lid of the pot, add the pasta, beans, and greens. Continue to boil on simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until the pasta is cooked and the greens are tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat, then discard the bay leaves.
- Add the lemon juice and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Adjust the seasoning as required.
- Pour the soup into bowls and garnish with grated cheese and serve hot.
- Minestrone soup is ready. Enjoy! :)
Tips to make a minestrone soup with chicken
Add cooked shredded chicken to the soup along with the pasta and follow the rest of the steps as mentioned above!
Tip to make vegetable broth at home:
Heat some oil in a pan, add onion, garlic, spring onion, and saute for a minute. Then, add chopped veggies of your choice and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Season the mixture well and add 2 to 3 cups of water. Bring this to a boil, and simmer for another 10 minutes. Drain the mixture and use this as vegetable stock.
Tips to make tomato puree:
Boil some water in a pan, add 2 whole tomatoes and cook them for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the pan and add them to a bowl of cold water and allow them to cool to room temperature. Then, peel the tomatoes, roughly chop them and blend them into a smooth puree in a blender.
