ItalianSoups and stewsMeatless
Minestrone
A thick Italian vegetable soup with beans, small pasta and tomatoes. It is even better the next day, so make a big pot.
Ingredients
Quantities for 6. Tick things off as you go.
Method
Soften the base 10 min
Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned.
Add the aromatics 2 min
Add the garlic, courgette, tomato purée and oregano; cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and the purée darkens slightly.
Simmer the soup 20 min
Add the tomatoes and 1 litre stock, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until the carrots are tender.
Cook the pasta packet time
Stir in the pasta and simmer over medium-low heat for the packet’s shortest stated cooking time, stirring often; taste, then continue in 1-minute increments until just tender.
Add beans and cabbage 3 to 5 min
Stir in the beans and cabbage and simmer over medium-low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cabbage is tender and the beans are hot; add stock or water if the soup is too thick.
Season and rest 5 min
Stir in the salt and pepper, taste and adjust the seasoning, then turn off the heat and leave for 5 minutes; the soup should be thick but still ladleable.
Serve
Ladle the hot soup into six bowls, top with vegetarian hard cheese and a drizzle of olive oil, and serve with crusty bread.
Tips
- Check the pasta at its packet’s shortest cooking time and taste every minute after that, as shapes and brands vary.
- Add extra stock or hot water gradually if the soup becomes too thick; it should remain easy to ladle.
- The soup tastes fuller the next day, but pasta absorbs broth as it sits, so expect a thicker consistency or cook and store pasta separately.
Swaps
- Use another small pasta shape and follow its packet timing.
- Replace cannellini beans with butter beans or borlotti beans.
- Use shredded kale in place of savoy cabbage.
Storing
Cool promptly and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently until piping hot throughout, adding water or stock to loosen. For best texture, store cooked pasta separately from the soup.
Nutrition per serving
380 kcal · protein 15 g · carbs 59 g · fat 10 g · fibre 11 g. This is an estimate, not a lab measurement.
Allergens
Read the label on every ingredient you buy. We can't account for how a product was made or packed.
How this page was made
Written by the Cookt team for the Cookt app, following our recipe standards. AI tools help us draft, check and illustrate recipes. No star ratings until enough people have rated this recipe in Cookt.
