Chi ben cena, ben dorme. “He who drinks soup, sleeps well”. This Italian proverb is quite far from the famous “He who sleeps forgets his hunger”. So let’s have a supper with an institution of Italian cuisine: minestrone.
What is minestrone?
Minestrone comes from Italian minestra which means “soup” or “to serve”. It designates a preparation of fresh seasonal vegetables cut and cooked in a broth.
Consumed throughout Italy, there are many variations depending on the seasons and regions, often associated with dried beans, pasta, rice, but also sometimes basil and Parmesan cheese. There is no single recipe for minestrone as its origins are rooted in remote and rural popular Italian tradition.
Cucina povera
Minestrone is the epitome of the cucina povera or cuisine of the poor as opposed to cucina nobile, noble cuisine. A hearty, simple and inexpensive cuisine that allowed the people to take advantage of the leftovers of previous meals, mainly accompaniments in this case here, to which seasonal vegetables from the garden or market were added.
How to make minestrone
Although today, we often find blends of all these vegetables, there are however major regional trends in the selection of the ingredients in the minestrone soup.
Indeed, it is more common to find root vegetables such as the potato, carrot, celery and onion in northern Italy, while stem vegetables are usually used in the South, including tomatoes, peas, beans or zucchini. Also, although most recent recipes ask for vegetable or chicken stock, the authentic and traditional recipe of minestrone only required water.
The recipe presented here is a vegetarian minestrone soup recipe, but again it is only a variant among a multitude of recipes as some recipes include bacon or a whole piece of ham, a pork head or pancetta. Vegetarian minestrone was at the time more popular, due to the high price of meat.
Categories of soups in Italy
Italians classify their soups in three distinct categories according to their consistency:
- Minestrine for light soups or broths
- Minestre for hearty soups
- Minestroni for thick soups
Minestrone is therefore part of the latter group.
This minestrone recipe is validated by our Italian culinary expert, Benny the Chef. Chef Benny is an Italian chef, culinary teacher, awards winner, entertainer, and the author of “The Art of Cooking According to Me”.
Minestrone
Ingredients
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , crushed
- 3 tomatoes , peeled and cut into medium cubes
- 2 celery stalks , diced
- 1 zucchini , cut into medium cubes
- 3 carrots , peeled and cut into medium cubes
- 3 potatoes , peeled and cut into medium cubes
- ½ lb green beans , cut into pieces
- ½ lb peas
- 6 oz. dry white beans
- 4 oz. pasta or rice (optional)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 cups water
Garnishing (optional)
- Olive oil
- Basil leaves
- Parmesan
Instructions
- The night before, soak the white beans in plenty of cold water.
- Bring a large volume of water to a boil, and cook the beans for about 45 minutes.
- In a pot, sweat the onion and garlic in hot olive oil, then add the tomatoes, and after a few minutes the other vegetables and pre-cooked white beans.
- Then moisten with the water and cook over medium heat, covered 30 minutes. Uncover, add the pasta and cook 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce over low heat if necessary.
- When ready to serve, drizzle a little olive oil, sprinkle with grated parmesan and add some basil leaves.
Video
Vera is the “expert” of the 196 flavors’ duo. With over 30 years of experience in the kitchen, she is now sharing her skills as a private chef and cooking instructor.
KC the Kitchen Chopper says
I can taste these healthful ingredients clear to here. I love this dish. On my “to do” list. And it’s gorgeous as well!
Linda (Meal Planning Maven) says
Oh my, what lovely bowl of absolute deliciousness…. And so healthy too which I’m sure you know I greatly appreciate. 🙂
John Bowtell says
At last a real Italian minestrone, not many places on the net do it like this. It’s a classic.
Mike Benayoun says
Thanks a lot John. We strive to be as real and authentic as we can, with the help of our culinary experts. Glad you enjoyed it 😉
Paula says
A true vegan soup. Love it!