Minestrone is the best soup for this time of year — the saddle season between winter and spring. It uses some pantry/freezer staples - canned beans and chicken stock - and veggies you have on hand plus some leftover pasta.
This photo is of the minestrone veggies, with a block of frozen chicken stock melting. Yum!
Here’s my Minestrone recipe
1 onion, medium dice
2 carrots, medium dice
2 sticks celery, medium dice
1 leek (Light green/white part only) rinsed and chopped &/or 1 shallot &/or 4 cloves of garlic
1/4 c olive oil (maybe less)
1/3 c white wine (maybe more)
1 can diced or chopped or whole tomatoes, no salt variety
1 qt (32 oz aka 4 c) chicken stock (or veg stock)
3 springs fresh thyme (or a fat pinch of dried) (sub 1 t fresh rosemary)
1 15-oz can cannellini beans, drained (any white bean will do)
1 or 2 c leftover pasta, cut to size for a soup spoon (I like penne, it makes lovely little rings)
EDIT: I completely forgot the kale! Chiffonade about 2 c of kale (or less) and mix it in with the pasta. Sorry! #AStonerCrone #PDXJerseyGirl
Grated Parmesan cheese and black pepper to finish.
Heat olive oil and sauté all veg but the garlic until soft and slightly brown. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant (approx 3 min). Deglaze the pan with wine. Add the stock and tomatoes. Simmer on low for 25 minutes or so, until the carrots are firm but edible.*
Add beans.
At this point (in a perfect world) I love to stop the whole process — cool the soup, and refrigerate it overnight. It benefits from the rest - the flavors come alive.
And that’s it. I like to add the pasta right before serving so it stays intact. I also add Parmesan and ground pepper when serving.
Easy peasy and a wonderful reminder that spring, and all the wonderful veggies, is right around the corner.
Eat well & Love Big!
xoxo
Nancy
* Carrots are my canary in the coal mine, if they taste good, everything else is ready.
