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Italian Green Minestrone

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4.1 from 41 reviews

An authentic Italian vegetarian green minestrone soup made without tomatoes and enhanced with fresh pesto, cabbage, potatoes, and beans. This hearty and flavorful soup showcases traditional Italian ingredients and offers a wholesome meal perfect for any season.

Ingredients

Scale

Soup Ingredients

  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 stick celery, diced
  • 2 cups green cabbage, shredded
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 8 sprigs thyme
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1.5 quarts low sodium vegetable stock, plus more as needed
  • 1.5 cups golden potatoes, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1.5 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
  • 15 oz canned borlotti or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well
  • 1 cup baby arugula or spinach
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns

Pesto Ingredients

  • 1 bunch fresh basil leaves only
  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, walnuts, or hazelnuts
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lemon, juiced (use half in pesto, remaining for adjustment)
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 pinch sea salt, to taste
  • 4 inches Parmesan rind (optional, for broth)

Instructions

  1. Sauté the Aromatics: Heat a soup pot over medium flame with a lug of olive oil. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrot along with a pinch of salt, and sauté for about 10 minutes until softened and fragrant.
  2. Add Herbs and Garlic: Stir in the sliced garlic, rosemary sprig, thyme sprigs, and black peppercorns. Toss to coat the vegetables and release the aromas.
  3. Cook the Cabbage: Add the shredded green cabbage and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes until the cabbage is wilted and tender.
  4. Simmer the Soup: Add the diced potatoes, Parmesan rind (if using), and the low sodium vegetable stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are fully cooked through.
  5. Add Beans and Arugula: Stir in the drained beans and the cup of baby arugula or spinach. Cook for a few additional minutes just until the greens wilt. Adjust seasoning with more sea salt to taste.
  6. Prepare the Pesto: While the soup simmers, combine the basil leaves, olive oil, garlic cloves, toasted nuts, and half of the lemon juice in a food processor. Puree until smooth, then stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and the remaining lemon juice according to taste.
  7. Serve: Ladle the hot minestrone soup into bowls and top with generous spoonfuls of freshly made pesto. Serve immediately for the best flavor.

Notes

  • For a vegan version, omit the Parmesan rind from the broth and the grated Parmesan cheese from the pesto.
  • Add the arugula or spinach in the last few minutes of cooking to ensure it wilts slightly but retains some texture and color.
  • You can substitute nuts in the pesto with walnuts or hazelnuts if pine nuts are unavailable.
  • Store-bought pesto can be used as a shortcut if preferred.
  • This soup is best served fresh but can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Find it online: https://yumfoodusa.com/italian-green-minestrone/