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Italian Green Minestrone di Verdure Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 119 reviews

A hearty and vibrant Italian Green Minestrone di Verdure, packed with fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs, and flavorful pesto. This low sodium, vegetable-based soup features cabbage, potatoes, beans, and a Parmesan-infused broth, perfect for a warm, wholesome meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetables and Herbs

  • 1 onion, diced (small)
  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 stick celery, diced
  • 2 cups green cabbage, shredded
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 8 sprigs thyme
  • 1.5 cups golden potatoes, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 cup baby arugula or spinach
  • 1 bunch fresh basil (leaves only)
  • 1 lemon, juiced (divided)

Liquids and Fats

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1.5 qt low sodium vegetable stock (plus more as needed)
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Proteins and Additions

  • 15 oz canned borlotti or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well
  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, walnuts, or hazelnuts
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 4 inches Parmesan rind (optional)

Seasonings

  • 1.5 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste, divided)
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 2 cloves garlic (for pesto)
  • 1 pinch sea salt (for pesto, to taste)

Instructions

  1. Heat the pot: Place a soup pot over medium flame and add a lug of olive oil to warm up.
  2. Sauté base vegetables: Add diced onion, celery, and carrot to the pot with a pinch of salt, sautéing for about 10 minutes until softened.
  3. Add aromatics: Incorporate the sliced garlic, rosemary sprig, thyme sprigs, and black peppercorns, tossing to coat and release their flavors.
  4. Cook cabbage: Stir in shredded green cabbage and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes until wilted and tender.
  5. Simmer potatoes and broth: Add diced golden potatoes, optional Parmesan rind, and vegetable stock to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, approximately 10 minutes.
  6. Add beans and season: Stir in soaked and drained borlotti or cannellini beans. Adjust seasoning with additional sea salt to taste.
  7. Prepare pesto: In a food processor, combine fresh basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves, toasted nuts, and half of the lemon juice. Puree until smooth. Adjust with sea salt and more lemon juice to taste.
  8. Serve: Ladle the hot minestrone into bowls and top each serving with generous spoonfuls of freshly made basil pesto. Optionally, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top for extra flavor.

Notes

  • The Parmesan rind adds a subtle umami depth to the soup but can be omitted if unavailable.
  • Use low sodium vegetable stock to control the saltiness of the soup.
  • For a vegan version, omit Parmesan cheese and parmesan rind.
  • The pesto can be made in advance and stored refrigerated for up to 2 days.
  • Adjust bean variety according to preference; borlotti or cannellini beans are traditional.
  • If spinach is used instead of arugula, add it at the end to prevent overcooking.

Keywords: Italian soup, minestrone, vegetable soup, green minestrone, healthy soup, vegetarian minestrone, basil pesto, Italian recipe, low sodium soup

Find it online: https://cookwithyana.com/italian-green-minestrone-di-verdure-recipe/