Beautiful and colorful - Italian minestrone soup. Classic recipes for Italian minestrone soup Minestrone with chorizo

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Sometimes it seems that for Italians minestrone, like borscht for us, is something global, super popular and very soulful. The name itself contains respect for this first dish: minestra - soup, ending -one - magnifying. This makes a big soup. This means that the dish is quite complex and consists of a large number of ingredients.

Despite the apparent complexity and number of different ingredients, this is a light, predominantly vegetable soup, to which fine soup paste and, less often, rice are added. Depending on the season, region and mood, the vegetable composition varies widely. Sometimes the soup is prepared with chicken or meat broth, but vegetable soup is much more common.

As a rule, minestrone contains legumes - chickpeas or lentils, beans, peas. In addition, the usual soup vegetables are onions and carrots, celery, potatoes, and various types of cabbage. Peeled tomatoes are often added. Similar soups have been known since the times of Ancient Rome, but tomatoes and potatoes found their way into the soup after the discovery of the New World. Well, most Italian soups, all kinds of greens and sauces based on it cannot do without it.

Due to the fact that there is no permanent and generally accepted recipe for soup, the dish may vary depending on the region. Sometimes vegetables are removed from the broth and chopped - the soup turns out thick like puree. More liquid options involve using vegetables in the form of pieces of different sizes. Alternatively, vegetables can be slowly roasted for soup, or used raw.

There are many regional variations of minestrone, which differ in composition and cooking method. Most of the differences are in certain ingredients that are typical for a particular region - pesto, tomato paste, spaghetti, etc.

The basis of the soup is broth, this is important. Vegetable broth or meat broth should be rich and aromatic. Even if the vegetables are not fried before boiling, this is easy to achieve if you use a lot of fresh vegetables. Moreover, it is not at all necessary to use them all in the soup. It is noteworthy that in modern supermarkets frozen sets of prepared vegetables for soup are sold in abundance.

• Ingredients (2 servings) 2-3 tbsp.
• Carrot 1 piece
• Onion 1 piece
• Cherry tomatoes" 5-6 pcs
• Green beans 50 g
• Green peas 50 g
• Broccoli 1 piece
• Petiole celery 1-2 pcs
• Zucchini or zucchini 1 PC
• Garlic 1-2 cloves
• Pesto 2 tbsp.
• Green basil for serving
• Salt, black pepper, dry mixture of Italian herbs spices

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Minestrone - Italian vegetable soup

1. The simplest and most delicious version of minestrone, originally from Liguria, is minestrone alla genovese. As a rule, this dish is prepared in a rich vegetable broth, with the addition of legumes - peas, green beans and dry borlotti beans, a lot of vegetables and herbs. The special feature of the dish is the addition of pesto sauce made from Genoese green basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic and the best olive oil. This gives the soup a special unique taste.

   Vegetables and pasta for soup

2. We prepared the soup from the vegetables that were available, focusing on seasonality and availability. For the broth, we took a carrot and a large onion, a large stalk of celery, two cloves of garlic - not peeled. And also 50 g of frozen young peas and chopped green beans - these are generally all-season vegetables. We used raw vegetables for the soup, but you can fry them a little in 1 tbsp. olive oil. Peel the carrots and onions and cut into large cubes. Also chop the celery stalk coarsely. Place all the vegetables in a saucepan and add 5-6 glasses of cold water.

   Peel and chop vegetables, cook broth

3. Place 1 tsp in a clean piece of cloth or sachet. dry aromatic herbs that are used in Mediterranean or Italian cuisine. As a rule, these are oregano, basil, savory, dill and parsley. You can also put garlic cloves there. Tie the cloth and place the bag in water. Place the pan on the fire and bring to a boil. Cook the vegetable broth at low simmer for 30-40 minutes. After this, add fine paste to the minestrone, which is used for first courses. As a last resort, you can finely chop regular spaghetti.

   Add fine pasta to soup

4. The pasta packaging indicates the boiling time, during which the manufacturer guarantees al dente readiness. Cook the pasta for half this time. Then add cut broccoli florets and diced zucchini or zucchini to the soup. Cabbage and zucchini cook quickly, literally 3-4 minutes. But you shouldn't overcook them. There should be a subtle firmness in the boiled inflorescences and zucchini. Just before the end of cooking, add salt and black pepper to taste. Throw away the bag of spices and garlic.

   Boil broccoli and zucchini in soup

5. Pour the prepared vegetable minestrone soup into plates. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and also add to the soup. Grind a little green basil and sprinkle it over the soup. You can also add a sprig for decoration. Just before serving, add 1 tbsp to the soup. pesto sauce - it’s easy to prepare or is always on sale.

The history of one of the popular Italian dishes - minestrone soup - goes back centuries. The first mentions are found in chronicles of the 16th century AD. Among the ingredients are beans - beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas, onions, herbs and lard. The simplicity of the ingredients of the dish gives reason to assume that it was included in the menu of the poor population. One of its names, or rather not even names, but the category to which it was classified, is called in Italian cucina povera, translated as “poor cuisine.”

What is Minestrone Soup?

It is impossible to comprehensively answer this question without getting acquainted with its history.

The set of products for making soup did not have a constant composition. It could change depending on the crops growing in different areas, the time of year, the harvest, and simply on the preferences of the population of different parts of Italy. Of course, the composition included herbs to add flavor. As a rule, food was not bought; those that grew in the garden and what was left over from the previous meal were used. Therefore, it is quite fair to call it seasonal.

The food was most often vegetable, but if you happened to get hold of the bones of some edible living creature, it was cooked in almost meat broth. The opportunity to season the dish with lard was not missed either.

As cultures interpenetrated, hitherto unknown new items appeared in the recipe. Thus, in the 17th and 18th centuries, potatoes and tomatoes, which spread and became available in Italy, were immediately mastered by local housewives and brought into the pan. Naturally, the folk soup was also replenished with them.

In lean years, another Italian ingredient had to be added to the pan - pasta. The experience was so successful that they are still considered a classic soup recipe today. Over time, the list of ingredients has undergone changes (or our information about them has changed), but the principles of cooking from what is in the house and in the garden, using everything that is left over from yesterday, have remained unchanged. As a truly folk dish, real Minestrone, one makes up a family’s lunch and therefore, despite the different ingredients, it should be thick and satisfying.

What is Minestrone today?

Nowadays, the ancient dish is included in the menu of various restaurants representing Italian cuisine. Housewives do not neglect it. And each chef has his own, sometimes unique, classic recipe for Italian vegetable minestrone.

Over time, the composition became legendary. From somewhere the rule of seven arose - they say, a classic recipe should include 7 different vegetables, 7 types of meat and 7 herbs. The author of this statement was apparently inspired by the similarity of the name with the word “minister”. Like, a real ministerial soup should be complex and refined.

The government member and the dish have a similar sound, but completely different origins. One comes from the Latin word minister, which means “servant.” The second is from the Italian minestra - “soup”. The ending one means “big”. Minestrone soup translates as big soup or soup.

In the busy life of a peasant, it was an unaffordable luxury to cook for one meal. To prepare the food, they used a large saucepan and cooked it for the whole family for several days.

What about the rule of seven in the classic minestrone recipe? Well, think for yourself - there are 7 types of meat in a poor peasant farm. Nonsense.

But there must be something constant in such a different composition. Yes, these are the principles of its preparation. The products included in it are cut very finely, literally a little larger than a pea in size. First of all, they are sautéed in olive oil. And in order for the products to be thoroughly saturated with oil, they are cut very finely. Plus, finely chopped ones cook faster.

Minestrone soup recipes

Now, after a more or less complete understanding, you can move on to preparing it.

Classic minestrone recipe

Ingredients:

• One large onion;
• One large carrot;
• One young zucchini;
• Two large potatoes;
• One large tomato;
• Green peas – 1/3 cup;
• A couple of cloves of garlic;
• A couple of celery stalks;
• Some kind of curly pasta – I’ll love it;
• Water 1-1.5 liters;
• Parmesan cheese – slice.

Have you noticed that, except for water, everything is indicated in pieces, circles and other units that are not part of the international SI system? Where have you ever seen a housewife measure something with something else in the kitchen?

All is ready? Cleared? Washed? Let's get started.

To begin, cut the onion, carrots, peppers (don’t forget to remove the seeds), zucchini, and potatoes into small cubes or slices. How small? Look at the polka dots and your pinky nail. Here, something in between.

Heat a frying pan, pour olive oil on it and fry the onion. Lightly, so that it becomes transparent. Then add the carrots, stir and fry until the oil begins to turn slightly yellow.

Then add pepper and celery. If there is too little oil left, add more. Stir and fry for a few more minutes.

Now it’s the zucchini’s turn. It will give juice during cooking. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer everything for 15-20 minutes.

It's time for the potatoes. It can be fried along with other vegetables, but this time we’ll put it in the pan after the zucchini. We simmer the vegetables, stirring gently until they soften, and at the same time, in another vessel, heat the water or broth to a boil.

Pour boiling water over the future brew. If we want the food to be thick, we will limit ourselves to a minimum of liquid, about 1 liter. If not, pour more. Bring to a boil, maintaining low heat. After boiling, add salt and pepper and herbs. It is advisable to add peppers and herbs to the soup no earlier than 20 minutes before the end of cooking, so that their aroma does not evaporate.

Take a tomato, scald it with boiling water and remove the skin from it, cut it into 4-8 parts and place it in a saucepan along with the peas.

And finally, pasta. When they are boiled, the soup is ready. Remove the brew from the heat and... Stop!

Real minestrone needs to sit for a day to gain flavor. You can, of course, eat it right away, but it’s better to be patient, wait until tomorrow and - bon appetit!

I almost forgot. Serve hot, sprinkled with grated Parmesan.

We also suggest you watch a video about preparing Italian Minestrone soup

Minestrone with Bacon.

The first time we prepared a purely vegetable soup, and now let’s imagine that we managed to get hold of lard. And not just lard, but with layers of meat - pork belly. If it is salted, let's call it bacon.

• One onion;
• One carrot;
• One sweet (bell) pepper;
• One young zucchini;
• Two large potatoes;
• One tomato;
• Green peas - a third of a cup;
• A couple of cloves of garlic;
• A couple of celery stalks;
• Water or, if available, vegetable broth 1-1.5 liters;
• Salt, black and allspice ground pepper, olive oil for frying - to taste;
• Bacon - 200 gr.

We take the same thing as the first time, but now we add a piece of bacon the size of a palm or two, as much as we have. Cut it into small pieces. And then we do everything the same as last time with minor changes:

And along with the zucchini, add chopped brisket or bacon.

Let it brew and serve it also sprinkled with cheese.

Italian vegetable soup Minestrone - Recipe

We noticed that in the first two recipes our soup was quite labor-intensive. Now let's be lazy. We won’t fry anything, but start cooking right away. At the same time, replace the peas with beans and the carrots with pumpkin. Soak the beans in water the day before.

• One large onion;
• One large carrot;
• One sweet (bell) pepper;
• One young zucchini;
• Two large potatoes;
• One large tomato;
• Peas – 1/3 cup;
• A couple of cloves of garlic;
• A couple of celery stalks;
• Vegetable broth 1-1.5 liters;
• Salt, black and allspice ground pepper, olive oil for frying - to taste;
• Parmesan cheese – slice.

Let's cut the products larger. Pour the soaked and swollen beans into a saucepan with cold water, wait until it boils, add salt and add everything else. We check the readiness of the beans. And don’t forget to let it brew and sprinkle with cheese before serving.

In conclusion, one little secret from the chef: if you don’t have Parmesan, use Dutch or Poshekhon cheese, but don’t tell anyone to preserve the true Italian spirit.

Minestrone soup is a legend of Italian cuisine. There it is considered a national and already classic dish. And it may well compete for popularity with pizza, risotto or pasta.

So what made this soup with an unusual name so popular?

Minestrone (Italian Minestrone, that is, “big soup”) is a soup with many ingredients. If the Italian language had the expression “porridge from an axe,” then this is how they would talk about this soup.

It is quite easy to prepare, does not require sophisticated ingredients, and most importantly - incredibly tasty and healthy!

A standard set of vegetables usually includes tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, but in general minestrone is a field for experimentation.

Tip: according to the rules of classic recipes, all vegetables should be cut approximately equally - into small pieces. This is necessary so that the vegetables absorb the juices better and do not lose their shape.

Classic minestrone cannot exist without ingredients such as bacon and cheese, and therefore cannot be called dietary. But those who are watching their figure or want to lose weight will not have to deny themselves the pleasure of trying minestrone soup, as there are many lighter variations. Moreover, there are excellent diets where they consume only this soup! They are effective not only for quick weight loss, but also very good for health!

How to make minestrone soup - 15 varieties

This recipe is an idea on the classic minestrone theme. The peculiarity of traditional minestrone lies in its preparation technology.

What you will need:

• zucchini 300g
• onion 100g
• potatoes 150g
• carrots 70g
• tomatoes 200g
• bell pepper 150g
• fine paste 50g
• 1 clove of garlic
• hard cheese 20g
• olive oil 7 tbsp.
• water 1250 ml
• salt 2 tsp.

Preparation:

Cut carrots and onions into small cubes. Pepper strips. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, peel and remove the seeds. Blanch the tomatoes. Cut into small slices. Cut the potatoes into cubes. Heat oil in a frying pan (not until hot). Fry onions and carrots for 5 minutes. The onion should become transparent. Cut the garlic into thin slices. Add bell pepper and garlic to them. Fry for another 5 minutes. Add the zucchini to the frying pan. At this stage, you need to add 2 more tablespoons to the vegetables. olive oil. Fry for 15 minutes. Add tomatoes. Cook everything, stirring, for 5 minutes.

Now transfer the vegetables into the pan. Fill with water, always cold (the quantity is indicated in the recipe). Bring to a boil over low heat. Add salt. Place the potatoes into the pan. Cook with potatoes for about 15 minutes. Now the main nuance of this recipe. It is necessary to puree some of the vegetables.

You need to remove some vegetables from the soup with a slotted spoon, but do not puree them, but rather put them aside. Grind everything that remains in the pan with an immersion blender until smooth. Combine vegetables. Bring the soup to a boil again, add small pasta. Cook for 2 minutes. The soup is ready!

You can serve it with cheese, pesto or basil. Whatever your heart desires!

This recipe is not quite classic, one of the variations of minestrone.

We will need:

• 2 small carrots
• 1 sweet green pepper
• 9 small tomatoes
• 100 g parmesan or other grated cheese
• 300 g canned white beans
• 150 g large pasta
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• Vegetable broth
• Vegetable oil
• Salt, pepper to taste

Cooking method:

Peel and wash the carrots, grate them on a coarse grater. Cut the pepper into cubes. Blanch the tomatoes. This can be done as follows: make cross-shaped cuts on them, then pour boiling water over them, literally for one minute, and place them in very cold water. After this, the skin can be easily removed. Cut the tomatoes into small cubes. Fry peppers and carrots in vegetable oil for about 5 minutes. Then add tomatoes to them. Simmer for another 5-7 minutes. Meanwhile, grate Parmesan (or any other hard cheese) on a coarse grater.

Bring vegetable broth to a boil. Add stewed vegetables to it. Followed by white beans and pasta. Cook for 10 minutes. Add vinegar and Parmesan. Mix well. You can serve!

Everyone loves Italian cuisine, and world-famous chefs are no exception. A unique opportunity to prepare minestrone soup according to the author's recipe. It will turn out no worse than a dish in a restaurant!

Ingredients (for 8 servings):

• 1 head of cabbage
• 1 zucchini
• 1 red onion
• 1 medium potato
• 1 can of canned beans (400 g)
• 2 carrots
• 2 stalks of celery
• 4 large tomatoes
• 2 pieces of bacon
• 100 g pasta
• ½ bunch of basil
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 liter vegetable broth
• 1 clove of garlic
• Green onions
• Olive oil

Preparation:

All vegetables must be peeled. Cut tomatoes, carrots, celery and zucchini into large pieces. Potatoes in medium cubes. Onion and garlic in small cubes. Also cut the bacon into small cubes. Pour 2 tbsp into the bottom of a large saucepan. olive oil and set to heat. When the oil is hot, add the bacon. Fry for about 2 minutes. When the bacon is golden, add garlic, onion, carrots, celery, and zucchini. After this, simmer everything together for 15 minutes, until the vegetables soften. Add potatoes, beans (drain the liquid first), and tomatoes.

Tip: it is better to soak the potatoes in cold water in advance.

Pour in the broth. Mix everything. Mash the tomatoes with a wooden spoon until smooth. Then cook for about half an hour, covered, after boiling. Willingness to check on potatoes. Now you need to take care of the green onions - remove the stems and chop them. Add it and the pasta to the pan. Boil everything for 10 minutes. Then check the readiness of the pasta; if ready, turn it off. Now add the basil leaves and stir the soup. Season also with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with Parmesan and basil.

Delicious, satisfying, homemade minestrone. What could be better?!

Ingredients:

• Bacon 100 g
• Fennel 1 piece
• Large onion 1 piece
• Celery stalks 4 pcs
• Garlic 3 cloves
• Red bell pepper 1 pc.
• Carrot 1 piece
• Zucchini 1 piece
• Potato
• Tomatoes 5 pcs
• Green peas 100 g
• Tomato juice 1 l
• White beans 100 g
• Basil or other herbs
• Grated Parmesan
• Olive oil

Preparation:

If you use fresh beans, they must first be soaked and then boiled. Finely chop all vegetables, as well as bacon. Cut fennel and celery into cubes. Fry the bacon, add onion and celery. Fry. Add garlic, passed through a press. Leave to simmer. Cut all other vegetables into cubes.

Tip: If you wish, you can then puree half of the vegetables.

Blanch the tomatoes. Grind the carrots in a blender, then the tomatoes. Add all remaining vegetables to the pan. Add tomato juice. Simmer for 5 minutes. Salt and pepper. Add beans. Add boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes. When serving, sprinkle with Parmesan and herbs.

This is a recipe for an easy and healthy green spring Italian soup.

For preparation:

• Onion 1 head
• Garlic 3 cloves
• Celery 4 stalks
• Potatoes 1 piece
• Green asparagus 400 g
• Parmesan 120 g
• Green beans 300 g
• Canned white beans 1 can
• Vegetable broth 1.5 l
• Frozen peas 300 g
• Chopped basil 2 tbsp.
• Chopped parsley 2 tbsp.
• Green basil 2 stalks

Preparation:

Drain the can of beans. Remove the rough ends from the asparagus, cut it into pieces 1 cm long. Cut the potatoes into small cubes. Grate the Parmesan. Heat 4 tbsp in a frying pan. olive oil. Slice fresh green beans in a similar manner to asparagus. Add finely chopped onion, garlic, celery, cut crosswise into 0.5 cm thick pieces, and simmer for about 10 minutes until soft. Add potatoes cut into small cubes, 2/3 of asparagus and green beans and grated Parmesan and simmer for about 5 minutes. At the same time as the white beans, add the broth, bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the remaining asparagus and frozen peas to the soup (do not defrost) and cook for about 6-8 minutes. At the end, sprinkle with herbs.

Serving: basil leaves, parmesan. Serve with garlic bread or garlic toast.

Tip: To maintain the rich green color, it is important not to overcook the soup.

Homemade soup recipe from the chef. Designed for one serving, as it is prepared under the knife in a restaurant. But you can always recalculate the number of ingredients for a larger volume, and cook at least a whole pan. It will turn out very tasty!

For 1 serving:

• 200 ml vegetable broth
• 10 g of each type of vegetable, diced: onion, cabbage, zucchini, celery, carrots, pumpkin, potatoes.
• 10 g beans
• 10 g leeks
• 10 g fennel
• 10 g green peas
• 8 g broccoli
• 5 g spinach
• 3 g basil
• olive oil

Preparation:

Add vegetables to the broth in the following order: potatoes, fennel, carrots, pumpkin, zucchini, onions, celery, leeks, beans, cabbage, green peas, broccoli.

Tip: If the zucchini or zucchini you are using is quite mature and the skin on it is stale, it is better to remove it so that the consistency of the soup is more uniform.

Chop the basil and add to the soup. Cook over low heat for no more than 15 minutes. When serving the dish, add a couple of drops of olive oil.

Minestrone with broccoli - a delicious recipe

There are many options for making minestrone soup - you don't have to make the traditional version when there are so many unusual recipes.

This recipe is one of those.

Ingredients:

• Broccoli - 500 gr
• Tomatoes - 500 gr
• Sausages for baking - 250 gr
• Onion - 1 piece medium
• Pasta shells - 1 cup
• Olive oil
• Parmesan cheese
• Pepper
• Vegetable or chicken broth
• Blend of dried Italian herbs

Preparation:

Fry minced sausage with Italian herbs and onions in olive oil. Bring a liter of broth and a liter of water to a boil together. Add salt. Boil the pasta until half cooked. Divide the broccoli into florets and cut the stems into small cubes. Place in a saucepan along with the fried minced meat. Blanch the tomatoes, remove the seeds, cut into small pieces. Add to soup. Cook everything over low heat until the broccoli softens. Grate the cheese. Add when serving. Bon appetit!

Its peculiarity is that one of the components is lentils, and celery is also added.

Ingredients:

• Sweet pepper 200 g
• Broccoli 200 g
• Celery 200 g
• Lentils 150
• Carrots 200
• Onion 200 g
• Fresh tomatoes or in their own juice - 400 g
• Olive oil 40 g
• Bouillon cubes 4 pcs.
• Hard cheese 50 g
• Water 2 l

Preparation:

The recipe is prepared in a slow cooker, but can also be prepared in a saucepan.

Cut all vegetables except broccoli into small cubes. Set the multicooker to “frying”. Pour in vegetable oil. Send onions, carrots, celery, peppers, tomatoes (if using fresh ones) there. Mix. Fry for about 15 minutes (until the end of the “frying” program). Add tomatoes in their own juice (if using fresh, see above), lentils and broccoli, disassembled into inflorescences. We send them bouillon cubes. To fill with water. Next, cook on the “Soup” program. Preparation will take about 40 minutes. Add salt to taste. Can be served.

At the beginning of the article, we mentioned that there are special diets, the main component of which is this soup.

Here is one example of a diet version.

For 2-2.5 liters of water:

• Onion 3 pcs
• 3 green onions,
• Half a small head of cabbage (preferably savoy),
• celery root with herbs
• bell pepper 2 pcs
• celery root 1 pc.
• 2-3 tbsp. l. tomato puree or tomatoes

Preparation:

Finely chop the peeled vegetables and place them in boiling broth (lightly salted and low-fat, you can use cubes). Boil covered for 10 minutes, add tomato puree. The soup should boil for another 5 minutes. All is ready!

Advice Only fresh minestrone gives the effect, so you need to cook it daily.

You can fast with pleasure when you know the recipe for lean minestrone.

We will need:

• (for 3 servings)
• 1 zucchini
• 1 tomato
• 1 eggplant
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 potato
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• Greenery
• Dry basil

Process:

Peel potatoes and carrots. Cut all vegetables into small cubes. Blanch the tomato. Fry onions, garlic, peppers, carrots, zucchini, and eggplant in vegetable oil. Peel the tomato, cut it and send it to the vegetables. Add tomato paste. At the same time, boil water in a saucepan, add potatoes, cook for 10 minutes. Transfer the contents of the frying pan into the pan and cook for another 17 minutes. Add finely chopped herbs and dry basil, then remove from heat. Bon appetit!

You don't have to give up potatoes if you're on a diet. This recipe is proof of that.

Ingredients:

• ¼ head of cabbage
• ½ zucchini
• 100 grams of fresh green peas
• carrot
• 3-4 stalks of green onions
• parsley and dill
• 1 tsp salt
• 3-4 pcs. new potatoes
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 3 liters of water
• olive oil

Preparation:

Pour a few tablespoons of vegetable oil into the pan, add chopped garlic and onion. Fry over low heat. Now, pour water, add salt, add chopped potatoes and carrots into the soup. Cook for up to 20 minutes.

Add chopped zucchini, cabbage, green peas and leave to cook for another 15 minutes.

Advice: Peas can be replaced with young beans and asparagus. You can take dried herbs and roots. And if the diet is not strict, you can also add vermicelli.

Unusual recipe. Kale adds a unique twist and benefit to minestrone soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 red onion
• A couple of garlic cloves
• 1 small carrot
• 2 medium sweet peppers
• 100-150 g frozen green peas
• 150 g white beans
• Small cauliflower
• 2 medium potatoes
• 1 eggplant
• 1 zucchini
• 1 chili pepper
• 1 small tomato
• 50 g small pasta
• 100 g kale

Preparation:

Finely chop the onion and fry in olive oil in a saucepan. Finely chop the garlic and add to the onion. Cut the carrots into small cubes. Add to the pan. Remove the core from the peppers and cut into small cubes. Also send to vegetables. Fill everything with water (about 3 liters). Add peas, beans, cabbage (disassemble into inflorescences). Cut potatoes, zucchini, eggplant into cubes and add to soup. Cut the tomato into medium pieces, chili pepper into rings. Place in soup. Add salt. Mix. Cook for no more than 5 minutes after boiling. Add pasta. Add kale at the very end. Boil for 1 minute.

This recipe is suitable for those who do not like minestrone due to the lack of meat.

Ingredients:

• Zucchini 1 piece
• Carrots 2 pcs
• Onion 1-2 pcs
• Garlic 2-3 cloves
• Potatoes 2 pcs
• Small pasta 50 g
• For the meatballs:
• Smoked chicken breast 300-400 g
• Cheese 100-150 g
• White bread 2 slices
• Yolk 1-2 pcs

Preparation:

Cut all vegetables into small cubes. Chop the garlic. For the meatballs: Pre-soak the bread in water and squeeze. Finely chop the chicken breast. Grate the cheese coarsely. Connect everything. Mix thoroughly. With wet hands, form meatballs. Pour oil into a saucepan and heat it. Add onion and garlic. Fry until transparent. Add potatoes and carrots. Fry, stirring for 7 minutes. Add zucchini. Cook for another 5 minutes. Pour water into the pan and boil. Salt, pepper, add dried herbs (optional). Cook for 5 minutes. Add meatballs. Cook for about 3 more minutes. Add pasta. The soup should boil for no more than 2 minutes. Turn it off and let it brew.

A dish for true lovers of Italy. You've never tried minestrone like this before!

Ingredients:

• 150 g pumpkin
• 1 small carrot
• 150 g celery root
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1 leek
• Olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 pack of mini mozzarella

Preparation:

Cut the pumpkin into small cubes; carrots, celery, its stalk and leek - small. Pour into a saucepan, add a couple of tablespoons of oil. Mix with oil. Fry. Finely chop the garlic, chop the tomatoes. Transfer to a saucepan. Simmer slightly, add 1.5 liters of broth. Salt and pepper.

Cut the mozzarella in half. Turn off the soup. Place mozzarella on plates and add a spoonful of pesto sauce if desired.

Well, and finally, one more recipe for lovely ladies! But of course it’s also suitable for men!

Minestrone with the addition of corn will help diversify your diet.

Ingredients:

• Sweet red onion
• Pink tomatoes 100 g
• Young zucchini 100 g
• Green peas 50 g
• Sweet corn 50 g
• Soy sauce 3 tbsp.
• Garlic 3 cloves
• Red bell pepper 2 pcs
• Grapeseed oil 4 tsp.
• Water 1 l

Preparation:

Grease the bottom of an enamel pan with grape oil. Peel the zucchini and chop into cubes. Cut the onion into thin half rings. Finely chop the garlic. Remove the seeds from the pepper and divide it into thin slices. Place the vegetables in the preheated oil (which is in the pan). Fry, stirring, until the onion and zucchini are browned. Rinse corn and peas. Place in a saucepan with vegetables. Mix well. Blanch the tomatoes, remove the skin. Cut into 6 pieces. Mix with vegetable oil (preferably olive) until pureed. Add to the pan. Pour water and mix with soy sauce. Cook for another 10 minutes. Serve, sprinkled with herbs. Bon appetit!!!

If you want to prepare a delicious soup for your family using a new recipe, pay attention to the traditional Italian dish - minestrone. This is a multi-ingredient soup that uses seasonal vegetables. As a rule, this is a lean dish without the addition of meat. That is why minestrone is distinguished not only by its rich aroma and satiety, but also by its extreme benefits. How to prepare such soup at home, we will consider in this article.

Minestrone or vegetable soup

Minestrone is translated from Italian as “big soup,” that is, with an abundance of ingredients. Indeed, many vegetables are used to create this dish. Rice or pasta is sometimes added to the minestrone recipe.

This is a dish of traditional Italian cuisine, which is extremely popular in the country. The soup cooks quite quickly. Vegetables are boiled until tender, some of which are chopped in a blender and added to the broth. Often the soup is seasoned with pesto, a sauce based on olive oil and basil, which gives not only aroma, but also a green color.

Initially, Italian housewives prepared minestrone from what was in the house - vegetables that grew at a given time of the year. The dish is not labor-intensive to create and also requires minimal financial costs.

Carrots, celery and more...

The more vegetables added to minestrone, the brighter the taste, and the better the satiety of the dish. Most often used to prepare soup:

• eggplant;
• fennel;
• legumes;
• carrot;
• green pea;
• garlic;
• tomatoes;
• pumpkin;
• beet;
• celery;
• Bell pepper;
• cabbage;
• potato;
• mushrooms;
• zucchini and other vegetables.

The following greens are suitable for minestrone:

• spinach;
• thyme;
• rosemary;
• parsley;
• basil.

Three secrets of minestrone

Italian vegetable soup has its own cooking characteristics. In order for the dish to have a unique taste, you should adhere to the following rules:

• Seasonality. Minestrone contains vegetables that grow in the country at a given time.
• Passerovka. The ingredients are fried in olive oil over low heat.
• Bouillon. The base ingredient of minestrone soup. As a rule, vegetable broth is used, less often - meat or cooked with pancetta (bacon).

Italians say that you should cook minestrone slowly, carefully selecting ingredients. By observing the above points, the soup will turn out aromatic with a rich taste.

The appearance, satiety, consistency and taste of minestrone depends on many nuances. Experienced chefs highlight some nuances that are extremely important during cooking. Let's note the following tips that will help you create real Italian minestrone:

1. You should not use arugula and Brussels sprouts, as they have a rich aroma, which can drown out the taste of other vegetables.
2. If you want to make the dish more rich, you can add potatoes, legumes, pasta, pearl barley or rice to the recipe.
3. Minestrone is considered a “second day” dish, that is, the richness of flavor appears a few hours after it is ready. But you can also serve it immediately after cooking.
4. Do not use frozen vegetables. Despite the fact that this is a very convenient option for every housewife, such products significantly distort the taste of the soup. The only exception is green peas. For minestrone, use only fresh vegetables.
5. Do not add canned legumes to the dish.
6. Do not add ready-made bouillon cubes to the soup. The aroma and taste of fresh vegetables does not require additional enhancement. You can add spice using various herbs and pepper.
7. Don't be afraid to put in a lot of vegetables. There is no need to limit the recipe to just a few products. Sometimes about twenty types of vegetables can be combined in minestrone, which gives the soup a rich and unique taste.
8. Do not grind the ingredients too much. The average height of vegetable cubes is 1.5 cm. If beans are placed in minestrone, then the products are cut based on their size.

Calorie content

The nutritional value of minestrone is quite low - only 39 kcal per 100 g. This indicator is possible since the basic ingredients of the dish are vegetables, and the classic recipe uses lean broth. The calorie content of the soup increases by adding pasta, rice, meat, meatballs, etc.

Minestrone is a dietary dish that has undoubted benefits for the body. Since vegetables undergo heat treatment, they are perfectly absorbed by the digestive system. In addition, do not forget that carrots, zucchini, garlic and other gifts of nature are sources of vitamins and minerals that are so necessary for the full functioning of the body.

In order for vegetables to bring maximum benefit to the body, it is important not to forget to sprinkle the soup with olive oil, because polyunsaturated fats promote the absorption of beneficial microelements.

Classic recipe

Prepare the vegetables to be used. Wash them thoroughly and peel them. Divide the cabbage into florets. You need to remove the seeds and fibers from the pumpkin. Remove the beans from the bean pods.

Large vegetables are cut into cubes. Onions, garlic and herbs are finely chopped. Parsley can be chopped larger.

The bottom of a non-stick saucepan or high-sided frying pan is irrigated with olive oil. Vegetables must be sautéed for 10 minutes. Herbs and spices are added when the ingredients have softened.

It is necessary to add water and cook the components for another 30 minutes. The amount of liquid depends on the consistency of the soup you prefer.

Popular spices used for minestrone are:

• salt;
• pepper;
• nutmeg;
• spices;
• Bay leaf.

Submission rules

Minestrone is a very colorful dish because it combines many vegetables - green, red, orange, etc. When serving, in Italy it is customary to drizzle the soup with a little olive oil, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with a sprig of parsley. It is also acceptable to add a little pesto to the dish, which will make the minestrone more spicy.

Do not forget about the importance of the dishes in which vegetable soup is served. Regarding minestrone, it is suitable both in an elegant restaurant serving and in a rustic style, for example, in pots, small cast iron saucepans, etc.

The ideal complement to the soup would be traditional Italian Ciabata bread, with a crispy crust and soft porous crumb.

Minestrone can also be sprinkled with croutons or crackers grated with garlic.

Both in winter and in summer...

Italian soup is prepared at any time of the year and in each period it will have its own unique and inimitable taste. There is no doubt that there are a lot more fresh vegetables in the summer. But in winter you can prepare minestrone from pumpkin, garlic, carrots, potatoes, onions, legumes and other products that are perfectly stored until spring.

Minestrone is a traditional Italian soup made from seasonal vegetables. Therefore, the taste and appearance will depend on where and when the dish is prepared. But there are also common points that make this soup so flavorful and satisfying.

The advantage of minestrone is that it can be made from almost anything. Initially, it was made from what the housewife had in her kitchen. The main ingredients of the soup, in addition to vegetables, are beans. But even they can be replaced if desired.

For minestrone you will definitely need:

• 1 onion;
• 1–3 carrots;
• a few cloves of garlic.

In addition, Italians almost always add 2-3 stalks of celery to their soup.

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Next, choose your vegetables based on the time of year and availability. During the cold season, you can add cabbage, a few beets, frozen broccoli, cauliflower and green beans to the soup. In summer and early autumn, zucchini, zucchini, sweet peppers, tomatoes, green peas and pumpkin are suitable for minestrone.

Avoid Brussels sprouts and arugula as they may overpower the flavor of other vegetables.

The most commonly used herbs are spinach, parsley, rosemary, basil and thyme.

Potatoes, legumes (such as beans, chickpeas and lentils), pasta, and even pearl barley will make the soup rich.

What broth do you need?

As a rule, ordinary water is added to minestrone. By absorbing the taste and aroma of roasted vegetables, it becomes a rich vegetable broth.

However, some still prefer to make soup using already prepared or other meat broth.

Italians love bone-in pork belly broth and pancetta. It can be replaced with fried bacon.

The secret to making a flavorful minestrone is roasting the vegetables very slowly. Dice the carrots and celery and chop the garlic. Place them in a saucepan with a few tablespoons of olive oil and fry over low heat for about 10 minutes until the vegetables have softened.

Then add the rest of the vegetables, also diced, and fry for 15 minutes. You can add 2-3 tablespoons of tomato paste.

Pour 1.5–2 liters of water or broth over the vegetables, season with salt, ground black pepper and other seasonings of your choice. Bring the soup to a boil over medium heat.

To make the soup even thicker, some people prefer to puree half the cooked vegetables in a blender.

Reduce heat, add chopped herbs, as well as pasta, cubes or rice. Cook until the last ingredients are ready.