The great Italian classic, minestrone, is a soup that can span the seasons: comforting on a chilly winter’s night, and light enough for a summer lunch. It’s also packed full of veggies for a dish that’s vegan (OK, if you skip topping it with freshly grated Parm)! The popularity of Olive Garden’s legendary minestrone reaches far and wide, and we’re giving you a way to make it at home. The key trick here is caramelizing the tomato paste: letting it cook in the pot caramelizes the sugars in the tomato paste, thereby deepening the flavor. This recipe makes a big batch, so whether you’re cooking for the whole famiglia or just yourself, there will be plenty to eat or freeze for weeks on end.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp.olive oil
- 1medium yellow onion, diced (about 1½ cups)
- 3medium carrots, scrubbed and diced (about 1½ cups)
- Kosher salt
- 1large zucchini or 2 medium zucchini (about 1 lb total), diced (about 3 cups)
- 4cloves garlic, minced
- 1bay leaf
- 1 tsp.Italian seasoning
- 2 Tbsp.tomato paste
- 8 c.low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1(14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1(14.5-ounce) can kidney beans, drained but not rinsed
- 1(14.5-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained but not rinsed
- 1 c.small shells pasta
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp.freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp.crushed red pepper flakes
- Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
Directions
-
- Step 1In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, heat oil until it shimmers.
- Step 2Add onion, celery, carrots, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently until vegetables are softened and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini, stir, and cook, allowing zucchini to soften, about 5 minutes more. Add garlic, bay leaf, Italian seasoning, and another ½ teaspoon salt, and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Step 3Add tomato paste and stir well until paste is evenly distributed. Lower the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until paste slightly darkens, about 5 minutes.
- Step 4Add broth, tomatoes, beans, 1 tablespoon salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then add pasta. Reduce heat to medium and allow soup to simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Step 5Serve topped with Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.
