How to cook minestrone from what you can find at home

What to put in the minestrone

The advantage of minestrone is that it can be made from almost anything. Initially, it was made from what the hostess had in the kitchen. The main ingredients of the soup, besides vegetables, are pasta and 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 put 2-3 celery stalks in the soup.

Then choose vegetables depending on the season 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, eggplant, bell peppers, tomatoes, green peas and pumpkin are suitable for minestrone.

Avoid using Brussels sprouts and arugula, as they can overpower the flavor of other vegetables.

The most commonly used greens include spinach, parsley, rosemary, basil, and thyme.

Potatoes, legumes (such as beans, chickpeas, and lentils), pasta, rice, and even barley can add richness to the soup.

What broth is needed

As a rule, ordinary water is added to the minestrone. Taking in the taste and aroma of fried vegetables, it becomes a rich vegetable broth.

However, some people still prefer to make soup with already prepared chicken or other meat broth.

Italians love pork leg broth on the bone and pancetta. It can be replaced with fried bacon.

How to cook minestrone

The secret to making a flavored minestrone is to roast vegetables very slowly. Dice the onions, carrots and celery and chop the garlic. Place them in a saucepan with a few tablespoons of olive oil and sauté over low heat for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Then add the rest of the vegetables, also diced, and cook for 15 minutes. You can put 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 spices of your choice. Bring the soup to a simmer over medium heat.

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

Reduce heat, add chopped herbs, pasta, potato cubes, or rice. Cook until the last ingredients are done.

If you want to add beans or other legumes, it is best to boil them beforehand and add them to the soup about 10 minutes before the end of cooking. You can also use canned beans.

How to serve minestrone

Minestrone is called the second day soup, because after a few hours it becomes even richer and tastier. But you can also serve it right after cooking.

In Italy, soup poured into bowls is lightly drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese and garnished with basil leaves. Some people add a little pesto to the finished minestrone.