Description
Summer minestrone soup delivers a refreshing Italian classic with garden-fresh vegetables and hearty pasta. Home cooks can savor this comforting dish, blending seasonal ingredients for a delightful meal that welcomes summer’s bounty.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 cups (1.4 liters) chicken stock
- 2 cups large diced zucchini
- 1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
- ½ cup diced onion (about ½ onion)
- ½ cup sliced leek, white and light green parts only
- ½ cup diced celery (about 1 celery rib)
- ½ cup cooked small white beans
- ½ cup dry ditalini pasta
- ¼ cup diced red bell pepper (about ¼ bell pepper)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried thyme)
- Fresh basil, for garnish
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté Base: Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Sizzle onions, leeks, celery, and bell peppers until they begin to soften and release their aromatic essence, developing a rich flavor foundation.
- Aromatics Infusion: Reduce heat to medium, introducing minced garlic and cooking briefly. Integrate bay leaf, thyme sprigs, salt, and chicken stock, bringing the mixture to a gentle, rolling simmer that awakens the herbs’ complex flavors.
- Vegetable Incorporation: Cascade zucchini, green beans, tomatoes, and white beans into the simmering liquid. Add uncooked pasta, allowing each ingredient to mingle and develop a harmonious texture and taste profile.
- Gentle Cooking: Lower heat, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes. This process ensures pasta reaches perfect al dente consistency while vegetables become tender and flavors intensify.
- Finishing Touch: Remove bay leaf and finalize the soup with an elegant garnish of fresh basil ribbons. Optional Parmesan cheese sprinkle adds a luxurious, savory dimension to the vibrant summer minestrone.
Notes
- Sauté Secret: Develop deep flavor foundations by softening vegetables slowly, allowing natural sugars to caramelize and create a rich aromatic base.
- Timing Technique: Monitor pasta cooking carefully to prevent overcooking; al dente texture is crucial for maintaining structural integrity in the soup.
- Herb Harmony: Fresh thyme and basil elevate the soup’s complexity, providing bright, herbaceous undertones that complement the robust vegetable medley.
- Cheese Charm: Freshly grated Parmesan adds a salty, umami dimension, creating a luxurious finish that enhances the soup’s overall depth and richness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 0mg