Minestrone

Make it a Meal

Add these dishes to make a full meal:

Arugula and White Bean Salad with Rosemary Dressing

Wine Pairings

This is a basic hearty soup. You can substitute other vegetables, either cooked or raw; whatever is seasonal or on hand. The more vegetables that are added, the heartier and more complex the soup.

Preparation facts

Servings: 6

Yield: 12 cups (3L)

Ingredients

1 1/2 Tbs (25mL) olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 carrots, sliced

1 tsp (1g) basil leaves

1 tsp (1g) marjoram leaves

1 medium courgette, chopped

1 quart (1L) chicken or vegetable broth

2 cups (300g) white beans, cooked (canned beans work well)

2 cups (910g) tinned tomatoes

1/2 head cabbage, chopped

1/4 cup (10g) parsley

Pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot.

Add onions, celery, and garlic and sauté until the vegetables are tender, but not yet browned. Add basil and marjoram leaves and stir for one to two minutes.

Add chopped courgettes and cook for another few minutes. Pour in chicken or vegetable broth, the cooked beans and the tomatoes. Cover, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to simmer.

Allow the soup to cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the soup looks thicker than desired, add some water, 1 cup (240mL) at a time.

When it almost looks like soup, add the chopped cabbage and parsley and cook for about 10 minutes more.

Add some freshly ground black pepper to taste.

At this point the soup is done. If a heartier soup is desired, a handful of small sized pasta can be added; then the soup needs to be cooked for an additional 10 minutes.

Serve with sprinkling of Parmesan cheese over the top, if desired.

Nutrition facts

Serving Size 1 serving

Calories 214

Calories from Fat 52 (24%)

% Daily Value*

9%Total Fat 6g

5%Saturated Fat 1.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9g

Monounsaturated Fat 3.5g

2%Cholesterol 5mg

17%Sodium 407mg

27%Potassium 932mg

10%Total Carbohydrate 30g

26%Dietary Fiber 6.5g

Sugars 7g

Sugar Alcohols 0g

23%Protein 12g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutrition facts are calculated by a food expert using nutritional values provided by the USDA for common products used as recipe ingredients. Actual nutritional values may differ depending on the amounts or products used and can be affected by cooking methods.

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The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or chemist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires August 2007.