Minestrone
Minestrone is an Italian home-style soup that sautees onion, carrot, celery, and zucchini in olive oil, then simmers them with crushed tomatoes and vegetable stock before adding kidney beans and short pasta. Its greatest strength is flexibility - virtually any leftover vegetable works, and there is no single correct combination. The beans add protein and body, while the tomato's acidity forms the backbone of the broth. Cooking the pasta directly in the soup releases starch that naturally thickens the liquid. Finishing with fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil preserves the herb's fragrance. Minestrone improves overnight as the vegetable flavors continue to meld into the broth, making it an ideal make-ahead meal.
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Instructions
- 1
Sauté onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil.
- 2
Add garlic; add crushed tomatoes.
- 3
Add vegetable stock, zucchini, and beans; simmer 20 minutes.
- 4
Add pasta and cook to al dente.
- 5
Top with fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil.
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