Italian Minestrone Soup | Minestrone Vegetarian Soup Recipe

 

Minestrone means …"Big Soup" to Italians, a soup with lots of goodies in it, especially pasta, celery, beans and vegetables. Sometimes cooked with rice instead of pasta. The word however originated from Minestra which means to dish up or serve. The Italians often eat a light soup as a first course, or as a bigger soup for light evening meal. The other interesting thing is that Italians often eat a hot soup on a hot day..as they find that it actually makes them feel cooler.Anyways when a meal is cooked in one pot, reduces lot of cooking time and makes fuller meal.

Italian Minestrone Soup | Minestrone Vegetarian Soup Recipe

Preparation Time:10minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 4 

Ingredients:

Olive oil -2 tbsp     
Garlic - 4 cloves, finely chopped                                      

Red onion -1 diced

Celery -2 stalk diced

Carrot – 1 diced

Potato – 2 diced
Frozen Green peas - 2 tbsp
French Beans - 3 no. cut 2" pieces

Zucchini -  2 diced

Cabbage – ¼ chopped 
Baby Corn -2 , diced(optional)
Olives - 4(optional)

Tomato  – 1 cup, finely chopped

Tomato puree – 3 tbsp

Kidney bean/ Red bean– 2 tbsp

Veg stock or water -5 cups

Small elbow pasta – ¾ cup

Parsley or coriander leave – ¼ cup

Grated parmesan cheese – 1/3 cup

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in the pan, saute garlic till brown. Add  onion, celery, garlic and sauté altogether for about 5 minutes.

2. Add vegetables and cook for another 5 minutes. 
3. Add tomato, tomato puree, kidney bean and stir to combine.
4. Pour into the veg stock or water and bring it to boil.
5. Once starts boiling, add pasta and kidney bean, simmer cook for 20-25 mins or until pasta cooks completely.
6. Finally stir in parsley / coriander, season with the salt and pepper.
7.Garnish with cheese and serve hot soup with  garlic bread.

Note:

• Tomato puree adds rich color to the soup, so don't skip.
• To reduce cooking time cook pasta separately in boiling water with a spoon of oil and pinch of salt. You can add the cooked pasta directly to the dish,once vegetables are cooked.