I’m not sure what the qualifications are for a soup being called minestrone but I started with this minestrone recipe from MrsWheelBarrow. I halved it roughly, although it was so good I’m questioning that decision! I used a can of lima beans, drained, rather than dried, left out the sundried tomatoes because I had none, a bit more regular tomato paste rather than double strength, which I’ve never even seen, used a yellow zucchini rather than green because I had one and used regular green cabbage rather than Savoy because I had one. (Mainly, I’ve been treating the chickens to a few leaves of it now and then.) I also used homemade chicken broth rather than vegetable broth. And I left out the garnish of grated Parmesan because it tasted so darn good already. Served it with some homemade crusty bread and it was perfect.
This was ready much faster due to using canned beans. Pre-cooked beans from your freezer would work as well. Minestrone is nothing if not flexible!
Peel and slice the onions and then prep the rest of the vegetables while the onions cook.
Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- 1 large onion peeled and sliced
- 2 carrots peeled and cut in 1/2″ dice
- 1 stalk of celery cut in 1/2″ dice
- 1 yellow zucchini cut in 1/2″ dice
- 2 cups green cabbage sliced thinly
- 1 15- oz can lima beans drained
- 2 Tbs tomato paste
- 1 quart homemade chicken broth
- a bit of Parmesan rind
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat and cook the onions about 15 minutes, stirring periodically, until they are slightly browned and definitely golden. Mmmmm. Prep the other vegetables.
- Add the carrots and celery, salt and pepper a bit and stir, then let cook over medium heat until softened a bit, 3-4 minutes. I don’t time it, just stir and watch. Add the zucchini and stir, then cook another few minutes. Stir in the cabbage, tomato paste and chicken broth. Add the Parmesan rinds if you have them. (They do add a good taste but once I over did it with the rinds so now I’m of the more is less mindset. I added a piece about 1″ long.)
- Stir well and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, stirring now and then, for half an hour or so.
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