🫕 Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

Soffritto base

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, grated

Soup

• 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1½ cups cooked white beans or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup green beans, chopped
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ¾ cup small pasta (elbows, shells, orecchiette, or ditalini)

To serve

• ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
• Red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
2. Add the garlic, diced tomatoes, beans, green beans, vegetable broth, bay leaves, oregano, and thyme. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Stir in the pasta and cook uncovered for 10 more minutes, until the pasta is cooked through.
4. Remove the bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve topped with fresh parsley, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan if desired.