bohemianwanderer – This hearty vegetable minestrone is packed with fresh produce, creamy white beans and a fragrant homemade pesto. The combination creates a comforting soup that works well as a light lunch or satisfying dinner.
The recipe begins with a simple base of onion, celery and parsley stems gently cooked in olive oil. Cherry tomatoes, courgettes, green beans and potato are then added before the vegetables simmer until tender.
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White beans provide additional texture and make the soup more substantial. A Parmesan rind can also be added during cooking to give the broth a deeper savoury flavour.
The pesto is prepared separately using garlic, pine nuts or almonds, parsley, basil, cheese and olive oil. It brings a fresh and aromatic finish to the warm soup.
Ingredients
For the Minestrone
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, peeled and finely diced
- 1 stick celery, trimmed and finely diced
- 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley
- Salt
- 6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 2 large courgettes, cut into quarter-moons
- 200g green beans, cut into 2½cm pieces
- 1 large potato, peeled and cubed
- 1 Parmesan rind
- 2 x 400g tins white beans, drained
For the Pesto
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 20g pine nuts or almonds
- 50g parsley leaves and basil
- 100g olive oil
- 50g grated cheese, such as Parmesan, pecorino or Grana Padano
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan or casserole dish over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery and minced parsley stems with a pinch of salt.
Cook the vegetables gently for about eight minutes, stirring regularly. Continue until the onion and celery become soft without allowing them to brown too heavily.
Add the quartered cherry tomatoes and cook for another one to two minutes. Stir occasionally so the tomatoes begin to soften and release their juices.
Add the courgettes, green beans and potatoes. Season with another pinch of salt and stir everything thoroughly, ensuring the vegetables become coated with the olive oil.
Pour 1.5 litres of water into the pan and add the Parmesan rind if using. Increase the heat until the liquid approaches a boil.
Reduce the heat and allow the soup to simmer gently for around 30 minutes. Continue cooking until the potatoes, courgettes and green beans are tender.
While the vegetables cook, prepare the pesto. Place the garlic, pine nuts or almonds and a pinch of salt into a food processor.
Pulse the mixture until it forms a rough paste. Add the parsley and basil leaves, then pulse again until the mixture becomes creamy.
Gradually add the grated cheese and olive oil, stirring or pulsing until the pesto reaches a smooth consistency. Add more olive oil if necessary.
About 10 minutes before the minestrone finishes cooking, stir in the drained white beans. Allow them to heat through while the vegetables complete their cooking.
Once everything is tender, remove the soup from the heat. Leave the minestrone to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with the fresh pesto. Each person can add as much pesto as they prefer, allowing the bright herbs and cheese to complement the rich vegetable broth.
