Hearty Minestrone Soup
Prep. Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Servings
8-10 bowls
Difficulty
Challenging
Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, dairy-free, egg-free
Minestrone is a meal in itself— rich in protein (from the beans), carbs and vitamins, rustic, colorful, and full of heart. This is a rich, vegetable-forward base, slow-cooked white beans for depth, and the option to stir in small pasta for a little extra comfort. It’s the perfect dish for feeding a crowd or for batch-cooking on a quiet weekend, and it only deepens in flavor as it sits. The grated carrots add subtle sweetness, the paprika gives it a warm undertone, and the combination of herbs and garlic brings everything into harmony. Serve it with crusty bread or just as it is—satisfying and soulful.
Ingredients
1 lb (16oz/453g) great white northern beans
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tomatos, diced
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 can tomato paste
1 tsp dried basil leaves
2 tbsps salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
Filtered water
Cooking oil (sunflower or vegetable oil) for sauteeing the vegetables
Optional: Ditalini pasta (or a different kind of small pasta; for a GF recipe, choose a GF pasta)
Instructions
Prep the beans: soak the beans overnight in plenty of water and baking soda.
Drain and rinse before using.
In a large soup pot, heat a few tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the onion and celery, and sauté for 4–5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and stir.
Add the zucchini, the tomatos and grated carrots, and cook for another 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the sweet paprika, tomato paste, basil, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2–3 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Add the soaked beans to the pot, then pour in enough filtered water to cover everything by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
Cover with the lid, and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and the soup has thickened. Add more water and adjust seasoning as needed to maintain your desired consistency and flavor.
Optional: if using pasta, cook it separately and stir it into a bowl of soup just before serving to prevent it from absorbing too much liquid or becoming mushy.
Notes
Instead of soaking dry beans, you can use canned beans. In this case, cook your soup without the beans, and add them to the pot 15 minutes before the soup is done cooking.
Feel free to incorporate more vegetables that fit the context - like snap peas, trimmed green beans, more kinds of zucchini (chopped), etc.
The Latest Bite
No-Bake Pistachio Ice Cream Cake
I love ice-cream cakes, and it is so hard to find vegan ones in stores, so I knew at some point I'd want to try and whip a recipe up, but one thing that's always a factor for me is whether or not it'll be a time-consuming project or not. If I need to use my mixer, food processor or oven, it means I need to plan for more dishes and more time spent on this, and that's where I sometimes hold off on exploring and developing new recipes. I was not only aiming for an easy-to-make recipe here, but also one that requires very few ingredients and as allergen-friendly as possible. This makes it a store-in-the-freezer dessert for when I have unexpected guests, or when we are on the road and want an indulgent treat.
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