Minestrone with Pasta, Vegetables, and Pesto

Minestrone with pasta, vegetables, and pesto is a nutritious and satisfying dish that combines the rustic feel of a classic minestrone with the distinctive note of creamy and aromatic Genoese pesto. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 onion
• 2 carrots
• 2 stalks of celery
• 1 zucchini
• 1 medium potato
• 200g of green beans
• 150g of Brussels sprouts
• 1 liter of vegetable broth or water
• 400g of canned peeled tomatoes
• 150g of short pasta (e.g., ditalini or tubetti)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 100g of Genoese pesto

Preparation

1. Start by chopping the onion and slicing the carrots and celery.
2. In a large pot, heat a stream of oil and sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until they are tender.
3. Add the cubed zucchini and potato, the green beans, and the halved Brussels sprouts if they are large. Cook for a few minutes.
4. Pour the vegetable broth or water into the pot. Add the peeled tomatoes, lightly crushing them with a fork.
5. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are almost cooked.
6. Add the pasta and cook for the time indicated on the package, until it is al dente.
7. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
8. Serve the minestrone in bowls, garnishing each portion with a generous spoonful of Genoese pesto.
9. I recommend adding a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil and, if you like, a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.

Curiosity

Genoese pesto is a traditional Ligurian sauce mainly composed of basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, pecorino, and extra virgin olive oil. Legend has it that the pesto is the evolution of ‘agliata’, a simple sauce of garlic and oil that Genoese sailors used to preserve and season food during long sea voyages. Over time, the ingredients were enriched to arrive at the recipe as we know it today.