Vegetable Minestrone

I can provide you with a basic recipe for an Italian-style vegetable minestrone. Minestrone is a hearty and nutritious soup that can vary depending on the available seasonal vegetables. Here’s how to prepare a classic version.

Ingredients

• 2 carrots
• 2 potatoes
• 1 onion
• 2 stalks of celery
• 1 zucchini
• 150 g of fresh green beans
• 200 g of cabbage or Swiss chard
• 400 g of peeled tomatoes or ripe fresh tomatoes
• 100 g of fresh or frozen peas
• 100 g of pre-cooked borlotti beans
• 1.5 liters of vegetable broth
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
• Chopped basil or parsley for garnish

Preparation

1. Clean and cut all the vegetables into uniformly sized pieces.
2. In a large pot, sauté the chopped onion in some extra virgin olive oil until it becomes translucent.
3. Add the carrots and celery, and sauté for a few minutes.
4. Add the potatoes, zucchini, green beans, and any other hard vegetables, and sauté for a couple of minutes.
5. Add the peeled tomatoes and lightly crush them with a spoon.
6. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
7. Reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and let simmer for about 30 minutes.
8. Add the peas, borlotti beans, and chopped cabbage and cook for another 15-20 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.
9. Taste and correct for salt and pepper. If desired, you can also mash some of the vegetables with a ladle to slightly thicken the soup.
10. Serve the minestrone hot, garnished with chopped basil or parsley and, if you like, with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.

Minestrone is an extremely versatile dish, and you can adapt it according to the availability of seasonal vegetables or your personal preferences. In addition, for a more substantial touch, you can add short pasta or rice about 10 minutes before turning off the heat.