Green Bean Minestrone Recipes

GREEN MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Heat a soup pot over medium high heat. Add oil and pancetta or prosciutto. Saute 2 minutes and add onions, celery, garlic, zucchini and bay to the pot. Season vegetables with salt and pepper, to your taste. Saute vegetables 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add white beans, garbanzo beans and chicken broth to the pot. Cover soup and bring to a boil. Add pasta and green beans to the soup and cook 8 minutes, or until pasta is just tender. Stir in spinach to wilt, 1 minute. Stir in grated cheese and ladle soup into bowls. Top soup with torn or shredded basil or chopped parsley.

GREEN BEAN MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Fry the onion, garlic, carrot and celery in the olive oil in a large saucepan until tender but not browned. Scoop out and set aside. Fry the pancetta, if using, you won't need to add any more oil but keep the heat low until it starts to give off fat. Fry until browned but not too crisp. Tip into a sieve and drain off any excess fat. Put the carrot mixture back into the pan with the pancetta and add the bay leaf, plenty of seasoning and the stock. Bring to a simmer, add the pasta and cook for 5 mins.
• Top and tail the green and runner beans, slice both into lengths that will easily fit on a spoon and add to the pot with the broad beans. Cook for 3 mins, then add the cabbage. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 2 mins. Spoon the pesto onto the top of the soup just before serving and serve with the bread.

CLASSIC MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, carrots, celery, red-pepper flakes, rosemary, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to turn golden, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Add tomatoes; cook until some of the liquid evaporates, 1 minute. Add potato, cabbage, cannellini beans, and 7 cups water; bring to a boil. Stir in green beans.
• Reduce to a simmer, and cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; stir in garlic, if using, and basil. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan and, if using, torn basil. Drizzle with more oil, if desired.

MINESTRONE WITH COLLARD GREENS AND WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until onion is coated, about 30 seconds. Add collard greens, thyme, and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until collards start to wilt, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Place 1/4 of beans in a bowl, and mash them with the back of a spoon (this will help thicken soup). Add all the beans to the pan, as well as tomatoes with juice and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer, until collards are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; serve with grated Parmesan, if desired.