Main Dish Minestrone Recipes

SIMPLE ITALIAN MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add onions, carrots and celery. Raise heat to medium-high, if you need to, and cook, tossing regularly, until the veggies soften a bit (about 5 minutes or so). Add the garlic and cook another minute, tossing regularly.
• Add the zucchini or yellow squash and green beans. Season with paprika, rosemary, and a generous pinch of kosher salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
• Now add the crushed tomatoes, broth, fresh thyme, bay leaf and Parmesan rind (if using.) Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and partially cover the pot. Let simmer for about 20 minutes or so.
• Uncover the pot and add the kidney beans. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
• Finally, Stir in the parsley and fresh basil. And, if serving immediately, stir in the cooked pasta and simmer ever so briefly till the pasta is warmed through; do not overcook. (See Cook's Tip #2)
• Remove the cheese rind and bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Serve the minestrone hot in dinner bowls with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan (optional.)

MAIN-DISH MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In 4-quart nonstick saucepan or Dutch oven, heat water to boiling over medium-high heat. Add onions; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes, carrot, celery, bell pepper and garlic; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling.
• Reduce heat; simmer about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes and pasta are tender.

MAIN DISH MINESTRONE (SOUP)

Steps:

• 1. In a large pot, over medium high heat, in hot butter, cook carrots,celery,onions, garlic and cabbage. You will want to carmelize these vegetables, so this will take some time. (at least 20 minutes) The carmelized vegetables are what gives this soup such great flavor, so dont hurry this step! You want the vegetables to brown up a bit, to release the natural sugars. (it is worth the time and rewarded with a very rich flavor!)
• 2. When the above are carmelized, add the rest of the ingredients except for the Parmesan cheese. Cook over high heat, heat to boiling. Then turn down to low and simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables and rice are tender. Add more water if necessary as the barley and rice can suck up some of the moisture. Serve with Parmesan cheese. Makes about 18 cups. Very low in calories too!

MAIN-DISH MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In large heavy saucepan, heat oil and butter.
• Add sausage; brown lightly.
• Add onion, garlic, celery, carrot and green pepper; cook until softened but not browned.
• Stir in parsley, basil, thyme, bay leaf and a little salt& pepper.
• Stir in tomatoes and stock.
• Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Add cabbage, beans and macaroni.
• Cover and simmer about 30 minutes.
• If too thick, dilute with water to desired consistency.
• Taste and adjust seasoning.
• A nice variation on this soup is to add ground beef instead of sausage, and beef stock instead of chicken stock.
• Add 3/4 cup dried lentils and 1/4 cup barley instead of macaroni and kidney beans.

MAIN DISH MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In dutch oven, over med-hi heat, cook carrots, celery, onions , garlic and cabbage in olive oil until browned (20 min), stirring frequently.
• Add tomato with liquid, rice, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, pepper, potato, beef broth and zucchini.
• Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes or until veggies and rice are cooked.
• Add beans and spinach.
• Cook over medium heat until spinach is cooked and beans are heated through.
• Soup becomes thick upon standing but once heated will return to original consistency.
• Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.