Spring Minestrone Soup (Print View)
A light Italian soup with spring vegetables, pasta, and fresh herbs, ready in 45 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 tbsp olive oil
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 1 cup asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
06 - 1 cup zucchini, diced
07 - 1 cup shelled fresh or frozen peas
08 - 1 cup baby spinach
→ Broth & Staples
09 - 4 cups vegetable broth
10 - 1 (14 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
11 - 1 cup small pasta (ditalini or orzo)
→ Seasoning & Garnishes
12 - 1 tsp salt, more to taste
13 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
14 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
15 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
16 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
17 - Grated Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft and translucent.
02 - Add the garlic and carrots to the pot. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the asparagus, zucchini, and peas. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Add the cannellini beans and pasta. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the pasta and vegetables are tender.
05 - Stir in the spinach, basil, and parsley. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the spinach wilts.
06 - Remove from heat, add the lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with grated Parmigiano Reggiano, if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It tastes like spring decided to simmer in a pot for you personally
- The whole thing comes together in under an hour with almost no effort
02 -
- The pasta will keep absorbing liquid even after you take the pot off the heat, so if you are not serving immediately hold back a little broth
- That squeeze of lemon juice at the end is not optional, it completely transforms the flavor profile
03 -
- Cook the pasta separately if you are planning to store leftovers, otherwise it will turn to mush overnight
- A microplane grater gives you that fluffy Parmigiano snow that melts right into the hot soup