Spring Minestrone Soup (Printable version)
A light Italian soup with spring vegetables, fresh herbs, and tender pasta in vegetable broth.
# 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)
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft and translucent.
02 - Add garlic and carrots, cook for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Stir in asparagus, zucchini, and peas. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Add cannellini beans and pasta. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until pasta and vegetables are tender.
05 - Stir in spinach, basil, and parsley. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the spinach wilts.
06 - Remove from heat, add lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with grated Parmigiano Reggiano, if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It tastes like spring in a bowl without requiring any fancy technique
- You probably already have half the ingredients sitting in your fridge right now
02 -
- The pasta will keep absorbing broth even after you take it off the heat, so serve promptly or plan to thin with extra broth for leftovers
- Adding the lemon juice off the heat preserves its bright, fresh pop instead of cooking it flat
03 -
- Undercook the pasta by about a minute since it will keep softening in the hot broth
- Taste the broth before and after adding lemon juice to experience what a single tablespoon actually does