Spring Minestrone Soup

April’s unpredictable weather calls for something comforting yet light, and what better dish than a spring-inspired soup?

This classic Italian soup is packed with seasonal vegetables like green beans, spinach, tomatoes, and zucchini. Add in some white beans for protein and pasta for heartiness. The fresh basil and a touch of Parmesan on top give it a burst of flavor on the end.

I’m excited to share this one with you, let me know how it turns out, and feel free to add your own twist to it.

You’ll Need

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 150g / 5oz bacon , finely chopped
• 1 onion , chopped
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 celery rib* , chopped 1.5cm / 1/2″ pieces
• 1 large carrot* , peeled and diced 1.5cm / 1/2″ pieces
• 1 zucchini* , chopped 1.5cm / 1/2″ pieces
• 800g/ 28oz crushed tomato (or 700g passata)
• 2 cups chicken stock/broth , low sodium
• 2 cups water
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 14oz canned white beans, drained
• 1 tsp EACH salt and pepper
• 1 cup small pasta of your choice
• 100g / 3oz green beans* , trimmed then cut into 2cm / 3/5″ lengths
• 1/4 cup parmesan , grated
• Minestrone Vegetables (Note 1):
• 2oz/ 60g baby spinach (or frozen spinach, kale or similar – can leave out)

For serving – optional:
Crusty bread for dunking!

What You’ll Do

To start:

Heat oil over medium high heat in a very large pot. Add the bacon and saute until it starts to turn golden (~2 min).

Now Add the Veg:

First toss in the garlic and onion for about 2 minutes until the onion is a bit translucent. Next add the carrot, celery and zucchini. Stir for 1 minute to completely coat everything.

And Then The Saucy Bits and Beans:

Add crushed tomato, chicken stock, water, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, beans, salt and pepper.
Stir, bring to simmer, then place lid on and adjust heat so it’s simmering gently for 20 minutes, then add the green beans.

After 5 minutes of this deliciousness, add the pasta. Cook for time per pasta packet MINUS 2 minutes.
Remove from stove, stir through with the parmesan and baby spinach. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.

How To Serve This:

Ladle into bowls, and let your people sprinkle over their soup with a little parmesan.

And if you really want to “stick the landing”, just add some warm crusty bread to soak up all that beautiful sauce!