Vegetable Minestrone with Parsley Pistou
Vegetable Minestrone with Parsley Pistou is a flavorful and healthy soup that's perfect for a cozy dinner at home. Made with creamy white beans, fresh herbs and loads of healthy green vegetables, this soup is gluten free and vegan adaptable!
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Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 283kcal
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil or 2 tablespoons if omitting the pancetta
- 3 ounces Pancetta or 3 slices bacon diced *see note
- 1 large yellow onion peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
- 5 stalks celery diced (about 2 cups)
- 2 medium-large carrots scrubbed clean and diced (about 2 cups)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 sprig fresh thyme sub ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary sub ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 28- oz can whole peeled tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
- 5 cups water
- 1 tablespoon salt plus more to taste as needed
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 parmesan cheese rind optional
- 1 bunch swiss chard stems and leaves chopped
- 1 can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 1 medium zucchini diced
- 1 ½ cups diced green beans
For the Parsley Pistou:
- 1 clove garlic finely minced or grated
- ½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- ½ - ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Make the Soup:
- Place a large heavy pot or dutch oven over medium heat and add in the olive oil and pancetta. Cook until the it has given up most of its fat and is just starting to crisp, about 7 minutes.
- Add the onion, celery and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more.
- Add the thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, tomatoes, water, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese rind (if using), Swiss chard, cannellini beans, zucchini and green beans.
- Bring up to a simmer, cover and let cook for at least 30 minutes or longer (you can't overcook it). Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
For the Parsley Pistou:
- Combine the minced garlic, parsley and olive oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and let sit for at least 20 minutes to let the flavors meld. (You can also add the whole ingredients to a food processor or blender and pulse until combined.)
To Serve:
- Ladle the minestrone into bowls and serve with parsley pistou on the side along with grated parmesan and crusty bread.
Notes
*For a vegan / vegetarian version, you can leave out the pancetta and the parmesan cheese rind. Just add a little more salt and olive oil to make up for it.
If you'd like to add pasta, cook it separately in boiling, salted water, then drain and keep on the side to add to individual bowls. If you add the pasta to the pot of hot soup, it will absorb all of the broth and turn mushy.
This recipe is very flexible and adaptable. Throw in some leftover shredded chicken, the rice from last night's Chinese takeout, a diced sweet potato that's starting to sprout, or anything else about to go bad in your fridge.
Nutrition
Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 1502mg | Potassium: 569mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 4332IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 2mg