Minestrone
Minestrone is a traditional Italian soup. It is made with a mix of vegetables and a poultry stock. It is quite simple to make, but preparing all the vegetables takes time.
There are doubtless as many minestrone recipes as there are Italian cooks, but here is my version.
There are doubtless as many minestrone recipes as there are Italian cooks, but here is my version.
178 K 4.3/5 (29 reviews)
3 hours 30 min.
Average
3 people
15 IngredientsLast modified on: May 29th 2011
For 3 people, you will need:
- 1
½ cup white beans - 2
½ cup peas - 3
2 spring onions (scallions) - 4
1 tomato - 5
½ cup green beans - 6
1 courgette - 7
1 carrot - 8
1 turnips - 9
1 potatoes - 10
½ cup green asparagus spears - 11
3 tablespoons olive oil - 12
4 cups + 3 tablespoons water - 13
1 chicken stock cube - 14
salt - 15
pepper
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 2 hours 20 min.
Cooking: 1 hour 15 min.
All in all: 3 hours 30 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1
The day before, put ½ cup white beans to soak overnight if you are using dried beans. For fresh ones this isn't necessary.
Stage 2 - 10 min.
Shell ½ cup peas, or use frozen ones.
Stage 3 - 10 min.
Peel, wash and chop 2 spring onions (scallions).
Stage 5 - 10 min.
Wash ½ cup green beans, cut off the ends and cut into pieces.
Stage 8 - 20 min.
Peel and boil ½ cup green asparagus spears in salted water until just tender, but still with some crunch.
Stage 9 - 20 min.
Throw away the water that the beans have soaked in and replace with salted water, Boil until they are cooked but still slightly firm.
Drain.
Drain.
Stage 10 - 1 min.
Pour 3 tablespoons olive oil into a large pan over medium heat. When hot, add the chopped onions, salt, pepper and cook while stirring for 1 minute.
Add the turnips, carrots and potatoes. Stir to mix well.
Add the turnips, carrots and potatoes. Stir to mix well.
Stage 11 - 5 min.
Add the courgettes, haricot beans, green beans and asparagus. Stir to mix well and cook together for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time.
This preliminary cooking of the vegetables in oil is important to add flavour to the minestrone.
This preliminary cooking of the vegetables in oil is important to add flavour to the minestrone.
Stage 12 - 35 min.
Moisten with 4 cups + 3 tablespoons water and add 1 chicken stock cube.
Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and leave to simmer gently until all the vegetables are well cooked.
Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and leave to simmer gently until all the vegetables are well cooked.
Stage 13 - 10 min.
Then add the tomatoes, check seasoning and leave to cook for a further 10 minutes.
Remarks
Ideally a minestrone should include at least 5 vegetables, but they can be any you choose, so you can vary this recipe in both ingredients and proportions.
You can also add a cupful of rice along with the vegetables. There are those who consider that this should replace the haricot beans, but I think it's good with both.
Minestrone is even better reheated the following day.
You can also add a cupful of rice along with the vegetables. There are those who consider that this should replace the haricot beans, but I think it's good with both.
Minestrone is even better reheated the following day.
Keeping: Several days in the fridge.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 30 RDI=10 % | 130 RDI=10 % | 50 RDI=8 % | 1,080 RDI=50 % | 4,540 RDI: 50 % |
| Per 100 g | 1 RDI=0 % | 5 RDI=0 % | 2 RDI=0 % | 40 RDI=2 % | 180 RDI: 2 % |
| Per person | 9 RDI=4 % | 40 RDI=4 % | 20 RDI=3 % | 360 RDI=20 % | 1,510 RDI: 20 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 3 people : 5.40 €
- Per person : 1.80 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Water
Like these other recipes: Sorrel soup, Sushi, Aperitif rolls, Chicken nems, Sausage and lentils "en cocotte", ... See them all 136
Peas
Like these other recipes: Eggs en Cocotte à la Française, Tomato ladybirds, Macédoine of vegetables, Mint and pea pesto, Pea and avocado salad, ... See them all 19
Green asparagus spears
Like these other recipes: Veal with mushrooms and green asparagus, Raw green asparagus salad, Pasta with green asparagus, Farfalle with green asparagus, Creamy rice with green asparagus and sorrel , ... See them all 9
White beans
Like these other recipes: How to prepare white beans, Harichou salad, Douarnenez salad, Duo of slow-cooked pork, Beans with tomatoes, ... See them all 13
Other recipes you may also like
Chestnut cake
This delightful cake is doubly chestnutty: it contains chestnut flour, and sweet chestnut purée.May 8th 2020341 K5 1 hour 15 min.
Fruit crumble
A fruit pudding: very easy to do and delicious: just a layer of fruit with a golden crunchy topping.February 21th 2011362 K4.0 1 hour 15 min.
Epiphany galette
Here is the recipe for the very classic but delicious "galette des rois" (Epiphany galette) in puff or flaky pastry (pâte feuilletée) with almond cream or frangipane . You will also see some professional tips to easily handle the dough, and obtain a nice and regular galette.January 1st 2025297 K 24.5 3 hours 8 min.
Caramelised apple pie
Apple pie made with caramelised apples.September 11th 2018262 K4.3 1 hour 55 min.
Toasted almond cake
A layer cake, with toasted almonds in the chocolate part.July 5th 2016246 K4.4 2 hours 2 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-06-29)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.