Italian Minestrone. Classic recipe and cooking algorithm

Tightly and securely entered our lives. True, somehow one-sided, mostly pizzas, pasta and lasagna. But in the culinary of the "boot" country there are a lot of great soups, first of all - minestrone. This dish is almost the most beloved in their homeland: Italians, unlike most Europeans, respect hearty lunches, not dinners. Moreover, it can be both light, and very satisfying, and in the form of mashed potatoes, and the usual first. classic is prepared in a variety of ways. In fact, every housewife has her own recipe. But whichever you choose, anyone will be approved by you and your loved ones.

What is hidden under the name

The Italian names of dishes indicate exactly what is meant by them. So, minestra is just a soup, minestrina is its light version, and minestrone is a thick, rich version. And not necessarily the density is achieved by pureeing, just put as many components as possible into the dish. And be sure the minestrone must be beautiful, otherwise you will get, though tasty, but the most ordinary

General rules

Initially, the classic minestrone was prepared for a very long time - up to six hours. In the process, the vegetables boiled down almost to the state of mashed potatoes. Modern and facilitating cooking equipment has reduced the time to three hours, or even less - after all, it is not difficult to obtain a porridge-like consistency with a blender. However, a few rules are still observed today.

Vegetables put in the minestrone are fried, and in many cases also pre-stewed.
Minestrone is a seasonal dish. You should not scrupulously follow the recipe and use expensive, but winter bell peppers full of chemistry. You can take something more natural.
Beans must be present in the soup. It can be peas, beans or chickpeas. Of course, preference should be given to fresh ones, but if they are not available, the beans are soaked in advance.
If you are interested in real minestrone soup, the classic recipe advises to grind some of the vegetables, and leave some in pieces: the density will be sufficient, and whole slices will add beauty and richness.
Pasta is taken exclusively hard varieties.
Lots of greenery is a must!

In a classic minestrone, there should be at least a dozen different vegetables. It is not always possible to diversify the ingredients so much, but you will have to “get” at least 6-7 types.

Delicious minestrone: recipe with photo

We proceed from the fact that we only have dry beans in stock. A glass of beans is poured overnight with water, and the next morning it is boiled for two hours, until completely soft. The unevaporated water is drained. For a head of romaine and radicchio, a large sweet pepper and a blue onion are coarsely chopped and boiled for a quarter of an hour. The broth is strained, the vegetables are pureed. The onion is cut finely, the carrot is rubbed; roasting is made from them. Greens - parsley, chives and dill - are chopped. A 200-gram head of camembert is cut into cubes. Vegetable puree is put into two liters of broth; after it boils, frying and beans are introduced. Minestrone is brought to a boil again, after which cheese and herbs are added. Almost immediately after stirring, the pan is covered and removed from the heat. A quarter of an hour of insisting - and dinner is ready.

Classic with bacon

Do not forget that minestrone is a very "democratic" soup, and among the recipes you can find one that suits everyone. Including those who prefer meat dishes. Minestrone is especially delicious with bacon. To create it, 100 grams of bacon are cut into cubes and stewed in vegetable (preferably olive) oil. When the "lard" starts up fat, chopped two onions and a garlic clove are poured. As the roast turns golden, it is transferred to a saucepan and supplemented with chopped four stalks of celery, medium zucchini, one hundred grams of fresh beans, two tomatoes, asparagus (about 4 pieces) and bell peppers - one red is taken for beauty, the other is yellow. Without adding liquid, the vegetables are stewed until softened, after which one and a half liters of broth or hot water is poured in, and cooking continues for another 20 minutes. Shortly before turning off the stove, the minestrone is flavored with chopped chili peppers, salt and any herbs.

Minestrone with pasta

Everyone knows how Italians love pasta. Not surprisingly, minestrone soup is also prepared with them. The classic recipe with pasta is brought to life in several stages:

A larger leek and two celery stalks are cut into thin slices.
Two carrots are cut into strips.
Medium-sized zucchini is cut into small cubes.
All components are added to a large saucepan, half a glass of green beans and three tablespoons of olive oil are added to them.
The container is placed on the fire; when it starts to hiss, it is closed with a lid, the fire is screwed on. Extinguishing is carried out for 15 minutes, with occasional shaking.
Water or broth is added, about one and a half liters, a can of canned tomatoes, thyme, pepper, fresh basil and herbs - and again under the lid for half an hour.
The final touch is a can of canned beans along with juice and ... pasta.

After ten minutes of cooking, the soup is poured into bowls, flavored with grated cheese and chopped parsley and eaten hot.

Mushroom Italian soup

Another amazing minestrone! We will present the recipe with a photo and a detailed description of the cooking technology to your attention right now. So ... Hostesses will need to soak and cook half a glass of beans ahead of time. A two-liter pot of water is placed on the fire. While it boils, cut (not too large) potatoes, carrots, half a zucchini, eggplant and a large tomato, one hundred grams of fresh mushrooms, the same amount of pumpkin. All this is laid out in boiling water, supplemented with green beans and fresh peas (half a glass each), and after boiling, it is aged on the stove for a quarter of an hour. Then the onion is chopped into half rings, the garlic clove into slices, and a little white cabbage into straws. All this is poured into a saucepan, the soup is salted and flavored with spices: marjoram, basil, oregano, savory. After another 15 minutes, a small paste is poured - about half a glass, and a spoonful of olive oil is poured.

When the pasta is ready, the minestrone is immediately poured into portions, freshly prepared pesto sauce is added to it - and you can start dinner. Bright, fragrant and incredibly tasty soup will surely appeal to your loved ones. Bon Appetit!

Each country has its own signature first course. For example, borsch is traditional among Eastern Slavs, Spaniards are proud of their gazpacho soup, Georgians love lobio, but Italians simply idolize rich and thick minestrone. Translated from Italian, the name of this dish means "big soup". And the Italians themselves proudly call it "the tempest". And all because its components are quite a lot of a wide variety of ingredients. These are mainly seasonal vegetables that you can buy on the market at this time of the year. It is very difficult to talk about any particular recipe. After all, depending on the season and the composition of the soup changes. There is, of course, the traditional set. This is necessarily beans, which are added at the very end of cooking. And it’s also carrots, onions and celery, or, as the Italians call it, soffritos, which are cut as small as possible. The rest of the vegetable set depends on the season and the preferences of the hostess. Probably, it is this versatility that is valued by the Italians in their "temporary". Minestrone is quite satisfying and perfectly satisfies hunger. They prepare this first thing in a large dish, and then everyone is invited to the table. Minestrone is also called the soup of centenarians. And this is not accidental either. After all, enjoying healthy food, pleasant communication, receiving only positive, a person lives longer. Do you want the main secret of making minestrone? This is, oddly enough, slowness. Once upon a time, such a soup was cooked for about 6 hours. Now the time has been reduced by almost half, probably thanks to modern technology. But every Italian chef clearly knows that in order to cook real Italian minestrone soup, you need to slowly simmer all the ingredients over low heat. If you fry or stew vegetables, then also slowly so that each product plays its own violin in this wonderful orchestra.

Ingredients (for a 3L pot)

4 chicken wings for broth + water or 2 liters. ready-made chicken broth;
2 medium carrots;
2 onions;
2-3 stalks of celery;
300 g of asparagus beans;
1 large red bell pepper;
2 large fleshy tomatoes;
a can of canned beans;
0.5 st. durum wheat pasta;
Italian spices: dried basil, oregano;
2-3 sprigs of green basil;
a little olive oil;
salt, ground black pepper, a small ring of red hot pepper.

for croutons and serving minestrone:

half a baguette;
50 g parmesan;
2-3 cloves of garlic;
a little olive oil;
spices.

How to cook Italian Minestrone soup, a classic recipe with a photo

1. Rinse the chicken legs in cool water, dry with a paper towel. Pour a small amount of olive oil into a cast-iron pot, lower the legs there and fry them until a light golden crust forms.

2. Next, pour purified water into the pot and cook the broth under a lid over low heat for 40 minutes. Italian minestrone soup is essentially vegetable. Therefore, we will not use chicken meat later. If you wish, you can not cook the chicken at all, but cook the soup exclusively on vegetable broth.

3. While the broth is being cooked, let's prepare the croutons, with which we will serve the minestrone. Cut the baguette into small pieces, grease them lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4. And now let's prepare soffrito, which is the basis for many Italian dishes. We clean the carrots, onions and celery. Rinse and cut very finely.

5. Fry chopped vegetables or soffritos in olive oil. Remember that the minestrone does not tolerate haste, so we do everything slowly but thoroughly. Roasted vegetables make the soup brighter, richer and richer.

7. The first new ingredient will add asparagus beans. Rinse it in cool water, remove excess liquid with a paper towel and cut into pieces about 2 cm long. Dip the prepared beans into a saucepan and continue to simmer the dish over low heat.

8. Next, peel the bell pepper, rinse it and cut it into small cubes. In order for the minestrone to be bright not only in taste, it is better to choose red peppers. We send the pepper to the soup. We also add spices. Salt to taste.

9. Now tomatoes. My tomatoes, remove the skin from them. This is very easy to do if you drop them literally for a minute in boiling water. Next, cut the tomatoes into cubes. We send tomatoes to the soup.

10. Now add the pasta. Cook them until al dente (half done). After turning off the soup, the pasta will reach on its own and will not turn into porridge.

11. Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan. It can be seen that the minestrone is quite thick. In general, Italians believe that the thicker, the better. There should even be a spoon in it.

12. Cleanly washed green basil finely chopped and also sent in a minestrone.

13. Now we send canned beans to the pan. Let the soup boil a little and turn it off. Cover with a lid and let it brew.

14. Minestrone soup, the classic recipe with a photo of which was kindly provided for your judgment, is ready! Pour the infused soup into beautiful plates, decorate with thin petals of Parmesan cheese and serve with croutons. The Italians cook a lot of minestrone so that it will definitely stay on the second day. No wonder it is also called the soup of the second day. It is in a day that the Italian minestrone soup acquires a special chic and richness. Giving their aroma to the broth, vegetables become unusually tasty. Bon Appetit!

Minestrone is the most popular soup born in Italy. It is so associated with first courses that outside the republic, when they say "Italian soup", they undoubtedly mean minestrone. It is based on broth, vegetables and legumes. Italians cook it with seasonal products, but still, frozen peas or beans are allowed.

Healthy ingredients are a very significant plus of the dish. Minestrone is not just a soup. It is a symbol of Italian principles of nutrition. Do you want to know how it came about and how to make a classic minestrone in your own kitchen? Then welcome to the article.

Minestrone has a very ancient origin. Even in cooking vegetable soup based on onions, garlic, carrots, asparagus, lentils and mushrooms. Additional ingredients have been added over the centuries thanks to new advances. For example, potatoes and tomatoes entered the dish when they "arrived" in Italy after the discovery of America in the 16th century.

Initially, minestrone was a modest soup, which was prepared mainly from the leftovers of second courses or from the cheapest vegetables. It was an everyday food, not an option for a wedding or festive table.

The modern absence of a strict soup recipe is due to the fact that the products for it were never prepared in advance. In other words, if a person bought a chicken in order to fry and eat it later, then the minestrone was treated differently. The components that were in the house were used.

Between the 17th and 18th centuries, Italian chefs made the first course famous outside the republic. But even today the soup is perceived as a tribute to the peasant tradition.

Its name literally translates as "what is served" (as food). The first use of the term Minestrone for vegetable soup dates back to the 18th and 19th centuries.

The recipe of the dish depends on the region of preparation. Minestrone classic (Minestrone classico) is rather a relative concept, since there is no consensus among culinary experts on its composition. But the main components are strictly regulated: broth, beans, onions, celery, carrots and tomatoes. Although conservatives advocate the absence of "non-European" vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes) in the dish.

Some prefer to cook minestrone on water, others choose meat broths. Someone supplements it with pasta, someone prefers rice. Its consistency ranges from thick and dense (close to a stew) to very liquid. For example, the classic version contains more broth than Genoese Minestrone (Minestrone alla genovese). The composition of the latter also includes pesto sauce.

In fact, recently the word minestrone has become synonymous with the phrase "mix everything." But, of course, modern culinary specialists do not use leftover food from previous meals, but acquire fresh vegetables in advance when planning to cook soup. Today it is eaten not as a main course, but as a light first, opening a hearty meal.

Classic recipe

Every region of Italy has its own classic minestrone recipe. But there are no significant differences. Only a few ingredients change. We invite you to cook the most popular winter version of the dish in the republic. Taking into account the peculiarities of our climate, it is better for domestic housewives to create their own delicacy in the second half of summer.

So, we will need:

Water - 700 ml;
Cauliflower - 400 g;
Tomatoes - 350 g;
Potatoes - 330 g;
Pumpkin - 250 g;
Fresh beans - 200 g;
Green peas fresh or frozen - 200 g;
Leek - 150 g;
smoked - 110 g;
Zucchini - 100 g;
Onion - 80 g;
Carrots - 80 g;
Celery - 60 g;
Olive oil - 60 g;
Rosemary - 6 g;
Parsley - 5 g;
Ground black pepper - 2 g;
Garlic - 1 clove;
Bay leaf - 2 pcs.;
Salt and nutmeg to taste.

Before starting the process, it is necessary to wash and dry all vegetables. Rosemary and laurel sprig - tie tightly with kitchen string so that the herb leaves do not end up in the soup during cooking

How to cook

First, peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds and fibrous pulp with a spoon. We cut pumpkin and zucchini into cubes. If fresh beans are in pods, then we extract the beans from them.

Separate the cauliflower into florets. Cut the white part of the leek into thin rings, and cut the pancetta into cubes.

We also turn peeled potatoes and tomatoes with the skin and stalk removed into cubes. Peeled carrots, celery and onion cut as small as possible, parsley - large.

Now all the ingredients are prepared, and you can proceed to the main stage. In a non-stick pot with high sides, saute the carrots, onion and celery in olive oil for 7-8 minutes. It is necessary to avoid burning vegetables to the bottom of the container.

Add crushed garlic and pancetta without turning off the heat. The latter serves to flavor the soup. We also put a bunch of herbs in the pan. Mix leek rings with a small amount of water (about 50 ml) with the resulting mass and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes.

The next ingredients that will go in the classic minestrone are pumpkin and beans. Cook the dish over moderate heat for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

This is followed by potatoes, cauliflower, zucchini, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook the resulting vegetable mixture for about 5-6 minutes. Pour green peas and tomatoes into the pan, pour the remaining water and cover with a lid. Cook the minestrone over moderate heat for about 30 minutes, remove the garlic and do not remove from heat for another 15 minutes.

A few seconds before removing the container from the stove, add parsley. We remove a bunch of herbs and mix thoroughly so that the vegetables are saturated with each other's aromas.

If you prefer thinner soups, then add some boiled water to it. Your classic minestrone recipe is ready! In Italy, before serving, the soup is sprinkled with olive oil or sprinkled with grated olive oil.

Keep minestrone in the refrigerator in a container with a tight-fitting lid for up to 3 days. Although, like many Italian soups, it acquires the most intense taste by the second day. If desired, you can extend its shelf life by freezing.

How to change the recipe

Minestrone is a very versatile dish. It is quite possible to replace the proposed vegetables with those that you prefer. Or, on the contrary, add something else. For example, broccoli, cabbage, spinach, mushrooms. And this list is endless. But, it must be emphasized that Italian chefs never put arugula and Brussels sprouts in soup, as they interrupt the taste of other vegetables. Chicory and artichokes are also illegal. Their presence will only betray unnecessary bitterness.

Those who prefer soups with pasta or rice should add the necessary component during the cooking process. At the same time, until the minestrone is ready, there should be as much time as it takes to prepare the selected ingredient.

Minestrone with chicken differs from the classics only in the presence of chicken breast cubes added during the cooking process. The Genoese version of the soup is enriched with Pesto sauce at the end of the process.

Possible cooking errors

Modern stores are filled with a huge variety of products all year round. Illiterate choice and subsequent processing of components are the main causes of errors in the preparation of vegetable soup.

To prevent your dish from becoming an unsightly, tasteless slurry, remember that:

Frozen vegetables should not be used. Yes, it is very convenient and greatly reduces the cooking time. But they change the taste of the soup for the worse. The only exception is green peas. The use of legumes in the form of canned food is also strictly prohibited.
Bouillon cubes are not allowed in the minestrone. The aroma of the first dish with a bouquet of vegetables does not require additional chemicals. The only acceptable flavor enhancers are herbs (rosemary, sage, laurel, thyme, parsley, basil, celery leaves), as well as salt and ground black pepper. The color of the broth is adjusted by the products. For example, a decoction of unpeeled onions has a golden hue, tomatoes give rich red color.
Do not limit the variety of components. In Italy, as a rule, the maximum amount of vegetables according to the season is used. In autumn, in addition to the standard ingredients, pumpkin, cabbage, and broccoli are used. Some chefs even add mushrooms.
The size of the cut vegetables also matters. Strongly crushed fruits turn the minestrone into a puree-like mass. On the contrary, large pieces are not completely saturated with the overall aroma of the soup. If beans are placed, then when cutting the rest of the vegetables, they are guided by their size. If not, everything is cut into cubes with a side of 1.5 cm.
The taste of the dish is always enriched with additional components.. These include: durum pasta, egg noodles, rice, pearl barley, fried bread or garlic-rubbed toast.

Calorie content and benefits

Minestrone is considered one of the healthiest soups. It is included in the diet menu for weight loss, since the calorie content of the classic dish is extremely low and is about 39 kcal per 100 g.

The nutritional value is distributed as follows:

Proteins - 1.7 g;
Fats - 1.3 g;
Carbohydrates - 5.4 g.

Low salt soup is great for controlling blood pressure levels. Rich in potassium, it helps to diversify the composition of the diet for people suffering from hypertension.

The low glycemic index of minestrone has a positive effect on metabolism and makes the soup useful for the nutrition of diabetic patients.

Now you know everything about the most popular, healthy and simply delicious Italian soup. Live with humor, travel spontaneously and remember: “There is nothing better in the world than making minestrone in the summer!”

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Minestrone soup is the most popular first course in Italy. Want to learn more about their nutritional principles? Then be sure to try one of the suggested recipes!

Classic Italian Minestrone Soup Recipe

The classic Minestrone recipe is not complicated at all, it includes legumes, broth and vegetables.

Required products:

onion, carrot and sweet pepper;
three potatoes;
one and a half liters of vegetable broth;
about 200 grams of canned beans;
two tomatoes and a zucchini;
clove of garlic;
seasonings and herbs to your taste.

Cooking process:

First, chop the garlic and onion into small pieces, fry in a saucepan heated on the stove until they become a little transparent.
Then put the carrots in cubes there and hold for about five more minutes.
We cut all the remaining vegetables as small as possible, add to the rest of the ingredients and bring to softness over low heat for 15 minutes.
We fill this vegetable mass with cold broth, season with selected spices, put potatoes in cubes and cook until it becomes soft.
Pour the beans to the soup, after draining the liquid from it.
After two minutes, we take out a quarter of the vegetables from the soup, and turn those that remain into puree using a blender. Put the vegetables back into the soup and the dish is ready to serve.

In a slow cooker

Italian vegetable soup can also be made in a slow cooker, simplifying the process a bit.

Required products:

onions and carrots;
liter of broth;
two tomatoes;
zucchini and sweet pepper;
seasonings to your taste;
three potatoes;
two cloves of garlic;
about 200 grams of canned beans.

Cooking process:

Chop all the vegetables as finely as possible, except for the beans, of course.
Set the slow cooker to the “Baking” mode and start frying the onion, gradually adding other vegetables to it and bringing them to softness. Potatoes do not need to be used yet.
Pour the resulting mass with broth and season with various spices. Put the potatoes and turn on the slow cooker in the "Soup" mode for 30 minutes.
When the program comes to an end, lay out the beans, draining excess liquid from them. The dish is ready to serve.

Cooking vegetable soup Minestrone in Genoa

Another version of a hearty Italian soup.

Required products:

two zucchini;
100 grams of peas and the same amount of beans;
two tomatoes and the same number of carrots;
50 grams of olive oil;
100 grams of pasta;
three potatoes;
a bunch of basil;
clove of garlic;
spices as desired.

Cooking process:

We set a pot of water to heat up, lower the chopped potatoes, carrots and zucchini there. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat, leave to cook, and after a couple of minutes, add the beans and peas.
In a separate container you need to prepare the sauce. To do this, combine peeled tomatoes with garlic and basil, beat in a blender until smooth and add olive oil.
We send this mixture to a pot with soup, add seasonings, add pasta and remove after five minutes, when they are already soft.

Variant with kale and white beans

You can slightly diversify the usual soup due to other components.

Required products:

300 grams of tomato;
two tablespoons of tomato paste;
about 300 grams of white beans;
bulb;
400 grams of kale;
seasonings, garlic, herbs - optional.

Cooking process:

Start cooking right away in the pot. Put the chopped onion and garlic there, fry for a couple of minutes, season with spices.
Then add tomato paste, cabbage leaves, cut into small pieces, and keep on fire for about four minutes.
Remove beans from excess liquid, soften in a bowl, put to vegetables. Also add chopped tomatoes and pour everything with the right amount of water so that the pan is full.
Add garlic, pepper and herbs to your liking and cook until cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes.

Unusual Minestrone soup with pasta

Since this is an Italian dish, it is not at all surprising that soup can be prepared with pasta.

Required products:

one zucchini;
carrot and onion;
150 grams of pasta;
200 grams of beans;
two potatoes;
greens and seasonings to your taste;
50 grams of Parmesan.

Cooking process:

Take a pot with a good bottom so that you can fry vegetables in it.
Grind everything listed in the ingredients, except beans and potatoes, and bring to softness in a heated container.
Fill with water until the pot is almost full. Pour in seasonings.
Put the chopped potatoes and beans without liquid into the soup, keep over medium heat until the food is soft.

Serve the dish sprinkled with Parmesan.

Soup from frozen vegetables

Of course, fresh vegetables are much healthier, but in winter, you can also use “freezing”.

Required products:

two cloves of garlic;
seasonings to taste;
50 grams of paste;
two potatoes;
ready-made vegetable frozen mix.

Cooking process:

Fill the pan with water and, when it boils, put the pre-cut potatoes there, and then the chopped garlic.
After about 15 minutes, when the potatoes are almost soft, add the frozen mixture and cook it for 10 minutes after boiling.
Pour in pasta, add seasonings to taste and bring to readiness. You can take it off when the paste becomes soft.

Let the dish rest for 20 minutes before serving.

Secrets and tricks of cooking

In order for the soup to really turn out the way the Italians cook it, some nuances should be observed.

Prepare a dish with seasonal vegetables, so it is not necessary that the composition is always the same.
Avoid arugula and brussels sprouts - these vegetables overpower the flavor.
For spice, you can add a little dry wine to the soup.
You can cook with any broth, but Italians prefer a mixture of ham on the bone and bacon.
To make the soup richer, add legumes, pasta or arborio rice, which is usually bought for risotto.

Regardless of whether you love Italian cuisine or treat it very calmly, once in your life you should definitely try cooking a real Italian vegetable soup - Minestrone.

Minestrone is very popular in Italy

Firstly, this is a beautiful dish, with a beautiful name and a stunningly beautiful taste. Secondly, there are ONLY 210 kcal in a bowl of this soup, despite the fact that its benefits for the body and figure are practically invaluable! And in general, your loved one should finally admit that a healthy diet is not "Beeeeeee ...".

Minestrone is a very popular dish in Italy. Those who have been to Europe must have noticed that Europeans have a completely different attitude to soups than we Russians. If Europeans want something thin and hot, they order regular meat broth. And all the so-called European soups are sort of like not soups, but rather mashed vegetables. Minestrone is no exception. This is such a rich, mashed and slightly liquid stew made from a large number of vegetables.

By the way, there are really a lot of vegetables in the classic version of the soup - at least ten different types. Add to this meat, bacon or poultry broth, cheese dressing, pesto sauce and be sure not to forget the pasta. Get not soup - soup!!! But this is how the name of the soup is translated from Italian. What can I say, original...

If you set yourself the goal of getting the taste of the same as in Italy, then relax. The fact is that in each region the “boot” of Minestrone is cooked in its own way. Just like ours - borscht or okroshka. Therefore, feel free to experiment with the composition. The main thing is to follow the general rules:

1. Vegetables need to be fried, and then stewed over a SLOW fire, slowly. Be patient and free up time. For everything about everything you will need 1.5-2 hours.
2. Vegetables should be taken seasonal. Don't chase "chemical" bell pepper in the middle of winter, but replace it with something more useful.
3. Some legumes should be present in the soup - peas, chickpeas, beans. Of course, fresh, green ones are better.
4. Some of the vegetables in the soup should be mashed, some should be hard.
5. We add pasta or pasta only durum varieties, otherwise all the usefulness is down the drain.
6. Do not skimp on greens - basil, parsley - the more the better.
7. Minestrone should be thick. The more variety of vegetables you use, the better. Let not 10, but 7 or 8 species should be present.

The recipe for Italian Minestrone soup, which you will read below, does not claim to be the only true one. However, it will serve as a guide for you in your own research. So let's start.

To prepare six servings of soup, we need:

1 small zucchini;
1 large or 2 small onions;
2 medium potatoes;
1 carrot;
2-3 tomatoes;
2 sweet bell peppers, as many colors as possible;
50-60 gr. durum wheat pasta or small pasta;
1 clove of garlic;
250gr. green beans
20g. any hard cheese;
100 ml. olive oil;
1.2 liters of water;
greens (basil, parsley, oregano, etc.) and spices (salt, black, red pepper, chili pepper, pesto sauce) to taste;

Cooking delicious Italian vegetable soup

The preparation of Italian Minestrone soup begins with the preparation of vegetables: they must be thoroughly washed in running water and cleaned of skins, stalks, and seeds. If the zucchini is young, you can not remove the skin from it, otherwise it is better to peel it all the same so that there are no solid particles in the finished soup. Zucchini, potatoes, carrots, onions cut into small cubes of the same size. Soak beans (if dry) in water. Sweet bell pepper cut into thin and small strips.

We take a pan with a thick bottom, a cauldron, a saucepan or a deep frying pan and heat 3 tbsp. tablespoons of olive oil. The oil must not boil! We send carrots and onions to the heated oil. Fry them over low heat for about five minutes, until the onion becomes translucent.

Next, we send bell pepper and finely chopped garlic to the onions and carrots, let them fry for another five minutes. Then pour 4 more tablespoons of olive oil into the pan and add the zucchini. Stir the soup mixture thoroughly from time to time and simmer the vegetables for fifteen minutes over the same low heat.

Peeled tomatoes and beans are sent last to the pan. They need to be allowed to fry for nothing: five minutes.

After all the vegetables are fried, pour cold water into the container and put on fire. We wait until the water boils, and then throw in the potatoes. Now we wait 20 minutes until the potatoes are thoroughly boiled, and the soup acquires a rich taste. We turn off the fire.

We take out some of the cooked vegetables from the container with a slotted spoon and put them on a plate to cool. Those vegetables that remained in the pan must be carefully chopped with a blender.

We return the postponed vegetables to their place, and put our bowl of soup back on the fire and boil. We throw the pasta into boiling water, boil it until half cooked, add spices, boil for another 1-2 minutes and turn off the heat.

Congratulations - your Italian Minestrone soup is ready! Do not forget to decorate it with cheese and herbs before serving.