Main Dish Minestrone Recipes

MAIN-DISH MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In 4-quart nonstick saucepan or Dutch oven, heat water to boiling over medium-high heat. Add onions; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes, carrot, celery, bell pepper and garlic; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling.
• Reduce heat; simmer about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes and pasta are tender.

MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In a stockpot, saute the onions, celery and parsley in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, cabbage, carrots, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour. , In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir into soup along with the zucchini, beans and pasta. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables and pasta are tender. Top each serving with cheese.

THE BEST MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the meat is golden brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the pancetta with a slotted spoon to a large bowl, leaving the fat in the pot.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the carrots, celery, onions, garlic, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, 4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the potatoes and zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Return the pancetta to the pot, stir in the tomatoes and 8 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are just tender, about 20 minutes.
• Add the kale, beans and their liquid and pasta and continue to cook until the pasta is cooked through and the kale is tender, about 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and season with more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with grated Parmesan.

ANYTIME MINESTRONE

Steps:

• For the soup: Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Cook the mushrooms, undisturbed, until browned underneath, about 2 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until browned on both sides and tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a medium bowl.
• Heat the butter and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the same pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, cabbage, squash, tomatoes, green beans, 1 tablespoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened but not browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms and 8 cups water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garbanzo beans and cook until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Season if necessary.
• Meanwhile, make the pistou: Pulse the garlic, parsley, basil, pecans and 2 tablespoons of the oil in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the Parmesan, grapefruit zest, crushed red pepper and remaining 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt.
• Divide the soup among bowls and top with the pistou.

CLASSIC MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan, over medium heat. Add leek, carrots, zucchini, green beans and celery. Cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.
• Stir in the stock, tomatoes and thyme. Bring to a boil, then replace the lid, and reduce heat to low; simmer gently for 30 minutes.
• Stir in the cannellini beans with liquid and pasta. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

CONTEST-WINNING EASY MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute the carrots, celery and onion in oil and butter until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer., Stir in the broth, tomato sauce, beans, chickpeas, tomatoes, cabbage, basil, parsley, oregano and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add macaroni; cook, uncovered, 6-8 minutes or until macaroni and vegetables are tender., Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with cheese. Freeze option: Before adding cheese, freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little broth or water if necessary.

CLASSIC MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook onion, carrot, celery, garlic and rosemary until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in tomato sauce, beans and 2 1/2 cups water. Add broth, zucchini, pasta and pepper; bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in parsley. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese and additional parsley, if desired.

MAIN-DISH MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In large heavy saucepan, heat oil and butter.
• Add sausage; brown lightly.
• Add onion, garlic, celery, carrot and green pepper; cook until softened but not browned.
• Stir in parsley, basil, thyme, bay leaf and a little salt& pepper.
• Stir in tomatoes and stock.
• Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Add cabbage, beans and macaroni.
• Cover and simmer about 30 minutes.
• If too thick, dilute with water to desired consistency.
• Taste and adjust seasoning.
• A nice variation on this soup is to add ground beef instead of sausage, and beef stock instead of chicken stock.
• Add 3/4 cup dried lentils and 1/4 cup barley instead of macaroni and kidney beans.

MAIN DISH MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In dutch oven, over med-hi heat, cook carrots, celery, onions , garlic and cabbage in olive oil until browned (20 min), stirring frequently.
• Add tomato with liquid, rice, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, pepper, potato, beef broth and zucchini.
• Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes or until veggies and rice are cooked.
• Add beans and spinach.
• Cook over medium heat until spinach is cooked and beans are heated through.
• Soup becomes thick upon standing but once heated will return to original consistency.
• Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.