Minestrone Soup
- Ready In:
- 9hrs 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 22
- Serves:
-
6
ingredients
- 3 carrots, peeled and trimmed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley
- 1⁄2 lb lean salt pork (can be skipped for a vegetarian version)
- 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1⁄2 cup tomato paste
- 1⁄4 cup beef stock (or use beef bouillion granilliars or 2 beef bouillion cubes)
- 1⁄4 cup dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1⁄2 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 1⁄4 cups frozen peas
- salt
-
for the pesto
- 1⁄2 cup basil
- 1⁄2 cup parsley
- 1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1⁄4 cup pecorino romano cheese
- 1 teaspoon pine nuts
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
directions
- In a food processor, chop finely one of the carrots, onions, celery, green pepper and garlic. Transfer finely chopped vegetables to large pot.
- Add parsley, salt pork, and 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to medium low and simmer covered for six hours (or use a crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours).
- With a slotted spoon, transfer salt pork to a food processor and process until fat liquifies and meat turns into a paste (30 seconds).
- Put salt pork through a sieve and back into pot (discarding solids).
- Skim off fat from broth and discard.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste, beef stock base (or bouillion), basil and oregano to pot. Season with 1 teaspoon pepper and simmer over medium low heat for 2 more hours (or 4-6 hours in a crockpot).
- Add 4 cups water to pot, increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil. (If using a crockpot put on high to cook vegetables for 1-2 hours).
- Meanwhile slice remaining 2 carrots crosswise into rounds.
- Add carrots to pot along with green beans and peas. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for another 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Meanwhile make pesto by combining pesto ingredients (basil- oil) in a food processor and process until smooth. Seaon to taste with salt and pepper.
- Spoon pesto into soup.
- Serve with grated spinkled parmesan and pecorino-romano cheese if desired.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
<p>I love cooking and trying different foods, but my favorite cookbooks are now Weight Watchers or low fat/low cal cookbooks as I tend to try and make low fat/low cal recipes. I lost over 90 pounds on Weight Watchers and have maintained for over a year now -- so my cooking/eating habits have changed drastically following my weight loss and to keep it off!</p>