Vegetable Minestrone

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Planning estimate: about 70 minutes total.

Uses canned beans and includes cutting the vegetables, softening the base and the 30-minute simmer.

Equipment: Soup pot · Cutting board and knife · Measuring cups.

An estimate from the preparation steps, including stated waits. Allow extra time as needed and follow the recipe’s doneness checks.

Minestrone with diced vegetables, beans and greens

Minestrone is a vegetable soup that can include beans and leafy greens. This version uses mixed vegetables, beans and spinach; the original ingredients and method remain below.

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Vegetable minestrone with squash, carrots, spinach, chickpeas and white beans

Vegetable Minestrone

A vegetable minestrone with white beans, garbanzo beans, zucchini, squash and spinach, simmered with olive oil, garlic and white wine.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/4 quart water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 cup white onion neat small dice
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1/4 cup carrot neat small dice
  • 1/2 cup roma tomato neat small dice (seeded and membrane removed)
  • 1/4 cup celery neat small dice
  • 1/4 cup yellow squash neat small dice (seeded)
  • 1/4 cup zucchini neat small dice
  • 1/4 cup garbonzo beans canned
  • 1/4 cup white beans canned
  • 1/4 cup green peas
  • 3 each bay leaves
  • 1 cup fresh spinach leaves

Method
 

  1. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until softened without browning, about 7–10 minutes. Add the listed 1/4 cup white wine and let it almost evaporate. Add the garlic and bay leaves and cook for 1 minute, then add 1 1/4 quarts water and simmer for 30 minutes.
  2. Add the garbanzo beans, white beans, tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, peas and spinach. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, beginning to check after about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste.

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