Italian Green Minestrone di Verdure Recipe

Introduction

This Italian Green Minestrone di Verdure is a vibrant vegetable soup bursting with fresh herbs, tender greens, and hearty beans. It’s perfect for a comforting meal that’s both nutritious and full of rich, savory flavors.

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 stick celery, diced
• 2 cups green cabbage, shredded
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 8 sprigs thyme
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 qt low sodium vegetable stock (plus more as needed)
• 1.5 cups golden potatoes, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1.5 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
• 15 oz canned borlotti or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup baby arugula or spinach
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 bunch fresh basil, leaves only
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, walnuts, or hazelnuts
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 cloves garlic (for pesto)
• 1 pinch sea salt (to taste)
• 4 inches Parmesan rind (optional)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat a soup pot over medium flame and add a lug of olive oil.
2. Step 2: Add the diced onion, celery, and carrot along with a pinch of salt. Sauté for about 10 minutes until softened.
3. Step 3: Add the sliced garlic, rosemary sprig, thyme sprigs, and whole black peppercorns. Toss to coat and release their aroma.
4. Step 4: Stir in the shredded cabbage and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes until wilted.
5. Step 5: Add the diced potatoes, Parmesan rind (if using), and vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
6. Step 6: Stir in the drained beans and season with additional sea salt to taste. Keep warm while preparing the pesto.
7. Step 7: For the pesto, combine basil leaves, olive oil, garlic cloves, toasted nuts, and half of the lemon juice in a food processor. Puree until smooth.
8. Step 8: Taste the pesto and adjust seasoning with sea salt and more lemon juice as desired.
9. Step 9: Ladle the minestrone into bowls, add a handful of baby arugula or spinach to each, and spoon the pesto on top.
10. Step 10: Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Tips & Variations

• Use cannellini beans for a creamier texture or borlotti beans for a more robust flavor.
• Omit the Parmesan rind to keep the soup vegan, but add a splash of nutritional yeast for a cheesy note.
• Swap baby arugula for kale or Swiss chard if preferred—just add it towards the end to wilt.
• Toast your own nuts for the pesto to boost their flavor and crunch.

Storage

Store leftover minestrone in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pesto is best kept separately in a small jar covered with a thin layer of olive oil and can last about 5 days refrigerated. Reheat the soup gently on the stove, adding extra vegetable stock or water if it thickens too much.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make this soup ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the minestrone a day in advance and store it in the fridge. Add fresh greens and pesto just before serving to maintain their vibrant flavor and texture.

Is this recipe suitable for a vegan diet?

To make it vegan, skip the Parmesan cheese and rind, and consider adding nutritional yeast for a savory, cheesy element in the pesto.

Italian Green Minestrone di Verdure Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.7 from 56 reviews

This Italian Green Minestrone di Verdure is a vibrant, hearty vegetable soup packed with fresh green cabbage, golden potatoes, cannellini beans, and aromatic herbs. Finished with a bright and nutty basil pesto, this comforting minestrone is perfect for a wholesome lunch or dinner, offering a delicious balance of flavors and textures with a nourishing boost from fresh produce and Parmesan cheese.

• Author: Kai
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Soup Ingredients

• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 stick celery, diced
• 2 cups green cabbage, shredded
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 8 sprigs thyme
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 qt low sodium vegetable stock (plus more as needed)
• 1.5 cups golden potatoes, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1.5 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
• 15 oz canned borlotti or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 4 inches Parmesan rind (optional)

Greens and Garnish

• 1 cup baby arugula or spinach
• 1 bunch fresh basil leaves only
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, walnuts, or hazelnuts
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, juiced (divided)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 pinch sea salt, to taste
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

1. Heat the soup base: Place a soup pot on medium heat and add a generous lug of olive oil to warm up.
2. Sauté aromatics: Add the diced onion, celery, and carrot with a pinch of sea salt and saute for about 10 minutes until softened and fragrant.
3. Add herbs and garlic: Mix in the sliced garlic, rosemary sprig, thyme sprigs, and whole black peppercorns, tossing to coat everything evenly in the oil and aromas.
4. Cook the cabbage: Stir in shredded green cabbage and continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes, until the cabbage wilts down nicely.
5. Add potatoes and stock: Pour in diced golden potatoes, add the Parmesan rind if using, and pour 1.5 quarts of low sodium vegetable stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until potatoes are tender.
6. Incorporate beans and season: Stir in the drained beans to warm through, then taste and adjust the seasoning with additional sea salt as needed.
7. Prepare the pesto: While soup simmers, combine fresh basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves, toasted nuts, and half the lemon juice in a food processor. Puree until smooth and season with sea salt and more lemon juice to taste.
8. Serve: Ladle the minestrone into warm bowls and spoon generous amounts of the fresh basil pesto on top. Finish each serving with grated Parmesan cheese and a splash of remaining lemon juice if desired.

Notes

• You can substitute the cannellini or borlotti beans with any white beans available, such as navy beans or great northern beans.
• Adding the Parmesan rind while simmering enriches the broth with a subtle umami flavor; remove the rind before serving.
• The pesto can be adjusted to taste by varying the amount of nuts and lemon juice for more tang or creaminess.
• Use fresh herbs for the best flavor, but dried rosemary and thyme can be substituted if needed—use about 1 tsp dried rosemary and 1 tbsp dried thyme instead.
• For a vegan version, omit the Parmesan rind and cheese, and use nutritional yeast in the pesto as an alternative flavor enhancer.

Keywords: Italian minestrone, green vegetable soup, cannellini beans soup, basil pesto soup, vegetarian Italian soup