Traditional Minestrone

Name: Traditional Minestrone
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 6-8 serving(s)
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons olive oil; 2 cups chopped onions; 5 garlic cloves, minced (use fresh garlic only); 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 1 stalk celery, chopped; 1 medium carrot, diced; 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces; 1 teaspoon oregano; fresh black pepper; 1 teaspoon basil; 1 medium bell pepper, diced; 4 cups water (more if needed); 1 (650 ml) jar good spaghetti sauce (meat free); 1 cup chickpeas, cooked; 1 cup dry pasta (any shape); 1/2 cup parsley, minced; parmesan cheese (use soy cheese if vegan)

Community Pick

Submitted by Dreamer in Ontario

"This is an excellent minestrone. I got the original recipe from the Moosewood Cookbook. The original recipe called for tomato sauce. I only had spaghetti sauce on hand and I think the end result is very good. The original recipe also called for zucchini and/or eggplant which my family doesn't care for so green beans were substituted. I reduced the amount of olive oil to make it lower in fat."

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photo by Jonathan Melendez

Ready In:: 1hr 15mins
Ingredients:: 17
Serves:: 6-8

ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
5 garlic cloves, minced (use fresh garlic only)
1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons salt
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, diced
1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon oregano
fresh black pepper
1 teaspoon basil
1 medium bell pepper, diced
4 cups water (more if needed)
1 (650 ml) jar good spaghetti sauce (meat free)
1 cup chickpeas, cooked
1 cup dry pasta (any shape)
¹⁄₂ cup parsley, minced
parmesan cheese (use soy cheese if vegan)

directions

Heat the olive oil in nonstick Dutch oven.
Add onion, garlic and salt.
Saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Add celery, carrot, green beans and seasonings.
Cover and cook overy very low heat 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add bell pepper, water and spaghetti sauce.
Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Add beans and simmer another 5 minutes.
Bring to a gentle boil.
Add pasta.
Stir and cook until pasta is done.
Serve topped with parsley and parmesan.

Questions & Replies

S

Where’s the okra?

Skylinesuzy
S

Where’s the okra?

Skylinesuzy

Reviews

H

Start with 2 28oz cans of San Marcos plum tomatoes, you know, the expensive Certified ones ... then I'd add more Carrots and Celery, not to speak of Shallots. Good spaghetti sauce just doesn't do it. And you can get a lot of sweetness from Carrots, no need for Peppers.

hankarnold
J

I made this soup at the start of the week and then had it for lunch throughout the week. It just got better and better the longer it sat in the fridge! It's just like the soup from any Italian restaurant, which I love. It's my new favorite!

Jonathan Melendez
E

Great and easy to make soup at the end of the day! I changed the recipe slightly based on what was in the house and I wanted to use the full can of chickpeas and also used more green beans but skipped the celery (however I used a bit of celery salt) and the bell pepper. I also skipped the parsley and the cheese. I love the idea of using spaghetti sauce!!! and will use that idea again in other recipes! Thanks for sharing!

ellie_
C

This was really good and easy. And very versatile too. I switched up the vegies to what I had on hand and it worked well!!! Made for Saucy Silverados and the ZWT 7 tour!

Charmie777
E

I've been making this recipe for years and my family loves it!

eddieandjillian

see 20 more reviews

Tweaks

E

What a great and easy soup. I subbed zucchini for the green beans and bell pepper, otherwise followed the recipe. Very warming on a windy cold day like yesterday was. Thanks for sharing a real keeper Dorit! Made for Tis the Season for Giving.

ElaineAnn
S

Delicious soup! Packed full of veggies, with lots of flavor. I used zucchini instead of green beans due to an abundant zucchini harvest on-hand. Thanks for sharing!

Starrynews
S

This was a very good and filling soup. We just ate it and I am surprised I can move to type thing because I had such a big helping. Which is a good sign that I liked it :) I skipped the oil at the start and used a cooking spray and went for the zucchini in place of the green beans because we didn't have any and canellini beans because it felt Italian. Good stuff! Made for ZWT4.

Sarah_Jayne
S

Very good soup - smelled wonderful while cooking. I used my homemeade sauce for the spaghetti sauce and zucchini instead of green beans. I didn't think it needed any extra liquid - I thought it was just right as-is! Made for Went to Market April 2008.

SweetDivaMJ
Y

This is a delicious soup. I didn't have a carrot, and I substituted the green beans for the original zucchini. I agree that it needs another cup of water. Super yummy. Thanks!

yummy_mama