Minestrone 🍅🥦🥔

This soup is perfect for fall and winter: warm and rich in fiber and protein. You can even substitute it for a full meal, thanks to the veggies, beans, and starch.

🛒 Ingredients (about 4-5 servings)

(The following are the most common versions. You can adjust them according to the season or the ingredients in your refrigerator.)

• Onion: 1 (chopped)
• Garlic🧄: 2 cloves (chopped)
• 2 celery pieces (diced)
• Carrots: 2 (diced)
• Potato🥔: 1 (diced)
• 1/4 head of broccoli (shredded or chopped)
• Green beans/broccoli: a little (optional)
• Canned tomatoes🍅: 400g (canned diced tomatoes are recommended for quick and easy cooking)
• Tomato paste: 1-2 tablespoons (increase concentration to the same color)
• White beans/red kidney beans🫘: 1 can (rinse and drain, you can use canned or cook your own)
• Pasta: 50-80g (short-boiled pasta or shell pasta is recommended)
• Olive oil: 2 tablespoons
• Vegetable broth🥣: 1 liter (or chicken broth)
• Bay leaf: 1 piece
• Basil leaves: a little (fresh or dried)
• Salt🧂, crushed black pepper🌑: as needed
• Parmesan cheese: as needed (sprinkle at the end to enhance the flavor)

👩🏻🍳 Detailed cooking process

1. Stir-fry the base

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
• Add onion, garlic, celery, and carrots and sauté until onion is translucent and vegetables are slightly charred.
• This step is very important because it is the "flavor base" of the entire soup.

2. Add tomatoes and soup base

• Add canned tomatoes and tomato paste and stir-fry to release the sour aroma.
• Pour in vegetable stock, add bay leaf and bring to a boil.

3. Add potatoes and hard vegetables

• Add potatoes, beans, broccoli and other vegetables that need longer cooking time.
• Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes start to soften.

4. Add cabbage and beans

• Add chopped cabbage and rinsed white or red beans.
• Continue to simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

5. Add pasta

• Finally, add the shortcrust pasta and cook over medium heat until cooked through (approximately 8-10 minutes).
• Remember not to overcook it, keep it slightly tender.

6. Seasoning

• Add salt and black pepper according to taste.
• You can add a little basil leaves or Italian herb powder to make the soup more Mediterranean flavor.

7. Finish serving

• Pour the hot and spicy vegetable soup into a bowl.
• Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top and garnish with a little olive oil.
• A bowl of colorful and nutritious Italian mixed vegetable soup is ready~✨

🌟 Editor's Tips

• Vegetable selection : There are no fixed rules, anything can be used, even mixed vegetables from the refrigerator.
• More filling : If you want it to feel more like a meal, you can add more beans, pasta, or even a little bacon or sausage.
• Healthy version : Reduce the amount of pasta and replace it with more vegetables for a lower calorie option.
• Flavored version : Add a little red wine to cook together for a richer taste.
• Hong Kong fusion : Some tea restaurants use ketchup to replace part of the tomato paste, which tastes sour and sweet, and is quite familiar.