Welcome to the delightful world of hearty and healthy Italian soups! In this article, we present a collection of three flavorful minestrone recipes, each offering a unique twist on the classic Italian dish. From the traditional Hunter's Minestrone, brimming with savory meats and vegetables, to the hearty Tuscan Minestrone, packed with fresh flavors and wholesome ingredients, and the Minestrone alla Genovese, where pesto adds a vibrant touch to the soup, these recipes promise a culinary adventure you won't soon forget. With detailed instructions and tips for each recipe, cooking up a delicious and nutritious minestrone has never been easier. So, get ready to warm your hearts and tantalize your taste buds with these delectable Italian soups.
**Hunter's Minestrone:** Indulge in the rich and rustic flavors of this traditional minestrone, featuring tender cuts of beef, succulent sausage, and a medley of colorful vegetables simmered in a savory broth.
**Tuscan Minestrone:** Experience the essence of Tuscany in this hearty and wholesome soup, brimming with fresh vegetables, tender beans, and a hint of aromatic herbs.
**Minestrone alla Genovese:** Unveil the vibrant flavors of Liguria with this unique minestrone, where the addition of pesto adds a layer of complexity and freshness, elevating the soup to new heights of deliciousness.
HUNTER'S MINESTRONE
Steps:
- Combine the stock and halved garlic head in a big saucepan and simmer for about 15 minutes to give the stock a nice, garlicky taste; strain out the garlic. Keep warm.
- Bring a pot of salted water to boil for the rigatoni.
- Pour 1/4 cup olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the sage, rosemary and thyme and warm the oil over medium heat to infuse it with the flavor of the herbs, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the sausage with the side of a big spoon until well browned. Chop the carrots, celery, and onion in a food processor. Add to the saucepan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned.
- To the pan with the sausage stir in the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, cannelloni beans, and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Cook the rigatoni in the boiling water for 6 minutes; it should be slightly underdone. Drain and stir into the simmering soup. Add the parsley, and salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste. Discard the bay leaf and herb sprigs.
- To serve, preheat the broiler. Put the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the Parmigiano and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and float a couple of the baguette slices on top.
HUNTER'S MINESTRONE (ADAPTED TO BE A BIT MORE HEALTHY)
Tyler's ultimate recipe. I'm adding it mostly because I want the nutritional content as I've adapted it. It's really tasty and filling. Spinach or other greens would be good stirred in and I also add some crushed red pepper flakes for an added layer of flavor.
Provided by annmarie
Categories European
Time 1h
Yield 10 cups, 10 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Combine the stock and halved garlic head in a big saucepan and simmer for about 15 minutes to give the stock a nice, garlicky taste; strain out the garlic. Keep warm.
- Bring a pot of salted water to boil for the rigatoni.
- Pour 1 teaspoon olive oil and add Pam spray to a large saucepan. Add about eight sage leaves, rosemary and thyme and warm the oil over medium heat to infuse it with the flavor of the herbs, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sausage (taken out of the casing) and cook, breaking up the sausage with the side of a big spoon until well browned. Chop the carrots, celery, and onion in a food processor. Add to the saucepan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned.
- To the pan with the sausage stir in the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, cannelloni beans, and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Add the parsley, and salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste. Discard the bay leaf and herb sprigs.
- Cook the rigatoni (or whatever other small pasta you like) in the boiling water for 6 minutes; it should be slightly underdone. Drain.
- Add some rigatoni to the bottom of the bowl, pour soup over, and then top with a bit of cheese.
- I keep the pasta in a separate container in the fridge, so that it doesn't absorb all of the broth.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 379.9, Fat 8, SaturatedFat 2.6, Cholesterol 44.9, Sodium 755, Carbohydrate 54.9, Fiber 8.3, Sugar 6.1, Protein 23.8
HAMBURGER MINESTRONE SOUP (SOUTH BEACH DIET)
I came across this recipe for minestrone, adapted for the South Beach Diet, on the 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet boards a few years ago. It's become a family favorite since. It makes quite a lot of soup, but it reheats well. If making this for the South Beach Diet, watch out for added sugar in the tomatoes and beans-- a lot of canned beans and tomato products have sugar added to them. You can also substitute very lean ground turkey and chicken broth for the beef.
Provided by Halcyon Eve
Categories Beans
Time 50m
Yield 10-12 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Brown beef ovr medium heat in a 6-quart soup pot and drain (rinse in hot water, drain, and return to pot, if desired).
- Add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is tender.
- Add remaining ingredients (except cheese) and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Serve with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, if desired.
ALICE WATERS'S SEASONAL MINESTRONE
Alice Waters often recommends that cooks master a good minestrone. It's communal and seasonal, two pillars on which she has built her cooking career. This summer recipe came from the cookbook that is her top seller: "The Art of Simple Food." It uses the best of the season's green beans, tomatoes and squash. In the spring, fresh peas, asparagus and spinach would make a good vegetable trio, with some fennel standing in for the carrot in the sofrito. In the fall, cubes of butternut squash, a small can of tomatoes and a bunch of kale would star, with rosemary and a little chopped sage instead of thyme for seasoning. Winter might bring a soup built from turnips, potatoes and cabbage. If the turnips have greens, add them, too. Start with a large pot that has a heavy bottom. Always cook the vegetables through, about 10 minutes. They should look good enough to eat on their own. Add the beans about 10 minutes before serving. A cup or two of cooked pasta can be stirred in at the last minute. Don't overcook the pasta. The olive oil and cheese garnish should be added once the soup is in the bowls. Ms. Waters likes to pass those at the table, once everyone is served. Pesto makes a lovely garnish, too, and gives a garlicky, herbal punch to the soup.
Provided by Kim Severson
Categories dinner, for two, lunch, soups and stews
Time 2h45m
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Soak the beans overnight in a large pot, covered by several inches of water.
- The next day, simmer the beans 2 hours or until tender. Drain and set aside, reserving the cooking water.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook for about 10 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaf and salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes longer.
- Add 3 cups water and bring to a low boil. When boiling, add the leek and green beans. After 5 minutes, add the zucchini and tomatoes. After 15 minutes, add the spinach and beans and cook for 5 more minutes. If the soup is too thick, add water (reserved bean water is good).
- Remove the bay leaf and bare thyme sticks and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve in bowls, each garnished with grated Parmesan cheese or pesto.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 187, UnsaturatedFat 6 grams, Carbohydrate 25 grams, Fat 7 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 8 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 393 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams
VEGETABLE MINESTRONE
My husband and I created this recipe to replicate the minestrone soup at our favorite Italian restaurant. It's nice to have this ready to eat for our evening meal on days when we have a real busy schedule. To make the soup vegetarian, use vegetable broth instead of beef.-Alice Peacock, Grandview, Missouri
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Lunch
Time 6h45m
Yield 8 servings (2-1/2 quarts).
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- In a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the first 11 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until vegetables are tender. , Stir in the green beans, spinach and pasta. Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 181 calories, Fat 2g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 4mg cholesterol, Sodium 1027mg sodium, Carbohydrate 30g carbohydrate (6g sugars, Fiber 8g fiber), Protein 12g protein.
CLASSIC MINESTRONE
This beloved Italian soup isn't just hearty and healthy -- it's really flexible. Minestrone typically includes lots of leafy greens, other veggies, and beans. Which to choose? You're only limited by the contents of your refrigerator and pantry.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Soups, Stews & Stocks Soup Recipes
Time 1h
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- In a large pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, carrots, celery, red-pepper flakes, rosemary, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to turn golden, 5 to 8 minutes.
- Add tomatoes; cook until some of the liquid evaporates, 1 minute. Add potato, cabbage, cannellini beans, and 7 cups water; bring to a boil. Stir in green beans.
- Reduce to a simmer, and cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; stir in garlic, if using, and basil. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan and, if using, torn basil. Drizzle with more oil, if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 183 g, Fat 8 g, Fiber 6 g, Protein 8 g
MINESTRONE WITH FRESH HERBS
Our Minestrone has an array of vegetables, including tomatoes, carrots, eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, and cranberry beans; additional color comes from red and green pasta shells.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Soups, Stews & Stocks Soup Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- In a stockpot over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onion, shallot, garlic, pepper, oregano, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, celery, and carrots; saute, stirring frequently, until onions are soft and translucent, about 8 minutes.
- Add eggplant, red pepper, and zucchini; saute until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes more. Add chicken stock and canned tomatoes, and bring to a boil, stirring to break up the tomatoes. Reduce heat to low, and let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes. Add beans and pasta; cook until heated through, about 2 minutes more. Serve immediately, sprinkled with Parmesan if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 278 g, Cholesterol 1 g, Fat 3 g, Fiber 4 g, Protein 13 g, Sodium 874 g
Tips:
- To make the soup healthier, use lean ground turkey or chicken instead of beef. You can also use low-sodium canned beans and diced tomatoes to reduce the sodium content.
- Add more vegetables to the soup to make it even more nutritious. Some good options include carrots, celery, and spinach.
- If you want a thicker soup, puree some of the vegetables before adding them to the pot. You can also add a cornstarch slurry or a roux to thicken the soup.
- Serve the soup with a side of whole-wheat bread or a salad to make a complete meal.
Conclusion:
This Hunter's Minestrone soup is a hearty and flavorful soup that is perfect for a cold winter day. It is also a relatively healthy soup, as it is made with lean ground turkey, vegetables, and beans. With a few simple modifications, this soup can be made even healthier without sacrificing any of its flavor.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love