Summer minestrone is a light, refreshing soup that is perfect for a hot summer day. It is made with a variety of fresh vegetables, including tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, celery, and onions. The soup is also flavored with garlic, basil, oregano, and thyme. Some recipes also include pasta or rice. Summer minestrone is a delicious and healthy way to use up fresh summer vegetables. It can be served as a main course or as a side dish.
This article includes three different recipes for summer minestrone. The first recipe is a classic summer minestrone made with all of the traditional ingredients. The second recipe is a vegetarian summer minestrone that omits the chicken broth and Parmesan cheese. The third recipe is a quick and easy summer minestrone that uses frozen vegetables. All three recipes are delicious and easy to make.
SUMMER MINESTRONE WITH FRESH BASIL
You can finish this hearty summer soup with slivered fresh basil, or with pistou, the Provençal version of pesto (it's pesto without the pine nuts). A Parmesan rind, simmered in the soup and then removed, adds great depth of flavor without adding fat. On a hot summer day in Italy the soup might be served at room temperature, or just barely warm.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Time 1h20m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes, and add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Continue to cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 more minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for about a minute, and stir in the tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Stir in 2 quarts water, the turnip, zucchini, and the bouquet garni, and bring to a simmer. Add 2 teaspoons salt, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in the canned beans. Taste and adjust salt. Remove the bouquet garni.
- While the soup is simmering, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the green beans. Boil 5 minutes, until just tender but still bright green. Transfer to a bowl of ice water, allow to cool, and drain. Retain the cooking water in case you want to thin out the soup later.
- Add the pasta to the soup and simmer another 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked al dente. Stir the cooked green beans into the soup. Grind in some pepper and taste and adjust seasonings. It should be savory and rich-tasting.
- Stir in the basil or pistou, or place a spoonful of pistou in each bowl and stir in. Serve in wide soup bowls, with a sprinkling of Parmesan over the top.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 146, UnsaturatedFat 2 grams, Carbohydrate 26 grams, Fat 2 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 7 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 547 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams
SUMMER MINESTRONE AL PESTO
Some vegetable soups are complex and long-simmered. This light, brothy one brims with full-flavored summer vegetables for a minestrone that comes together in a half an hour or so. If you don't have a vegetable garden, look to the farmers' market for the freshest, sweetest produce. For a warm-weather lunch or supper, the simplicity of this soup is very appealing.
Provided by David Tanis
Categories dinner, lunch, weekday, soups and stews, main course
Time 30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Set a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat, and add olive oil. When oil is hot, add onion and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened and just beginning to color, 5 or 6 minutes.
- Add garlic, bay leaf, tomato paste and red pepper. Cook, stirring, for another minute, then add wine, if using, and tomatoes, and bring to a brisk simmer.
- Add 8 cups water and a good pinch of salt and let mixture return to a brisk simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, then taste for seasoning. The broth should be well seasoned before the vegetables go in.
- Make the pesto: As the broth simmers, pound the garlic and salt to a paste in a large mortar. Beginning with a few basil leaves at a time, pound basil to a paste, then add parsley leaves and a little salt. Continue to pound until all the basil and parsley have been pounded into a coarse green paste. (Alternatively, many people may wish to make the pesto in a food processor.)
- Transfer to a serving bowl and whisk in olive oil and Parmesan. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Set pesto aside covered with a thin layer of oil or with plastic film pressed against its surface to prevent oxidation.
- Add the zucchini, romano beans and pasta to the simmering broth and cook 7 to 8 minutes, until pasta is al dente. Add green beans and cook for a minute or 2.
- Ladle soup into bowls, topping each with a dollop of pesto. Pass more grated Parmesan at the table.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 789, UnsaturatedFat 44 grams, Carbohydrate 65 grams, Fat 54 grams, Fiber 10 grams, Protein 16 grams, SaturatedFat 9 grams, Sodium 1273 milligrams, Sugar 13 grams
SUMMER MINESTRONE SALAD
This versatile dish can be featured as a starter, a side or an entrée! It's delicious served warm or cold, making it the perfect summer recipe using the minestrone soup mix you have in your pantry.
Provided by Bear Creek
Categories Salad 100+ Pasta Salad Recipes Vegetarian Pasta Salad Recipes
Time 35m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Bring water to a boil. Stir in soup mix and simmer 11 minutes; remove from heat (vegetables and pasta will still be firm).
- Stir in corn, chickpeas, and vinegar. Let sit for 15 minutes.
- Stir in remaining ingredients.
- Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 202.5 calories, Carbohydrate 39.5 g, Fat 1.3 g, Fiber 6.4 g, Protein 7.6 g, SaturatedFat 0.1 g, Sodium 1194.6 mg, Sugar 5.6 g
ABRUZZO SUMMER MINESTRONE
This soup combines everything from your garden (or the produce aisle) in late summer--green beans, zucchini, squash, tomato, peppers and basil. While many minestrone recipes are vegetarian, some include slow-cooked pork or beef. We skip that step--and the time it adds--by using a flavorful jarred sauce that includes simmered sausage and peppers.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 30m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Melt the butter in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onions and carrots and cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the chicken broth, chard, pasta, green beans, oregano, pasta sauce, cannellini beans, squash, zucchini, 1 cup water, 2 teaspoons salt and several grinds of pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until the pasta is cooked and the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Divide among 6 bowls and top with the torn basil and Parmesan.
SUMMER MINESTRONE
Provided by Tyler Florence
Categories main-dish
Time 40m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 22
Steps:
- In a large, heavy pot add a 3-count of extra-virgin olive oil. Add garlic, onion, bay leaf, marjoram and basil. Saute gently until fragrant. Add the vegetables and cook a little of the moisture out, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Dump in the chicken stock and heavy cream bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 so the flavours can come together - do not let it boil hard. Remove half of the vegetables from the pot and puree and add back to the pot to thicken. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are just tender. Serve each bowl with a spoonful of basil and mint pesto on top, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and some freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with watercress or parsley.
- Put all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until just combined and the pesto still has a lot of texture.
LATE-SUMMER-VEGETABLE MINESTRONE
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Soups, Stews & Stocks Soup Recipes
Time 1h25m
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium. Add onions and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, celery, and chard stems; cook, stirring occasionally, until chard stems are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add green beans and tomatoes. Season with 2 teaspoons salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until beans and tomatoes start to soften, 5 minutes.
- Add zucchini, 5 cups water, Parmesan rind, and butter beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until all vegetables are softened, about 25 minutes, adding chard leaves in last 2 minutes of cooking. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, topped with grated Parmesan and basil, or freeze up to 3 months.
SUMMER MINESTRONE II
Make and share this Summer Minestrone II recipe from Food.com.
Provided by ratherbeswimmin
Categories Vegetable
Time 1h25m
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat.
- Add onion and red pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook until it gives off its aroma, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the zucchini, green beans, and cranberry beans.
- Add the stock, 2 cups water, tomato, and thyme, and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Decrease heat to low and partially cover the pot.
- Simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat.
- Add the rice and decrease heat to medium.
- Cook at a brisk simmer until the rice is tender, about 18 minutes.
- Drain the rice in a wire sieve and rinse under cold running water.
- When the vegetables are tender, stir the rice into the soup and cook for a few minutes to blend the flavors.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cool to room temperature; serve at room temperature, sprinkled with the basil.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 289.9, Fat 4.4, SaturatedFat 0.7, Sodium 9.7, Carbohydrate 49.4, Fiber 15.9, Sugar 3.2, Protein 15.2
Tips:
- Use Fresh Vegetables: Fresh vegetables add a vibrant flavor and texture to minestrone. Look for vegetables that are in season for the best flavor.
- Choose a Variety of Vegetables: The more vegetables you use, the more complex and flavorful your minestrone will be. Some good choices include carrots, celery, onions, garlic, zucchini, tomatoes, and green beans.
- Use a Good Quality Broth: The broth is the foundation of minestrone, so it's important to use a good quality broth. You can use vegetable broth, chicken broth, or beef broth, depending on your preference.
- Add Some Herbs and Spices: Herbs and spices can help to enhance the flavor of minestrone. Some good choices include basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and garlic powder.
- Don't Overcook the Vegetables: The vegetables should be cooked until they are tender but still have a little bit of bite. Overcooked vegetables will become mushy and lose their flavor.
- Serve Minestone with a Garnish: A garnish can help to add a pop of color and flavor to your minestrone. Some good choices include grated Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh basil, or a drizzle of olive oil.
Conclusion:
Summer minestrone is a delicious and healthy soup that is perfect for a summer meal. It is packed with fresh vegetables, herbs, and spices, and it is a great way to use up any leftover vegetables you have on hand. This soup is also very versatile, and you can easily adapt it to your own taste. So next time you're looking for a summer soup recipe, give summer minestrone a try!
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