Nothing says wintertime to me, more than a steaming bowl of Minestrone soup. Growing up my mom would put in tons of soup bones. My sister and I would fight over the bones and I would schmear the marrow onto thick slices of white bread.
This version is a meat-free one, but you are welcome to add soup bones or meat to it if you want a hearty meal. This soup freezes well. So I usually make a huge pot and store individual servings and defrost as needed.
I am not a fan of beans; in fact, it is probably the only ingredient I don’t cook with. But I know many people love them. A traditional Italian minestrone has cannellini beans so I have added them as an option.
I am certain this soup is going to be your wintertime favorite for years to come.
xxxx Chef MM
PrintChunky Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 onions
- 4 large carrots
- 4 stalks of celery
- 2 zucchinis
- 2 yellow squash
- 1 eggplant
- ½ butternut
- 7 oz/200g bag green beans
- ¼ cabbage shredded (about 2 cups)
- 14 oz /400g tin cannellini beans (optional)
- 28 oz /800 g tin diced tomatoes
- 6 TBS chicken or vegetable stock powder (consommé)
- 12 cups of water
- Coarse Salt & Black Pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese to serve
Instructions
Coarsely chop the onions carrots, celery, yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, and butternut. Cut the green beans into 1-inch pieces and shred the cabbage.
Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a large soup pot. Add the onions carrots, celery, butternut, yellow squash, eggplant & zucchini, and cook until golden brown (about 10 minutes).
Add the green beans and cabbage, tinned tomatoes, water, and stock powder. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1 ½ to 2 hours until soup is thick.
During the last 15 minutes stir in the drained and rinsed cannellini beans. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. You can puree half the veggies if you want a thicker less chunky soup.
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with grated Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.
SERVES 10
Notes
Always cool soup with stock without the lid. If it is a large pot let soup cool in 2 batches otherwise it can go sour. This soup can be made a few days ahead and refrigerated. Soup freezes well.
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