Minestrone Soup

This delicious summer minestrone is packed full of vegetables and you can add even more! Don’t forget the secret ingredient – a Parmesan rind. When I finish grating the Parmesan down to the rind, I pop it in a bag in the freezer so I’m ready when I make soup. You can add it to pretty much any soup throughout the year. The Parmesan adds a delicious salty, cheesy flavor that makes your soup stand out. Because of all the ingredients, this minestrone is a definitely a meal all on its own, but you could serve with some crusty bread to sop up the broth. 

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I like to make this summer minestrone with fresh produce right from my garden, but it is just as delicious in winter using stored veggies. You can substitute canned tomatoes for fresh, and grab frozen green beans and corn from your freezer. Dried herbs work just as well as fresh. Enjoy this wonderful soup year round!

Minestrone Soup

A veggie-packed soup with creamy cannelini beans and a surprise ingredient.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Soup

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 2 tablespoons Extra virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Onion chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic minced
• 1/2 pound Carrot diced
• 1 pound Slicing Tomato cored and diced (or 1 can diced tomatoes)
• 6 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
• 1 Parmesan Rind
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 2 sprigs Thyme or 1 tsp dried
• 2 sprigs Rosemary or 1 tsp dried
• 1/2 pound Green Beans Snipped, cut into inch lengths
• 1 can Cannelini Bean drained
• 2 ears corn kernels removed (or use frozen)

Instructions

 

• Chop the carrot, onion, and garlic.
• Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat until it shimmers. Add in the onion, garlic and carrot and cook until the veggies until very soft and lightly browned, about 7-10 minutes.
• While the veggies are cooking, dice the tomato, cut the corn from the cobs, and snip the green beans into 1 inch pieces. If you plan to add any other vegetables, now is the time to cut them up. If you are using canned or frozen veggies, get them ready to add.
• Increase heat to high, stir in stock, tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary and parmesan rind. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a light simmer, stir in the green beans and cannelini beans and cook until soft and tender, about 10 minutes longer. Add corn to soup, simmer just another minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Notes

You can add any and all vegetables on hand, including zucchini, kale, eggplant, peppers, etc. In the fall, winter, or spring substitute canned tomatoes along with frozen green beans and corn plus dried herbs. 

The Parmesan rind is the secret ingredient in this recipe. Store them in an airtight bag in the freezer, then pop them into this soup or any other soup you are making to add a salty, cheesiness. Delicious!

Keyword corn, summer, tomatoes