Mi's Minestrone

“Minestrone (Italian: minestra (soup) + -one (augmentative suffix) hence "the big soup", the one with many ingredients) is the name for a variety of thick Italian soups made with vegetables, often with the addition of pasta or rice. Common ingredients include beans, onions, celery, carrots, stock, and tomatoes.

There is no set recipe for minestrone, since it is usually made out of whatever vegetables are in season. It can be vegetarian, contain meat, or contain a meat-based broth (such as chicken stock).” (Wikipedia)

As we can see, minestrone is a perfect recipe to use up the abundance of CSA’s fresh vegetables. Today I am using onions, carrots, celery, cabbage, tomatoes, zucchini, green beans and parsley from the CSA box. I am also using some kale that I didn’t use from last week. Minestrone can be gluten free and vegetarian, but today I am adding a leftover kielbasa.

Mi’s Minestrone (basic vegetarian recipe)

8 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 small carrots, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

½ cabbage head, coarsely chopped

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

4 cups of vegetable broth

4 cups boiling water

1 can cooked white beans, drained

3 small zucchini, cubed

¼ cup chopped parsley

Kosher sea salt, black pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions

Heat the oil in a big stockpot; add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 min. Add cabbage and cook another 5 min until soft.

Add oregano, basil, thyme, tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir.

Add the broth and water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 40 min. Add beans and zucchini and simmer for 15 more minutes. Remove from heat and add the parsley. Serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese and bread if desired.