Minestrone varies from month to month but never goes out of season.
Is minestrone a soup?
You can personalize minestrone however you wish — finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, omit the beans, or enliven it with grains, spices, and fresh herbs. You can serve the soup with pasta, over a slice of toasted bread, and also, temperature-wise, hot or cold. Minestrone is especially satisfying if you're looking to eat light after the holiday season.
Our recipe for minestrone
As the ingredients depend on the season, minestrone recipes vary. Cabbage, squash, and broccoli make for a comforting winter version while green beans, tomato, and basil make for a refreshing summer minestrone. Always begin with a soffritto — sautéed celery, carrots, and onions — then add water and the other ingredients, such as leafy vegetables (i.e. spinach and chard), zucchini, potatoes, and a little tomato for color. You can also sauté bacon or pork rind and add it halfway through cooking.
Soak the beans for 10-12 hours beforehand, then cook them either directly in the soup or separately before adding them at the end. Cook the soup for 35-40 minutes until the vegetables have softened and released all their flavor. If you’re adding beans, cook for up to 2 hours. You can also add grains or pasta towards the end of cooking — just add a little water and bring it to a rolling boil. If using a pressure cooker, cut the cooking time in half.
Scroll through the above photo gallery for our solutions to the five most common minestrone cooking errors.