Spring Vegetable Minestrone Pesto (Print version)

A vibrant soup of spring vegetables simmered with herbs and finished with a fragrant basil pesto swirl.

# What you need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and chopped
08 - 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
09 - 1 cup baby spinach leaves
10 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
11 - 5 cups vegetable broth

→ Beans & Pasta

12 - 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
13 - 3/4 cup small pasta (ditalini or small shells)

→ Seasonings

14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Pesto Swirl

17 - 1/3 cup basil pesto (homemade or store-bought)
18 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional, omit for vegan)

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
02 - Stir in carrots and celery; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Add zucchini and green beans; cook another 3 minutes until vegetables are lightly tender.
04 - Pour in diced tomatoes with juices and vegetable broth. Stir in oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
05 - Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
06 - Add cannellini beans and pasta. Simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente.
07 - Stir in peas and spinach; cook 2–3 minutes until spinach is wilted and peas are tender.
08 - Ladle hot soup into bowls. Swirl 1–2 teaspoons pesto into each serving and sprinkle with Parmesan if desired.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The pesto swirl transforms a humble soup into something that tastes like it came from a tiny Italian kitchen tucked somewhere in Tuscany
  • It uses up all those spring vegetables that look too beautiful to pass up but you are not sure what to do with yet
  • This is the kind of soup that tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for lazy lunches
02 -
  • The pesto should be added at the very end because cooking it makes it lose its bright fresh taste and turns an odd color
  • The pasta will continue soaking up broth if left sitting, so the soup thickens considerably overnight in the refrigerator
03 -
  • Cut all your vegetables to roughly the same size so no one bite is overwhelmingly one thing
  • Do not be afraid to adjust the consistency with more broth if you prefer it thinner

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