Revitalizing Minestrone Soup

By. Liliana Kotval

You are probably familiar with the Italian minestrone soup, but did you know of its history and health benefits? Dating back to Roman times, minestrone soup was a so-called "left-over" soup of vegetables, beans, and grains. Italians know it as "cucina povera" or "poor man's soup", and the word "minestrone" comes from the Latin word "minestrate", which means to serve or divide, as this soup was divided amongst the poor.

Eventually, in the middle ages, minestrone soup evolved into the tomato-based soup we know today (Remember, tomatoes are not native to Europe, but rather to the Americas, and were not introduced to European cuisine until the Colombian exchange. I know, this sounds surprising, as Italian cuisine uses so many tomatoes.)

This soup is packed with many vegetables: zucchini, beans, potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, tomato, and garlic. It promotes digestive and heart health from all of the fiber and nutrient-dense ingredients. Not to mention, it is low calorie. Did you know it is also eaten in the "blue zones" of Italy, where people live particularly long?

This recipe is very easy to make and includes ingredients that most of us already have at home.

It is also a very customizable soup: it can be topped with olive oil and parmesan cheese, served with a side of crispy bread... whatever you feel like!

Ingredients:

• 1 yellow onion

• 2 large carrots

• 2 ribs of celery

• 1/4 cup of tomato paste

• 1 zucchini

• 3 cloves of garlic

• 1 can of kidney beans

• 1 can of tomato puree

• 3 yellow potatoes

• 4 cups of vegetable broth/ 2 vegetable bullion cubes in 4 cups of hot water

• 2 cups of cooked small pasta

• 2 cups of water

• seasonings: dried oregano and thyme

• a handful of chopped, fresh parsley

• grated parmesan cheese

Procedure:

1. Heat up 3 tbsp. of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add in the chopped onion, carrot, celery, and tomato paste. Let the vegetables become soft.

2. Add in the diced zucchini and potatoes and the minced garlic. Add in the oregano and thyme. Cook for a few minutes.

3. Pour in the can of tomatoes, the broth, and the water. Salt and pepper to taste.

4. Let simmer until the vegetables are soft. Meanwhile, in another pot, boil the pasta and strain when cooked.

5. Add the strained and washed beans to the soup pot. Here, you can also add in spinach if you'd like.

6. Remove the pot from the heat, add in the cooked pasta and the fresh parsley.

7. Serve and garnish with a splash of olive oil, parmesan cheese, and a slice of crunchy bread.

Buon appetito!