2000s Recipes + Menus

Quick Minestrone Soup

Serves4
  • Active time:10 min
  • Start to finish:30 min
October 2006
Here’s a hearty vegetable soup that doesn’t take as long to make as the classic but is much better than what you’ll find in a can.
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 small onion, coarsely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed in a garlic press
  • 4 oz pound prewashed and cut kale (6 cups)
  • 1 (1-lb) bag frozen mixed Italian vegetables such as zucchini, green beans, cauliflower, and broccoli
  • 1 (14 1/2-oz) can “petite” diced tomatoes in juice
  • 1 cup ditalini pasta or small elbow macaroni
  • 5 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (42 fl oz)
  • 2 cups water
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 (19-oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • Accompaniment:

    grated parmesan
  • Heat oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add kale and sauté, stirring, 1 minute. Add frozen vegetables, tomatoes with juice, pasta, broth, water, salt, and pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, transfer half of beans to a wide shallow bowl and coarsely mash with a fork or a potato masher, then stir mashed and whole beans into soup and simmer, stirring occasionally, until soup is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
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