Minestrone Soup Recipe – Hearty Italian Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• 4 Tomatoes blanched, skin removed and roughly chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic finely chopped
• 1 Onion finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Kashmiri Rajma soaked in water
• 1/4 cup Durum Wheat Penne Pasta
• 1 Carrot (Gajjar) finely chopped
• 1 Green zucchini finely chopped
• 200 grams Broccoli cut into small florets
• 1 stalk Celery finely chopped
• 1 Basil leaves a few, torn
• 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme Leaves
• 3 cups Vegetable stock or water
• 1 Bay leaf (tej patta) torn
• 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon Powder (Dalchini)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese for garnishing

Steps

1. To begin making the Minestrone Soup Recipe, prep all the ingredients and keep ready.
2. Cook the pasta in water along with some salt until it is al-dente. Drain the water and keep aside.
3. Cook the soaked rajma beans in a pressure cooker for about 40 minutes until completely cooked and keep aside.
4. Blanch the tomatoes by boiling it in hot hot water for a 10 minutes. Remove the skin and chop the tomatoes and keep aside.
5. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and garlic, and sauté until they become soft and translucent (about 3-4 minutes).
6. Add the diced carrots, celery, zucchini, broccoli, and sauté for another 5 minutes.
7. Stir in the cooked tomatoes, vegetable broth or water. Add the dried oregano, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil. Finally add the pasta and beans to the pot. Continue to simmer for another 10 minutes until the flavours come through.
8. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
9. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. For an extra touch of flavor, sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese on top (optional).
10. Serve the Minestrone Soup into bowls and sprinkle parmesan cheese over top. Garnish with basil, if desired and serve warm with Herb Mushroom Bruschetta Recipe and Pineapple Carpaccio Recipe (Spiced Pineapple Salad with Ginger & Mint) for a weekend dinner.