Warm Minestrone Soup Full of Vitamins

Warm yourself up with this flavorful vitamin-packed soup!

Vegetable soups are always a great choice, and when made with fresh and healthy ingredients, they become a true vitamin bomb. Create your own minestrone using carrots, tomatoes, leeks, green beans—or any vegetables you have on hand. With a bit of pasta, this soup transforms into the perfect main course. Fall in love with this delightful dish and keep colds and flu at bay!

Ingredients for Minestrone Soup:

• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 onion
• 2–3 carrots
• 1 piece of celery
• 1 small leek
• 2 potatoes
• 400 g canned white beans
• 100 g thinly sliced bacon
• 400 g finely chopped tomatoes
• Olive oil
• A handful of kale (thinly sliced)
• 1 liter vegetable stock
• 100 g pasta
• Parmesan for serving

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1. Dice the garlic, onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, and leek into small pieces (about 1 cm each). Drain the beans.
2. In a large pot, heat a little olive oil and fry the bacon for about 2 minutes. Add the diced onion, leek, garlic, carrots, and celery, and sauté while stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes until the vegetables soften.
3. Add the potatoes, beans, and tomatoes, and pour in the vegetable stock. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Check if the potatoes are cooked. If they are, add the sliced kale and pasta. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the pasta is done.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, topped with grated Parmesan.

Spring Minestrone with Asparagus

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 2 carrots
• 1 parsnip
• 3 spring onions
• 300 g asparagus
• ½ head of cauliflower
• 1 cup of beans
• 3 small fresh tomatoes
• 1.5 liters of water
• 1 cup of fresh peas
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• A pinch of nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon pesto (optional)
• A few fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

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Preparation:

1. Peel or scrape the carrots and parsnip, then slice them into 2 mm thick rounds. Chop the onions and asparagus, trimming the woody ends of the stalks. Divide the cauliflower into florets, and chop the green beans into small pieces. Peel, deseed, and chop the tomatoes.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté the carrots and parsnip, saving a few parsnip slices. Add the spring onions and the tougher parts of the asparagus. Stir-fry for a few minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
3. Add the cauliflower florets, green beans, and tomatoes. Pour in hot water, bring to a boil, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer the soup for 6 minutes.
4. Add the peas, parsnip slices, and asparagus tips, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
5. Toward the end, stir in a pinch of nutmeg and, if desired, a tablespoon of pesto. For a thicker soup, blend 2 ladles of soup and return it to the pot.
6. Serve hot, garnished with fresh chopped basil and grated Parmesan.