Green Minestrone
A vibrant and healthy Italian soup featuring spring vegetables like leeks, fennel, and peas, finished with a fresh parsley pesto and shaved Parmesan. This hearty minestrone combines tender vegetables with tiny pasta in a light broth.
Ingredients
- •6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- •1 whole leek, white and pale-green parts only, chopped
- •½ whole small fennel bulb, finely chopped
- •½ whole small yellow onion, finely chopped
- •2 stalks celery stalks, thinly sliced
- •4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- •2 whole small carrots, peeled, thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandoline
- •1 cup fresh shelled peas or fava beans (from about 1 pound pods) or frozen
- •to taste Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
- •½ cup fregola, ditalini, or other tiny pasta
- •1½ cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- •½ whole shallot, finely chopped
- •2 whole red pearl onions or 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
- •to taste Shaved Parmesan
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Cook leek, fennel, yellow onion, and celery, stirring occasionally, until softened but not taking on any color, about 5 minutes. Add broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are just tender, 10-15 minutes.
20 min
- 2.
Add carrots and peas and simmer until carrots are just tender, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
5 min
- 3.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain and add pasta to soup.
10 min
- 4.
While pasta is cooking, process parsley and remaining 4 tablespoons oil in a food processor to a coarse paste, transfer to a small bowl, and mix in shallot. Season pesto with salt and pepper. Serve soup topped with pesto, pearl onions, and Parmesan.
5 min