Minestrone alla Milanese {a recipe--with vegan variation}

We're expecting a high of 0 degrees Fahrenheit today.  It's cold outside, the kids are back in school, and I don't need to go anywhere, so I'm staying home and making soup.  Mmm, soup. 

This is one of our favorites--I love all the flavor, nutrients, and fiber the vegetables provide swimming in the distinctly Italian seasoned broth. If you want to make this soup, plan ahead--it takes about 3 hours, start to finish--don't worry, though, most of that is "simmer and stir occasionally" time.  Use a food processor to make quick work of chopping the veggies. 

Minestrone alla Milanese

(adapted from The Complete Step by Step Cooking Class Cookbook)

Thanks to Aunt Sue & Uncle Dave for giving me this cookbook 20 years ago!  Still using it :)

 

1/3 c. olive oil

3 T. butter or margarine

2 medium onions, chopped

3 medium carrots, coarsely chopped

1 large potato, cut into 3/4" cubes

3 ribs celery, coarsely chopped

1/4 lb green beans, trimmed, cut into 1" pieces (or use frozen)

2 medium zucchini, trimmed, cut into 1/2" cubes

(optional: 1/2 lb cabbage, shredded)

1 glove garlic, minced

1 (28 oz) can Italian plum tomatoes, undrained

(I used a quart of my home canned diced tomatoes)

4 c. beef broth (to make it vegan, use vegetable broth)

1 c. water

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. dry basil

1/4 t. dry rosemary leaves

1/4 t. ground pepper

1 bay leaf

1 can (16 oz) cannellini beans (or white kidney beans)

 

 

Hint: when you're chopping veggies, put the onions in one bowl, carrots and potatoes in another, celery and green beans in a third, and zucchini in a fourth.  That way you can just dump in the appropriate bowl when it's time to add something.  I do the same with my spices--measure them out ahead of time and put them in a little bowl so I can just dump them in at the correct time.

1. Heat oil and butter in 5-quart stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onions; cook and stir 6-8 minutes until onions are soft and golden, but not brown.  Stir in carrots and potato; cook and stir 5 minutes.  Stir in celery and green beans; cook and stir 5 minutes.  Stir in zucchini; cook and stir 3 minutes.  Stir in garlic (and optional cabbage); cook and stir 1 minute.
2. Drain tomatoes, reserving juice.  Add broth, water, and tomato juice to pot.  Chop tomatoes coarsely; add to stockpot.  Stir in salt, basil, rosemary, pepper, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
3. Rinse and drain cannellini beans; add beans to stockpot.  Uncover and cook over medium-low heat 30-40 minutes more until soup thickens, stirring occasionally.  Remove bay leaf.  Serve with mozzarella and/or parmesan cheese if desired.  Serves 8-10.

 

 

Serve this delicious soup with Money Saving Mom's 30 minute rolls for an easy and filling meal.

 

Enjoy!