Your basic amazing filling beany minestrone. It’s always a crowd-pleaser. Or simply a you pleaser! You can, of course, customize to what you have on hand. Wilt some kale in at the end, add some zucchini, use a different pasta or bean. That’s why it’s everyone’s minestrone, any day of the week.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced small
- 2 stalks celery, sliced thinly
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus a pinch
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup diced carrot (½-inch dice)
- ¾ pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut into ½-inch dice
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 6 cups vegetable broth, purchased or homemade
- 1 cup dried ditalini or macaroni pasta
- 2 cups green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1½ cups cooked navy beans or 1 (15-ounce) can, rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon agave nectar
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with basil
How to Make It
- Preheat a 4-quart soup pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion and celery in the oil with a pinch of salt until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds or so.
- Add the carrot, potatoes, thyme, rosemary, red pepper flakes, vegetable broth, and remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer, add the pasta and green beans, and cook until the pasta and vegetables are soft, about 10 more minutes.
- Add the agave and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. It tastes better the longer you let it sit, so give it 10 minutes or so before digging in, if you can. Taste for salt and seasoning, and serve.
