Ligurian Minestrone Soup with Pesto

Method7 steps · about 53 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Finely chop the onion (1). Peel and cut the squash and potatoes (450 g) into bite-sized cubes. Cut the zucchini (2) into bite-sized pieces, the trimmed green beans (180 g) into halves or thirds, and the cabbage into spoon-sized pieces. Drain the canned beans and have the vegetable stock ready.

   Uses 1 onion · 450 g butternut squash (about 1 small squash), peeled and cubed · 450 g potatoes (about 4 medium), cubed · 180 g green beans, trimmed · 2 zucchini · 250 g savoy cabbage · 300 g canned cannellini beans, drained

2. 2

   Step 2: Heat 1–2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, deep pot. Add the chopped onion and sauté for around 2–3 minutes, until soft.

   Soften onion · 3 minUses 1–2 tablespoons olive oil for sautéing the onion · Chopped onion

3. 3

   Step 3: Add the prepared zucchini, squash and potatoes to the softened onion. Pour in all 1.6 litres vegetable stock and add a good pinch of salt and the optional Parmesan rind (1). Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 25 minutes.

   Covered vegetable simmer · 25 minUses Softened onion · Prepared zucchini, squash and potatoes · 1.6 litres low-sodium vegetable stock · A good pinch of salt for the soup · 1 Parmesan rind, optional

4. 4

   Step 4: Uncover the soup and add the prepared green beans, cabbage, drained canned cannellini beans and pasta. Cover for 5 minutes to wilt the cabbage, then uncover and simmer for about another 5 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked. While the soup cooks, make the pesto in the next two steps.

   Wilt cabbage, covered · 5 minUses Simmered vegetable soup · Prepared green beans and cabbage · Drained canned cannellini beans · 150 g short dried pasta

5. 5

   Step 5: For the pesto, wash and dry the basil (50 g), peel the small garlic clove (1 small) and grate the Pecorino (40 g) if needed. Have an immersion blender, food processor or mortar and pestle ready.

   Uses 50 g fresh basil (2 tightly packed cups) · 1 small garlic clove · 40 g freshly grated Pecorino cheese

6. 6

   Step 6: Blend the prepared basil, garlic and Pecorino with the pine nuts (30 g), all 80 ml pesto olive oil and salt to taste into a smooth paste. You can use an immersion blender, food processor or mortar and pestle.

   Uses Prepared basil, garlic and Pecorino · 30 g pine nuts (2 tablespoons) · 80 ml olive oil for the pesto · Salt for pesto, to taste

7. 7

   Step 7: Once the pasta and vegetables are cooked, remove the optional Parmesan rind and taste the soup, adding salt if needed. Ladle into bowls and stir a heaped teaspoon of the prepared pesto into each bowl. Keep any remaining pesto separately rather than putting the entire batch in the soup.

   Uses Cooked minestrone soup · Additional soup salt, only if needed · 1 heaped teaspoon pesto per bowl; remaining pesto is kept separately