Authentic Italian Minestrone Soup Recipes

Homemade pasta soups are always welcoming, either served as a starter or to eat with well-cooked bread as a light meal; as a simple appetizer or as a main meal. Here you will find delicious and easy to make authentic Italian minestrone soup recipes with your favorite pasta for all tastes and all times of the year.

The most popular Italian soups, like the Minestrone or the pasta a Fagioli. Light soup recipes for those occasions when you need something more substantial than a simple appetizer.
Recipes for the seafood or meat lovers, such as Tuscan meat soup or Portuguese seafood soup
Appetizers and starters like a special Macaroni and cheese or the spicy pasta soup.
All of them with something in common which is a full hand of pasta to make them more delicious.

HOW TO MAKE MINESTRONE SOUP

Minestrone is a very famous pasta soup originally from Milan, Italy. It is one of the soups with more variations in various regions of Italy and around the world.

Minestrone
Servings: 6-8
Preparation time:30 minutes plus overnight soaking.
Total cooking time:3 hours

Ingredients:

250g (8oz) of dried Borlotti beans, soaked in water overnight.
2 Onions, chopped
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
2 Cloves of garlic, crushed
3 Bacon rashers, chopped
1 Swede, diced
1 Carrot, chopped
4 Tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 Potatoes, diced
6 tablespoons of chopped, fresh parsley, basil, and thyme.
9 cups (2.25 liters) of beef or vegetable stock
1/4 cup (60ml 1/2 fl oz) red wine
3 tablespoons of tomato paste (tomato puree, double concentrate)
2 zucchini (Courgettes), sliced
1/2 cup of (80g 2-3/4oz) peas
1/2 cup of (80g 2-3/4oz) small macaroni
Salt and pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan and pesto, for serving
For this Minestrone recipe, it is suggested to use small macaroni but can be substituted with any small shapes or tubular pasta.

Directions:

Drain and rinse the Borlotti beans, cover with cold water in a pan. Bring to the boil, stir, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes then Drain.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large heavy-based pan and cook the onion, garlic, and bacon, stir for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft and the bacon golden.

Add the tomato, parsley, basil and thyme, Borlotti beans, stock and red wine. Simmer covered, over low heat for 2 hours. Add the carrot, Swede, potato and tomato paste, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the zucchini, peas, and macaroni. Cover and Simmer for 10- 15 minutes or until the vegetables and macaroni are tender.

Season to taste. Serve topped with Parmesan and a little pesto.

Fresh herbs can be used to garnish.