Minestrone primavera (spring minestrone)

bowl of minestrone primavera with part of second bowl, vegetables and parmesan block around it

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5 from 2 votes

Minestrone primavera (spring minestrone)

This spring take on the classic comes together quickly and is light, bright and tasty.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Appetizer/Starter, Lunch

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: - 3

Calories: 289kcal

Author: Caroline's Cooking

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Ingredients

¼ onion (¼ onion is around ¼ cup)
1 rib celery (small)
1 clove garlic small (optional)
1 zucchini courgette, small-medium
2 oz green beans
5 stems asparagus
7 ¾ oz cannellini beans (7 ¾oz is half a standard 15.5oz can)
2 tbsp olive oil
½ cup peas fresh or frozen, as you have
3 cups stock chicken or vegetable
5 basil leaves approx
a little parmesan or pecorino to serve

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Finley dice the onion and celery and chop the garlic relatively finely. Cut the zucchini/courgette into a small dice and trim the ends off the green beans and cut into lengths, around 1in/2.5cm. Cut the asparagus in short lengths, separating the tips to add slightly later. Drain and rinse the cannellini beans.
Warm the olive oil in a medium-large pot/pan over a medium heat and add the onion and celery. Cook around 3-5 minutes until they are softening then add the garlic and cook a minute more.
Add the zucchini, stir through and cook a minute then add the stock, cannellini beans, green beans and asparagus (apart from the tips). Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat. Cook around 5 minutes then add the asparagus tips and peas (add the peas a minute or two minutes earlier if they are fresh).
Cook for another 2 - 3 minutes until the vegetables are tender and cooked, but remain green. Roughly tear the basil, stir through, then adjust seasoning, if needed, with a little salt and pepper. Serve, topped with some grated parmesan or pecorino.

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Notes

If you like, you can also add a couple extra additions, as mentioned in post above, such as some small pasta like ditalini - you could try around 2oz/56g for one quantity of this recipe. If you add pasta, add once the stock comes to a simmer but don't add the vegetables at this point. Give the pasta around 3-4 minutes before you add them to ensure it cooks, but without cooking the vegetables too much. You can also stir some pesto in as you serve, or add some parsley as you add the peas.

Nutrition