Minestrone Soup
Autumn is in full swing in my part of the world. Leaves have already shown their brilliant colors and are now disappearing from the giant oak and maple trees. We’re experiencing blustery days with temperatures in the 40s and 50s. The smell of wood burning fires fill the air. There’s not a more perfect time to get in the kitchen, pull out that large soup pot or slow cooker and fill it with a soul satisfying soup.
Of course a great Italian soup is only made better by enjoying it with a crusty slice of bread (for dunking and soaking up all the last bits of goodness.) There’s nothing easier and quicker than a no-knead artisan bread. A good friend, with great taste, shared this simple bread recipe with me several months ago. Since that time I’ve not purchased store bought bread again. Click on this link for the bread recipe.
Now on to the soup! The recipe I’ve come up with makes a huge amount. Probably would feed 10-12 people easily. I froze the leftovers in small batches for future cold- night meals. This soup freezes really well…but of course you can cut all the ingredients in half and still feed your family quite well.
Finally, you can make this in a large stock pot on top of the stove or you can start it on the stove and transfer it to a slow cooker placed on low or warm. I like the option of starting it on the stovetop and then transferring it to my slow cooker. This way I can make the soup in the morning and have it ready to feed guests later in the day. Either way it will fill your home with mouthwatering aromas. Just wait until you taste it. Soul satisfying indeed.
Minestrone Soup
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds ground Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1.5 cups carrots, diced
- 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 2-3 tablespoons basil pesto
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1.5 quarts chicken stock
- 1 quart beef stock
- 3/4 pound fresh kale, finely chopped
- 2 18 oz cans crushed tomatoes preferably San Marzano variety
- 2 15 oz cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups zucchini, diced
- 1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano
Instructions
- In a very large stock pot on medium heat, add olive oil.
- Add ground Italian Sausage, break up into small pieces with wooden spoon and cook until no pink remains.
- Remove sausage from stock pot with slotted spoon. Leave sausage fat in pot.
- Add onions and carrots to stockpot and saute over medium heat until onion is translucent (8-10 minutes)
- Add minced garlic, salt, pepper, pesto and oregano to pot. Stir to release flavors of the spices and herbs.
- Add chicken stock, beef stock, kale, crushed tomatoes, garbanzo, cannellini and kidney beans. Stir gently to combine.
- Bring up to a boil. Then turn down immediately to a low simmer.
- You can carefully transfer the soup to a slow cooker with lid and leave it on low/warm up to 4 or 5 hours. Or you can leave it in the stockpot on top of the stove and simmer with lid off or ajar for 2 hours.
- Remove lid after 2 hours, taste to see if it needs additional seasonings. If so adjust to your liking.
- Add chopped zucchini and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Simmer another 30 minutes.
- Top finished bowls of soup with additional freshly grated parmesan, a drizzle of EVOO and a big slice of crusty bread.
