Minestrone

March 24, 2025 • 0 comments

Minestrone is a hearty Italian vegetable soup that typically includes a variety of seasonal vegetables, beans, pasta, or rice, and a tomato-based broth. It’s a flexible dish, often made with whatever ingredients are available, making it a staple of rustic Italian cuisine. Common vegetables in minestrone include onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes, zucchini, potatoes, and leafy greens like spinach or kale. Beans such as cannellini, kidney, or borlotti are also frequently added for protein and texture. The soup is often served with grated Parmesan cheese and crusty bread. Because it’s so adaptable, there’s no single “authentic” recipe for minestrone—each region and even each household in Italy has its own variation. Here is the recipe I started with. I kept the beans and pasta on the side for people to add if they desired. The recipe with the meat, veggies and broth is Whole 30, Paleo and with low-carb veggies KETO.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8

Ingredients

(3 Tablespoons) Lard
(2 lbs) Hot Italian Sausage-Pork (bulk)
(1 cup) Celery (chopped to bite-sized)
(1 cup) Carrots (Cut to bite-sized)
(1 Med-Large) Large Onion (Chopped)
(1/2 pound) Fresh Green Beans (cut into 1/2-1 inch)
(To taste) Salt
(To taste) Black Pepper
(1 Tablespoons) Italian Seasoning
(1/2 teaspoon) Ground Fennel
(1/2 teaspoon) Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
(2 Tablespoons) Garlic (minced)
(2x 14.5oz cans) Canned Diced Tomatoes
(1x 14.5oz can) Dark Kidney Beans or beans of your choice (Optional)
(2 Quarts) Bone Broth (homemade is possible)
(1) Medium Zucchini (cut into bite sized)
(8oz) Pasta of your choice (optional)
(Large Handful) Baby Spinach
(1 bunch) Fresh Parsley (minced)
(To taste) Fresh Grated Parmesan (optional)

Directions

Here's What You Do

Heat lard in a pot. Add in your carrots, celery, green beans, and onion. Salt the veggies. Sweat them on medium-high heat until they start to tender up a little. 5-6 minutes ish.
Add in your crushed red pepper, ground fennel seed, and garlic. Cook for about a minute or 2.
Add in your canned tomatoes with the juice from the can. Drain and rinse your dark kidney beans then add them to the pot. Lastly, add your broth, add salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil.
While your pot is coming to a boil, brown the sausage or ground meat in a separate skillet. Make sure you crumble it as it cooks.
Once the pot is at a boil, check to make sure your veggies are soft enough. Especially the carrots and green beans. If soft, add in your pasta. Bring down to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally.
After 8 minutes, add your zucchini, spinach, and meat to the pot. Cook for 2 more minutes.
Serve yourself up a bowl and top with grated Parmesan and parsley! Enjoy!

by Aila Holley