The Checklist to Build Your Own Favorite Soup | Minestrone

Winter is upon us, when the outside temperature drops and stays low, our craving turns to a warm and hearty bowl of soup. What can be more sustaining and nutritious than, say, a bowl of chowder or minestrone? More than that, soup is among the easiest and forgiving dishes you can whip up in your own kitchen. Given time and attention, nothing comes close (certainly not canned or store-bought soup) to the homemade version.

Since the beginning of 2022, we’ve started working on mindful eating and baking. Let’s expand mindfulness to soup making as well. To that end, we’re also doing away with a recipe. Rather, we’re turning the focus to a rough guideline, while customizing what’s on hand in the pantry to make our favorite soup. Don’t get me wrong: there is nothing wrong with following recipes. It’s a helpful aid. However, the spotlight is on “us” and the way we cook. Be mindful in utilizing seasonal, local, plant-based ingredients, and for adding nutrient-dense food in our diets. And for that matter, do so in a joyful and sustainable manner. Then repeat!

What soup to make: creamy, brothy, or chunky soup?

There are soups for every season, with different texture, and appealing aroma catered to your specific appetite. Here are a few examples to choose from in each of the categories:

• Creamy soup: fish and corn chowder, celery root soup, potato leek chowder, roasted butternut squash soup, spicy parsnip soup, Jerusalem artichoke soup
• Brothy soup: basic miso soup, soba noodle with ginger broth, gingered-turkey and meatball soup
• Chunky soup: spinach lasagna soup, Tuscan white bean soup, bean and tortilla soup, vegetable soup with pesto puree

Start by sweating the aromatics

Onion, carrot and celery are the trio of aromatics which are essential to building flavor for any dish — soup is no exception. Based on Ellie Krieger’s family favorite minestrone recipe for our discussions, she uses onion, carrot, celery and red peppers for the aromatics. Heat the pan, add olive oil and sweat the aromatics for 6 to 8 minutes over medium heat until the ingredients soften.

Generally speaking, most dishes and soups around the world start with an aromatic flavor base. In the French culinary parlance, it’s the mirepoix. Diced onion, carrot and celery are cooked in butter or olive oil until they are soft without browning. In Italy, they call it soffritto. In this case, onion, carrot and celery are minced and cooked in plenty of olive oil until soft and brown. Similarly, in Asia, aromatics most widely used are ginger, garlic and green onion.

Whatever soup you ends up with, you’ll have your bases covered if your pantry are stocked with the elemental aromatics of onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Make it simple for mindful soup-making: start with stocking the pantry with aromatics.

Build the body of the soup with stock and broth

You may use store-bought vegetable or chicken stock or bone broth. By the way, also check the back of your pantry. Coconut milk, miso, bouillon and even water can substitute for stock. No one would mind.

On the other hand, if you organize your kitchen so that you have vegetable and bone scraps as ingredients to make stock — good for you. Speaking from experience, I’ve found it rewarding in making my own stock from discarded stuff I’ve accumulated in the freezer. By all means, make it a habit to make your own stock. Here is a primer on how to make chicken stock. It’s easier than you think.

Add the main and defining ingredients

The main ingredient clearly determines the nature and character of the soup. For minestrone, in this case, tomatoes and pasta are the defining elements. Let’s not forget the nourishment our bodies need. I opt for cooked chickpeas from dry beans when I make the minestrone.

To top it off, add the garnish

Garnish is optional. However, they are the icing on the cake which is pleasing to the eye and provides extra flavor and texture. Think Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and fresh basil. They are the perfect companions to top off the tomato-based minestrone soup.

Print Recipe

Family Favorite Minestrone by Ellie Krieger

Serves: 6

This Italian-style soup, chock-full of vegetables, beans and pasta in a tomato-y broth, has crowd-pleasing appeal. It is easy to whip up and makes for a convenient, filling, flavorful meal that is packed with nutrition.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced (1/2 cup)
• 1 large carrot, scrubbed well, then diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 medium zucchini (about 8 ounces), diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 28 ounces canned, no-salt-added crushed tomatoes
• 48 ounces (6 cups) no-salt-added vegetable broth or chicken broth
• 15 ounces canned, no-salt-added small red beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup dried, whole-grain elbow pasta
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for garnish

Instructions

1

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion, celery, carrot and bell pepper; cook for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften.

2

Add the zucchini, garlic, oregano, basil, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and broth; bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Partially cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, then add the beans and pasta.

3

Uncover; increase the heat to medium-high just long enough to return the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, until the pasta and vegetables are tender.

4

Divide among individual bowls; garnish each portion with the cheese.

5

Make Ahead: The soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Notes

https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/family-favorite-minestrone/14465/