
My Vegetarian Minestrone – The Big Soup
When the weather is gloomy, when it’s raining & cold outside and when you are too lazy to cook but want a big hearty meal, a bowl full of Minestrone is the best!
Like I said in my last post I have all sorts of vegetables stored in my refrigerator. One of the best way to use it up is to make soups. I make big vegetable soups at least 2 times a week. It’s my family’s favorite dinner option. My daughter loves picking out different vegetables, naming it and eating it!
Minestrone is a rustic Italian soup which literally means ‘the big soup’. There is no one authentic recipe for it. It normally has lots of vegetables, beans, pasta and meat. You can play around with what you have on hand with seasonal vegetables, beans or no beans, rice, pasta or bread as different possibilities.  I LOVE minestrone because it’s full of flavor, hearty, comforting and really easy to make. It’s another healthy, full of vegetables, one pot meal which comes to my rescue every time I wonder what to cook for dinner!
My version of minestrone today has pumpkin, carrots, potatoes, green bell pepper, tomatoes, onion, garlic and pasta. I used a couple of spoons of tomato soup for a deeper tomato flavor and a couple of dashes of Tabasco for some heat. I used some dried thyme for seasoning but any fresh or dry Italian herb will be good. I usually buy different fun shapes pastas for my daughter and I threw one of them to the soup but feel free to add anything you like. I didn’t really use any beans but if you have some kidney beans or cannellini beans canned/cooked I am sure it’ll taste great in this recipe.
This was my perfect healthy tasty dinner! What’s your favorite ‘rescue recipe’?

Lots of vegetables

pasta

rustic Italian soup

healthy, full of vegetables, one pot meal!

full of flavor, hearty and comforting
[typography font=”Cantarell” size=”24″ size_format=”px” color=”#b36f98″]Ingredients:[/typography]
- 1 big onion,
- 6-8 garlic pods,
- 1 cup tomato
- 1 cup pumpkin
- 1 cup potato
- 1 cup green bell pepper
- 1 cup carrots
- ½ to 1 cup pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp Tabasco sauce
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Salt
Clean and dice all the vegetables. Do not peel them and dice them roughly as this is a very rustic soup. Crush the garlic and chop the tomatoes.
Heat olive oil in a big pot. Add garlic and onion and fry till transparent. Add the tomatoes and cook till soft. Now add rest of the veggies and mix well. Add 6-7 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Add the seasonings; salt, thyme, tomato paste and tobacco sauce. Mix and taste and adjust the amount of spice and salt according to your taste. Now let it simmer till all the vegetables are soft. Toss the dry pasta in, turn of the heat and cover the pot with a lid. The pasta will cook slowly and absorb a lot of water so make sure there is extra water in there. It will cook and thicken the soup. Let is stand for 5-10 mins and serve when hot with a piece of fresh bread.

30 comments :
Marvin December 2, 2013 6:23PM
Your blog and your recipe has got my mouth watering i love minestrone on my way to pick up some ingredients thanks for the post
Raji December 11, 2011 3:38PM
Great recipe! In fact, my soup looked and tasted much better than what we’ve had in some of the restaurants! And, I am an amateur cook to boot. I added a little twist-omitted the tabasco and garnished it with some shavings of mozarella before serving. My 3-year old daughter polished off a whole bowl! Now I know how to get vegetables into her, thanks a ton! I am enthused to try all your recipes.
Chinmayie December 11, 2011 5:38PM
Thank you so much Raji 🙂 My almost 3 year old daughter can eat soups every day 🙂 Glad your daughter enjoyed it too…
Maureen July 8, 2011 3:54AM
I had no idea it meant big soup. It’s definitely soup time of year down under and I think this one needs to be on the menu this week. Looks delicious!
Charissa July 8, 2011 12:55AM
Love vegetarian! And this looks really great…a cozy, homecooked meal is a big yes!
Kathryn July 7, 2011 4:50PM
LOVE minestrone- it’s so hearty and delicious! Your version looks super tasty! What shape pasta is that?
Chinmayie July 7, 2011 5:04PM
Thanks Kathryn! I really don’t remember what that was called! I just pick random pasta shapes for my daughter as she loves different pasta shape every time 🙂
Danielle July 7, 2011 3:43PM
It looks spectacular! I really want to make this soup, it’s freezing in South Africa now!
Just one question: do you mean Tobasco sauce? I’m not sure what ‘tobacco’ sauce is, the only tobacco I know is the kind that you smoke!
Chinmayie July 7, 2011 5:02PM
Hey Danielle! Thanks 🙂
That was meant to be Tabasco sauce!! I am so sorry for the typo 🙁
Miriam July 7, 2011 3:40PM
lovely soup…really wholesome so to speak…n’ love that cute pasta…adds an interesting touch….:)
Kulsum at JourneyKitchen July 7, 2011 11:24AM
Love this healthy soup. I pictures are good too 🙂 The light is perfect!
Chinmayie July 7, 2011 1:19PM
Thank you Kulsum 🙂
Jay July 7, 2011 9:43AM
looks hearty n delicious..
first time here..love your space..
excellent recipe collection with nice presentation..
Am your happy email subscriber now..:)
do stop by mine sometime..
Tasty Appetite
Chinmayie July 7, 2011 1:20PM
Thanks for stopping by and subscribing Jay 🙂
eva @5fruitsNveggies July 7, 2011 12:26AM
will be making this next week…i don’t care if it’s summer or not!…i grew up on soup before every dinner, and now that i am vegan, it’s just a nice style alternative
Chinmayie July 7, 2011 1:24PM
Thanks Eva! I make only vegetarian soups and they are all mostly vegan as I am not much into butter and cream! Will post many more vegan soup recipes for sure 🙂
Nami @ Just One Cookbook July 6, 2011 9:49PM
I love YOUR version of minestrone! Lots of great nutritious veggies in it (Yum pumpkin!!)! Beautiful soup Chinmayie!
Chinmayie July 7, 2011 1:28PM
Thanks Nami 🙂
Cooking Gallery July 6, 2011 9:05PM
Oh, I love minestrone soup and I haven’t had this for a while. Time to make this soups again :)! Yours looks so seductively delicious :D)!!
Chinmayie July 7, 2011 1:28PM
Thanks 🙂
Wez July 6, 2011 7:40PM
Tobacco Sauce eh?
Elise July 6, 2011 6:56PM
Looks yummy, it was too hot earlier in the week for this, but today it has clouded over and been on and off raining. Good old British summer!
Like you my favourite rescue recipes are soup, or pasta covered in whatever is in my fridge!
Chinmayie July 7, 2011 1:32PM
Thanks Elise 🙂
Krithi July 6, 2011 6:15PM
Was searching for a recipe to start with making of minestrone soup.. This looks super hearty and tempting..
http://krithiskitchen.blogspot.com
Event: Serve It – Grilled/Barbequed/Tandoored
Chinmayie July 7, 2011 1:33PM
Thank you Krithi!
Jackie July 6, 2011 5:39PM
This looks yummy, but it’s 100 degrees where I am! In the fall, I will try this for sure =)
Chinmayie July 7, 2011 1:37PM
Thank you Jackie 🙂
Lindsay @ Pinch of Yum July 6, 2011 12:08PM
I love minestrone! I should make some this fall. Right now, though… we don’t have AC and I think I’d continuously be sweating if I made it. 🙂 But bookmarked for fall! 🙂
Chinmayie July 7, 2011 1:36PM
Thanks Lindsay!
Sanjeeta kk July 6, 2011 11:16AM
Lovely. its a filling and healthy meal in itself!