Tuscan Winter Minestrone

🕒 Prep: 15 min
🔥 Cook: 45 min
🍽 Serves: 6
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Tuscan Winter Minestrone is your cozy, go-to soup for those cold days when you need a comforting bowl of warmth. Packed with hearty vegetables and beans, this dish is as nourishing as it is delicious, bringing a taste of Italy right to your kitchen.

Ingredients for Tuscan Winter Minestrone

The backbone of our soup is the humble olive oil, which adds a rich, fruity base to sauté your veggies. Next, we have yellow onion and garlic that provide a savory depth to kick things off. Our veggie medley includes carrots, celery, and turnip for a sweet, earthy balance. Adding a subtle anise flavor, fennel complements the sweetness. Potato thickens the soup, and green beans add a fresh crunch. Diced tomatoes bring acidity and brightness, while vegetable broth forms the flavorful base. Cannellini beans are creamy and filling, and the aromatics — bay leaf, thyme, and oregano — enhance the Tuscan vibe. Finally, kale adds a nutritious, leafy green touch, and parsley finishes it off with fresh, herbal notes.

Tips & Tricks

  • If you like a thicker soup, mash some of the beans before adding them.
  • Use a Parmesan rind during simmering for added depth of flavor — just remove it before serving.
  • Cut your vegetables as uniformly as possible to ensure even cooking.

Serving Suggestions

This Tuscan Winter Minestrone pairs beautifully with a slice of crusty bread or a simple focaccia. For a touch of indulgence, grate some Parmesan cheese on top before serving. A light, crisp white wine like Pinot Grigio would complement this dish well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze this soup?
Yes, it freezes well. Just make sure to cool it completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers.
What can I use instead of cannellini beans?
Great Northern beans or chickpeas are good substitutes.
Is there a gluten-free option?
This recipe is naturally gluten-free. Just double-check your vegetable broth to ensure it's certified gluten-free.

Tuscan Winter Minestrone Recipe Walkthrough

Start by heating your olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Toss in the chopped onion and garlic, and let them cook until the onion turns translucent. This should take about 5 minutes, so be patient and let those flavors build.

Once those aromatics are softened, it's time to add your carrots, celery, turnip, fennel, and potato. Give everything a good stir and let it cook for another 5 minutes. This step is crucial for layering flavors.

Now, add your green beans, diced tomatoes with their juices, vegetable broth, cannellini beans, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the soup to a gentle boil.

Reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for about 30 minutes. You want those vegetables to be tender and the flavors to meld beautifully together. Stir occasionally and enjoy the aroma filling your kitchen.

Finally, add the chopped kale and let it cook for another 5 minutes. This will soften the kale but keep it vibrant and nutritious. Don’t forget to fish out the bay leaf before serving.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • Loaded with seasonal vegetables, it's like a warm hug in a bowl.
  • Simple to make, yet full of complex flavors.
  • Perfect for meal prep — tastes even better the next day!
  • It's a one-pot wonder, minimizing clean-up.
  • Vegan-friendly and easily adaptable to your dietary needs.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 medium turnip, peeled and diced
1 small fennel bulb, sliced
1 medium potato, diced
1 cup green beans, trimmed and halved
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth
1 (14 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups chopped kale
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Step-by-step Instructions

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, and sauté until the onion is translucent.
2. Stir in the diced carrots, celery, turnip, fennel, and potato. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the green beans, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, cannellini beans, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
4. Lower the heat and let the soup simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
5. Stir in the chopped kale and cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Remove the bay leaf before serving and garnish with fresh parsley.

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