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This soup requires a fair amount of prep, but it's worth it.
It's a veritable rainbow of vegetables!
Amanda gets ready to chop some kale. (WinnieAb is very good at adding that extra dose of something healthy to her recipes.)
Of course, we love that she starts this one with bacon!
In go leeks and chopped onion.
Along with a generous dose of garlic.
Now the carrots, zucchini, celery and potatoes join the party!
WinnieAb gives a choice of basil or parsley for the pesto -- we went with parsley.
Amanda picks the pine nuts out of the gorgeous pile of pesto ingredients in the previous slide when she realizes they need to be toasted.
Meanwhile, chicken stock, chickpeas and San Marzano tomatoes go into the pot to be simmered with the rest of the veggies and the bacon.
Toasted pine nuts!
This hand-chopped pesto ends up being beautifully rustic.
After the veggies have softened, the kale goes in, along with the tortellini.
Cook the soup just until the tortellini is tender, and then serve right away so it doesn't get soggy!
Author Notes: I love a good minestrone...so much veggie goodness, but so hearty, too. This recipe starts with just a little bit of all-natural bacon, but if you'd rather leave it out, go ahead and proceed with the rest of the recipe. You won't get the smoky flavor, but you'll still get a great soup (you could also substitute pancetta for the bacon, but obviously you won't do that if you are a vegetarian!). I didn't add any salt to the soup because the bacon and my homemade chicken stock did the trick, but please add it to taste, if necessary. As for the pesto, I went the hand-chopped route here because it's a small batch, I didn't want to drag out the food processor, and I wanted to use a minimal amount of olive oil. I made the pesto with parsley, which I love, but feel free to use basil instead. You can also use your own favorite homemade or store-bought pesto instead of this one, if you prefer. - WinnieAb —WinnieAb
Food52 Review: We love WinnieAb's proclivity for combining delicious, nutritious ingredients (like the many vegetables in this soup) with a touch of the indulgent (bacon, cheese tortellini). The smokiness of the bacon permeates the minestrone, imbuing the tomatoey broth with a depth of flavor it wouldn't have otherwise. The bright, rustic pesto (we used parsley, but basil would be great too) is a superb final addition, adding a garlicky, herbal kick. - A&M
—The Editors
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
Soup
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3
tablespoons olive oil
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2
slices preservative-free, all-natural bacon, chopped into small pieces
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1
large onion, peeled and chopped
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2
large cloves of garlic, minced
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1
leek, trimmed and sliced thinly
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3
carrots, peeled and chopped
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2
ribs of celery, chopped
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1
zucchini, chopped
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1
potato, peeled and chopped
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4
cups vegetable or chicken stock, preferably homemade
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1
15 oz. can of cooked chickpeas, preferably organic
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1
28 oz. can of peeled San Marzano tomatoes, with juice
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Salt
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1
cup kale, chopped fine
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1
9-ounce package of high quality, all-natural cheese tortellini
-
Aged balsamic vinegar, for drizzling- optional
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Grated parmesan cheese for garnish- optional
Parsley or Basil Pesto
-
1
cup loosely packed basil or parsley
-
2
tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
-
2
cloves garlic, peeled
-
2
tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
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1
tablespoon olive oil
Directions
Soup
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the bacon pieces and cook for a couple of minutes, until they start to brown.
- Add 2 more tablespoons of oil along with the chopped onion, garlic and leek. Continue to cook, strirring occasionally, over medium heat until softened.
- Add the chopped carrot, celery, zucchini, potato and stir around for a minute or two.
- Add the stock, the chickpeas, and then the tomatoes, crushing them with your hands as you go. Add a few generous pinches of salt (be judicious if your stock is salted already). Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender.
- Add the kale and the tortellini, and continue to cook over a simmer until both are tender and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Serve garnished with a spoonful of the pesto, a few drops of the aged balsamic, and a generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Parsley or Basil Pesto
- Chop, chop, and chop the basil or parsley some more by hand until it's very fine...when you do this, you'll reduce it down to about 1/4 cup.
- As you chop the basil, start to incorporate the other ingredients and chop them fine, too, until you have a lovely, finely chopped pesto.
- Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the olive oil. Use as a garnish for the minestrone.
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227 Reviews
One question, The sauce was very thick and that was ok. But was wondering if that was because I used the San Marzano crushed tomatoes instead if whole.
I am freezing the left overs except for one container. Having it again for tomorrow's dinner. Yummmm.