Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics and Base
- 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 140 g leek, cleaned, white and pale green parts sliced into half-moons
- 130 g fennel bulb, trimmed and diced 6mm
- 120 g carrot, peeled and diced 6mm
- 4 garlic, peeled and finely minced
- 8 g fine sea salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Broth and Starches
- 1500 ml vegetable stock
- 1 parmigiano-reggiano rind, scraped clean
- 120 g ditalini pasta
- 250 g cooked cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Spring Vegetables
- 200 g zucchini, trimmed and quartered lengthwise, then cut into 6mm slices
- 180 g asparagus, woody ends removed and cut into 2cm bias cuts
- 150 g fresh english peas, shelled
- 100 g baby spinach, washed, stemmed, and lightly packed
Fresh Basil Pesto Finish
- 50 g fresh basil leaves, washed, thoroughly dried, and gently packed
- 30 g pine nuts, lightly toasted and cooled
- 1 garlic, peeled
- 40 g parmigiano-reggiano cheese, finely grated
- 75 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 g fine sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 413 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbohydrates
- 41 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Vitamin A
- 269 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 38 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Trim the leeks, fennel, carrots, zucchini, and asparagus using a chef knife on a cutting board, cutting all vegetables into uniform bite-sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
In a food processor, combine the fresh basil leaves, toasted pine nuts, garlic clove, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, 2g salt, and 75ml extra-virgin olive oil, then process in short bursts until an emulsified, cohesive sauce forms.
Set the large dutch oven over medium heat and warm 30ml of extra-virgin olive oil to 160 C (320 F).
Add the prepared leeks, diced fennel, and carrots along with 4g of fine sea salt, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon for 6 minutes until the vegetables soften and become translucent without browning.
Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
Pour the vegetable stock into the pot, add the Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, and bring the liquid to a rolling boil at 100 C (212 F).
Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer at 90 C (194 F), then stir in the ditalini pasta and drained cannellini beans, cooking for 6 minutes.
Add the sliced zucchini and cut asparagus to the pot, continuing to simmer for 3 minutes until tender-crisp.
Add the shelled green peas and fresh baby spinach to the pot, gently stirring for 1 minute until the spinach wilts and the peas are heated through.
Remove the pot from the heat source, retrieve and discard the Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, and season the broth with remaining 4g sea salt and 2g cracked black pepper.
Ladle 450g of hot minestrone into each warm serving bowl and dollop approximately 25g of fresh basil pesto directly into the center of each portion to serve.
Chef's Notes
- Staggering the vegetable additions is the secret to modern spring minestrone; denser root crops like carrots and fennel need early softening, whereas tender green vegetables require only moments of heat to retain crunch and vibrant color.
- A simmered Parmigiano-Reggiano rind acts as an all-natural flavor enhancer, providing free glutamates that give a meatless broth deep savory resonance.
- For dinner parties or make-ahead meals, cook the ditalini pasta separately in salted water and store it dressed in a drop of olive oil, adding hot broth and pasta to individual bowls at the table.
- Always swirl the pesto into the soup at the very last second in the bowl rather than in the pot, preserving volatile floral basil terpenes that evaporate rapidly when boiled.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Cool soup to room temperature within 2 hours and store in an airtight container below 4 C (40 F). Store pesto separately with a thin layer of olive oil over the surface.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze soup base without pasta or pesto for optimal texture. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and stir in freshly boiled pasta and fresh pesto when serving.
Reheating: Reheat leftover soup in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer registers an internal temperature of at least 74 C (165 F).
Troubleshooting
Asparagus and peas turn olive-drab and become mushy
Cause: Vegetables were added too early or cooked at too high a temperature, degrading chlorophyll and softening pectin structures
Fix: Cannot reverse chlorophyll discoloration, but you can restore visual brightness by garnishing with extra fresh raw peas or blanched asparagus tips
Prevention: Add delicate spring vegetables during the final 4 minutes of cooking and remove the pot from direct heat promptly
Soup becomes excessively thick and starchy after sitting
Cause: Ditalini pasta continued to absorb broth and release starch while resting in hot liquid
Fix: Warm an additional 150ml to 250ml of simmering vegetable stock and gently stir into the soup until desired brothy consistency is restored
Prevention: Cook pasta strictly to al dente and serve immediately, or boil pasta in a separate pot and combine upon plating if serving over an extended period
Basil pesto turns dull and brown
Cause: Enzymatic browning caused by friction heat during blending or exposure to oxygen
Fix: Stir a fresh squeeze of lemon juice or fresh olive oil over the surface, or blend a handful of fresh basil into the top layer to restore color
Prevention: Pulse the food processor in short bursts, use chilled olive oil, and keep pesto covered with a thin film of oil until plating
Cultural Context
Minestrone, literally meaning the big soup in Italian, historically represents seasonal cucina povera, shifting its identity with the calendar. Unlike the hearty, tomato-heavy winter iterations cooked with winter squash and cabbage, minestrone di primavera (spring minestrone) celebrates the return of young green produce, sweet alliums, and fragrant herbs, borrowing the pesto-finished tradition of the Ligurian minestrone alla genovese.
