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Italian Green Minestrone di Verdure Recipe

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An authentic Italian vegetarian minestrone soup recipe made without tomatoes, using Pesto, cabbage and potatoes instead, for a hearty, classic, traditional green minestrone di Verdure.
Italian Green Minestrone di Verdure Soup with Pesto, Cabbage and Potatoes
 
Healthy, easy, homemade and really good for you. What more can you want from a soup ? Maybe just a piece of homemade crusty bread. 
 
“ Minestrone “ a thick vegetable soup literally meaning “ that which is served ”. The way I see it kids: you get what you get and you don’t throw a fit! 
Green Minestrone Soup
 
As is the case with many rustic Italian recipes, there isn’t an exact recipe out there. Every household has their own variations consisting of whatever they have growing in the garden and what is in season. 
Italian Green Red Pot of Minestrone di Verdure Soup with Pesto, Cabbage and Potatoes
 
It is common to find a mixture of beans and pasta, even rice in most recipes. Being that I chose to do a potato version I omitted the pasta. Feel free to add some precooked small shape macaroni, orzo or ditalini if you like, barley, quinoa or some lentils.
 
Believe it or not, yours truly, the self proclaimed Tomato Queen just made a minestrone soup without tomatoes. Say whaaat ?
That’s just because basil was calling my name this week. Not to mention that potatoes and pesto in a soup, together with beans and cabbage is a pretty amazing and comforting meal even on a warm summer evening. 
Italian Green Bowl of Minestrone di Verdure Soup with Pesto, Cabbage and Potatoes
 
Basil is abundant right now, but as soon as the weather really cools off you can make the pesto with kale, arugula or even parsley. 
 
Keep it vegan or throw a Parmesan cheese rind in there for a buttery silky broth, if you must you can add some ricotta meatballs too, for the not yet vegetarians 😉

Italian Green Minestrone di Verdure Soup with Pesto, Cabbage and Potatoes

 

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Italian Green Minestrone di Verdure Recipe
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 

An authentic Italian vegetarian minestrone soup made without tomatoes and using Pesto instead, cabbage and potatoes, for a hearty, traditional green minestrone di Verdure.

Course: Soups
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6
Calories: 312 kcal
Author: Florentina
Ingredients
  • 1 onion - diced (small)
  • 4 cloves garlic -sliced
  • 1 carrot -diced
  • 1 stick celery -diced
  • 2 cups green cabbage -shredded
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 8 sprigs thyme
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1.5 qt low sodium vegetable stock + more as needed
  • 1.5 cups golden potatoes -diced into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1.5 tsp sea salt + more to tatse
  • 15 oz canned borlotti or cannellini beans - drained and rinsed well
  • 1 cup baby arugula or spinach
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
Pesto
  • 1 bunch fresh basil ( leaves only)
  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, walnuts or hazelnuts
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lemon -juiced
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese -grated
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 pinch sea salt - to taste
  • 4 inches Parmesan rind ( optional )
Instructions

  1. Heat up a soup pot on medium flame with a lug of olive oil.

  2. Add the onion, celery and carrot and saute together with a pinch of salt for about 10 minutes.

  3. Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme and peppercorns and toss to coat.

  4. Stir in the cabbage and cook another 5 to 10 minutes until wilted.

  5. Add the diced potatoes, Parmesan rind and vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Cook together until the potatoes are cooked through, another 10 minutes. 

  6. Stir in the cooked beans and adjust seasonings to taste with more sea salt.While the minestrone is cooking make the pesto. 

Pesto

  1. Add the basil, olive oil, garlic, nuts and half of the lemon juice to a food processor and puree until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste with sea salt and more lemon juice.

  2. Ladle the minestrone into bowls and serve with spoonfuls of the pesto on top. 

Recipe Notes

For the Vegan option simply omit the Parmesan rind from the broth, and the grated cheese from the pesto sauce.

Nutrition Facts
Italian Green Minestrone di Verdure Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 312 Calories from Fat 216
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 24g 37%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 2mg 1%
Sodium 1772mg 74%
Potassium 188mg 5%
Total Carbohydrates 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 5g 20%
Sugars 4g
Protein 7g 14%
Vitamin A 50%
Vitamin C 17.6%
Calcium 13.3%
Iron 14.4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Italian Soups:

Italian Vegetable Farro Soup

Easy Carrot Ginger Soup

Tuscan Tomato Soup Recipe (Pappa al Pomodoro)

Tuscan Tomato Soup

Vegetarian Kale soup Recipe

Vegetarian Kale Soup

About Florentina

Hi, I'm Florentina, the voice behind the wholesome recipes you find in this journal. But I'm not alone, I'm really just channeling the Man in the Photo, one recipe at a time! Thank you for joining me in my quest for the art of simple, rustic living, trying to capture the raw beauty of organic food & life through the lens of my Iphone and camera.

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