Green Minestrone Soup

Make the most of your summer garden bounty with this Green Minestrone Soup. Loaded with vegetables and tender pasta, this soup is hearty and warming and definitely awesome.

The late summer harvest is such a beautiful season. The gardener knows how to play the long game better than the cook. Seeds were planted in late winter or early spring. They were lovingly tended as they started to sprout, transplanted into richer soil. Watered and weeded throughout the summer as the green leaves collected energy from the sun and the bees flirted mercilessly with the flowers. And only now, after all those months, are the fruits and vegetables ready to be harvested.

For the gardener, the work has been ongoing and the reward is sweet. For the cook, they now have to spring into action with creativity and cunning to make the most of the gardener's abundance. What can the cook do to make sure the gardener's energy doesn't go to waste? Well, lots and lots of soup is definitely one solution.

What makes this Green Minestrone Soup so awesome?

This Green Minestrone is a bit of a twist on a classic featuring all green vegetables and vegetable stock for a meatless meal. If you add Parmesan cheese, and I think you should, it's technically not vegetarian, but if that's important to you, I'm sure you'll know of a suitable substitute. There's leek, cabbage, zucchini, and green beans simmered to perfect tenderness in a flavorful stock, plus tiny pasta to give variety in texture and body.

This is soup with plenty of action, so it could definitely be a meal all on its own. Serve it with warm crusty bread and plenty of real salted butter. This soup is also great leftover, so go ahead and make a whole big pot even if you won't eat it all the first day. It's verdent and satisfying, especially with the deep Umami flavor of Parmesan cheese sprinkled liberally over the top.

Magical properties of Zucchini

Zucchini or courgette is a long, thin, green summer squash. Given its shape, color, and the fact that it's full of seeds, you could definitely use it in spells for fertility and abundance. Ruled by Jupiter, that veggie that's technically a fruit can call in expansive and adventurous energy. Use them in spells for protection and fidelity. (Source: Otherworldly Oracle)

To learn more about the magical properties of the ingredients in this recipe, check the Kitchen Magick page.

Ingredients

Here's everything you'll need for this soup. The full details are in the recipe card below.

• Olive oil - or your favorite cooking oil
• Leek
• Zucchini - aka courgette
• Cabbage - white cabbage, but it would also work with other varieties
• Green beans - fresh
• Vegetable stock - I use stock cubes
• Pasta - a small shape such as tiny shells or ditalini
• Vermouth - optional
• Salt and pepper
• Parmesan cheese

Tips for making Green Minestrone Soup

This is a basic chop and stir situation. Get a big pot heating, park your cutting board next to the stove, and get to work. You'll sautee the leek and zucchini first, then follow it up with the cabbage and green beans. The cabbage will seem to fill the entire pot at first, but it will cook down. Then you'll top the whole thing up with your vegetable stock and let it simmer until all your vegetables are tender.

The last thing to do is cook your pasta right in the soup. Check for seasonings and add salt and pepper to your liking, stir in a shot of Vermouth, and dish up your soup. Then you can either sprinkle over some grated Parmesan cheese or make some Parmesan crisps. Simply spoon some grated parm on a silicone baking mat (on a baking sheet, obvs), and pop it in a hot oven for a couple of minutes. Just keep an eye on it and when it starts to melt, sizzle, and turn golden, pull them out, let them cool, and gently lift them off and into your soup.

Make the most of your harvest and have an awesome dinner with this Green Minestrone Soup. You'll love it.

Looking for more awesome soup recipes? Try this Vegan Sweet Corn & Roasted Bell Pepper Soup or some delicious and dirty Cheesy Potato Soup.

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