About this recipe
This spring green minestrone recipe is the perfect dish to make during the season when the sun starts to shine, but the air is still a bit chilly, and supermarkets begin to fill with green vegetables.
The benefits of eating seasonally
Eating seasonally is not just a culinary preference, but also a healthier and more sustainable choice. Seasonal produce is often harvested at its peak of freshness, ensuring that vegetables and fruits are not only tastier but also loaded with the maximum amount of nutrients.
Moreover, consuming products that align with the seasons can help reduce the environmental impact associated with long-distance transportation and food storage. When you choose seasonal products, like the ingredients for a spring minestrone, you are also supporting local farmers and economies, further contributing to a sustainable food system.
Spring Minestrone Ingredients
- Spices: fennel seeds, and black pepper
- Sliced garlic and lemon zest
- Leek, celery, and scallions
- Zucchini, fennel (optional), and spinach
- Peas
- Sliced jalapeño (optional)
- Beans and pasta
How to make Spring Minestrone
Sauté the spices: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and sauté the spices. This helps release the essential flavors of the spices, creating a rich aromatic base for your soup.
Add the aromatics: Incorporate the scallions, sliced garlic, and leek along with a good pinch of salt. The salt not only seasons the vegetables but also helps draw out their moisture, which intensifies the flavors.
Add the jalapeño: Cook until the jalapeño begins to brown slightly, which will add a spicy kick to the soup base.
Add celery and fennel: Both add a crunchy texture and flavors that perfectly complement the jalapeño.
Add zucchini, pasta, and broth.
Cook the pasta: Let the soup simmer until the pasta is al dente. This will ensure that the pasta is cooked perfectly, maintaining a firm texture and absorbing the flavors of the broth.
Add the beans, peas, and spinach: Once the pasta is ready, add the beans (cannellini beans), peas, and spinach. These ingredients do not need much cooking time, so they can be added towards the end to maintain their texture and vibrant color.
Serve the soup with Parmesan cheese (I use Violife), chopped dill, and fresh basil.
Soup Variations
- Serve this green minestrone with a dollop of pesto.
- Instead of jalapeño pepper, use dried chili flakes when sautéing the rest of the spices.
- Use gluten-free pasta to make this soup accessible for those with gluten sensitivity. Be sure to check the cooking time of the pasta, as it may vary.
- Add regular Parmesan cheese if you don’t want to use vegan cheese.
- Add more vegetables, use asparagus, carrots, or swap the spinach for kale. Really, with this soup, you can’t go wrong; it always turns out well.
Spring Minestrone
Equipment
- Soup pot
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon peppercorns
- 3-4 scallions
- 4 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 leek white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeño sliced
- 1 stalk celery diced
- 2 small zucchini diced
- 6 ounces small pasta (like Ditalini)
- 6 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 cup fresh peas or frozen and thawed
- 15 oz cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 1 can or jar
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1/4 cup dill, loosely packed chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)
- Lemon wedges for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. In a mortar or molcajete, crush the fennel seeds and peppercorns until they are in small pieces. Sauté the spices in the hot oil just until they begin to release a delicious aroma, which usually takes about 15 seconds.
- Add the green onions, sliced garlic, and leek, along with a good pinch of salt, and sauté until the vegetables soften and are lightly browned. Add the sliced jalapeño and cook until it begins to lightly brown.
- If you decide to use fresh fennel, now is the time to add it along with the celery. Let these vegetables cook until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the cubed zucchini and pasta to the pot. Pour in the vegetable broth or simply water, as you prefer. Also add the lemon zest. Let the soup simmer until the pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes.
- Once the pasta is ready, add the cannellini beans, peas, and spinach. Taste the soup and adjust the salt as needed.
- Serve the soup hot. Sprinkle with vegan Parmesan cheese (like Violife), chopped fresh dill, and basil.
Notes
Nutrition
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Tengo una Certificación Profesional en la cocina vegana; en el mundo de la cocina basada en vegetales, frutas, granos, leguminosas… en comida limpia, orgánica y vegana.
My cookbook is called Yo Cocino Latino..
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