Sunday, March 22: Minestrone

Minestrone was a perfect dinner on this chilly night! My version is full of delicious veggies (carrots, onion, potato, zucchini, kale, garlic, tomatoes), plus cannelini beans, chicken broth, and a parm rind for tons of flavor. Garlicky toasts on the side for dipping, along with lots of parm to shower on top!

Saute 1 diced onion and 2 diced carrots together in a few TB of olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add 2-3 diced medium Yukon Gold potatoes, plus another pinch of salt (I’m all about seasoning each step of the way!). Add 1-2 TB tomato paste, 3 minced garlic cloves, and 1 TB Italian seasoning — stir to coat the veggies in the seasoning and cook the tomato paste for a few minutes. Add 1 chopped large zucchini, saute for a few minutes. Add 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, then fill the can about 1/4 way with water, swish around to pick up the remaining bits of tomato, and pour in pot. Add 3 cups chicken broth and 1 can drained, rinsed white beans (again, fill can 1/4 way with water, swish, and pour in pot). Finally, throw in a parm rind (this is optional, but it adds a TON of flavor — whenever I am done with a wedge of parm, I save the rinds in the freezer to add to soups and sauces!). Simmer until potatoes are just about tender, 15 or so minutes (depending on how large you diced them). Add one bunch kale (torn into bite-sized pieces), plus a pinch of salt, and simmer until kale is wilted and potatoes are tender (easily pierced with a fork). If liquid has reduced too much during simmer time, add more broth to your liking. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

Serve with extra parm for grating, plus bread or toasts. (For our toasts, I drizzled thick slices of our favorite seedy bread with garlic oil and baked in a 425 oven for 6-8 minutes.)