Nonna’s Minestrone Soup

Like many Italian dishes, Minestrone was probably originally not a dish made for its own sake. The recipe varies widely across Italy and it’s assumed that one did not gather the ingredients of Minestrone with the intention of making it. Many people make Minestrone from left overs while others follow a specific recipe.

My Nonna’s (grandmother) Minestrone recipe is very special to me. Nonna learned this recipe from her mother making it nearly 150 years old! When my brother was a baby, my parents couldn’t get him to eat baby food. My Nonna decided she would puree her traditional Minestrone soup and feed it to him instead. My brother was smart; it was the only puree he would eat!

Here is what you’ll need for Nonna’s easy Minestrone soup!

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ of an onion

3 stalks of celery

3 carrots

7 small potatoes

1 cup frozen green beans

1 cup frozen peas

1 can of red kidney beans

1 can of chick peas

1 ½ teaspoons chicken or vegetable bouillon

½ cup tomato sauce

6 cups of water

Black pepper to taste

First, chop onion, celery, carrots and potatoes.

Sautee chopped vegetables in olive oil on medium heat.

Next, add water, tomato sauce, bouillon, and black pepper. Let simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft.

Then add peas, green beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans. Let soup simmer for 40 minutes.

Once soup is finished, serve into bowls and add grated parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy!