Minestrone Soup - Classic

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• 0.5 cups dried white beans, pre-soaked
• 1 bay leaf
• A sprig of thyme
• 4 cups beef broth
• Parmesan cheese rind (optional)
• 2 cups canned tomatoes in their own juice, with juice
• 2 cups diced potatoes
• 2 tbsp. zucchini, diced
• 2 cups shredded Savoy cabbage
• 1 cup small shell pasta
• Pesto sauce, for serving

Preparation:

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and sauté until golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Then add the carrots and celery and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beans, bay leaf, and thyme, and stir for 1 minute.
2. Pour the broth into the pan, add the Parmesan rind (optional), tomatoes and their juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste. (If using Parmesan, keep in mind that it will also release salt. Be careful not to oversalt.) Bring to a boil and simmer for an hour. Then add the potatoes, zucchini, and cabbage. Simmer for another 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
3. Towards the end of cooking, add the pasta, cover the pan with a lid, and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the Minestrone soup into bowls and stir in when serving. pesto sauce.