Hearty Fregola and Vegetable Minestrone

Ingredients

- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 fennel bulb, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup fregola or small pasta
- 1 cup cooked borlotti beans
- 6 cups vegetable stock, chicken stock, or water
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 Parmesan cheese rind
- 1 cup broad beans, shelled
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 1 small green cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup green beans, chopped
- 2 courgettes (zucchini), diced
- 1 cup peas
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced

Instructions

1. Heat the Olive Oil:
In a large stockpot, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering.

2. Sauté Aromatics:
Add the chopped onion, diced carrots, diced celery, and chopped fennel. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes or until softened.

3. Add Garlic:
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.

4. Incorporate Base Ingredients:
Add the fregola or small pasta, cooked borlotti beans, vegetable stock (or your choice of liquid), bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, and the Parmesan rind. Bring to a boil.

5. Simmer the Soup:
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the soup simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Add Vegetables:
Stir in the broad beans, diced tomatoes, shredded cabbage, chopped green beans, diced courgettes, and peas. Cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the vegetables and pasta are tender.

7. Season:
Season the soup with salt and black pepper to taste. Remove bay leaves, thyme sprigs, rosemary, and Parmesan rind before serving.

8. Garnish and Serve:
Ladle the minestrone soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, chopped parsley, lemon zest, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve warm.

Preparation & Cooking Times

- Preparation Time:
PT20M
20 minutes

- Cooking Time:
PT50M
50 minutes

Total Time

- PT1H10M
- 1 hour and 10 minutes

Type of Dish

- Dinner

Keywords

- Minestrone
- Soup
- Italian
- Vegetable
- Fregola
- Healthy Dinner
- Comfort Food
- Vegetarian
- Hearty Soup
- Home Cooking

Recipe Yield

- Feeds 4 adults

Calories

- 1,200 total calories

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