Fresh, light, and full of colour, this spring minestrone is a celebration of the season’s best vegetables. It’s brothy rather than heavy, with tender greens, beans, and pasta bringing just enough substance. Finished with a spoonful of vibrant pesto verde, it creates the perfect nourishing bowl.
Ingredients
Serves 4
For the soup
2 carrots, diced
1 leek, sliced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 courgettes, diced
200g fresh peas (or frozen)
1 large white onion, diced
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 litre vegetable stock
75g small pasta
Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
Large handful of fresh spinach
Handful of borlotti or cannellini beans
Handful of broad beans, blanched and podded (optional)
1 tsp flaky sea salt (plus extra to taste)
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
For the pesto verde
50ml extra virgin olive oil
Handful of fresh basil
30g pine nuts
50g grated parmesan
Method
Prepare all the ingredients as described above.
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan over medium heat. Add the onion and leek, stirring so they are well coated in the oil. Add the salt and cook gently for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but not coloured.
Add the vegetables in stages, allowing about a minute between each addition: carrot, celery, courgette, then the chopped tomatoes. Cook for a few more minutes to bring everything together, then pour in the vegetable stock.
Bring to a gentle simmer, then add the pasta. Stir frequently to prevent it sticking to the bottom of the pan.
After 2 minutes, add the spinach, broad beans (if using), peas, cherry tomatoes, and beans. Simmer for a further 5 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the vegetables are just cooked.
Meanwhile, make the pesto verde by blending the olive oil, basil, pine nuts, and parmesan in a food processor until you have a loose, spoonable consistency.
Ladle the soup into bowls and finish each with a spoonful of pesto stirred through the centre.
Watch Chef Emily make it here