Spring Vegetable Minestrone
Spring Vegetable Minestrone. The perfect springtime bowl of comfy cozy veggie minestrone. Loaded with alllll the greens. Peas, sugar snap peas, kale, and basil. And it’s got hearty white beans. And finally it’s topped with a pistachio pesto and spicy red pepper flakes. It’s super cozy but light and refreshing at the same time. The vibrant spring dish you need for a chilly spring weeknight !!
It’s another chilly day…honestly this whole week is looking like it’s going to be pretty chilly. So we need alllll the springtime dishes but make them comfy and cozy. And this is the perfect veggie minestrone for spring. It has all the springtime veggies and flavors and colors.
There’s leeks, peas, sugar snap peas, kale, white beans, and basil. All drizzled with an herby pistachio pesto that brings the whole thing together. It’s light and refreshing but comfy and cozy all in one big bowl of vibrant springtime goodness.
And as you can see we are changing things up a bit this week. Instead of the usual Monday soup night it is tuesday soup night. We probably could have used this soup last night when it was rainy and dreary, but since we were at the mall all day there was no time for the usual weekly Monday food shopping.
So here you have it…a little cozy soup night on tuesday…and since the weather is still chilly it’s still the perfect day for soup. Now all we need is a little sunshine and some wine to go with this perfect spring dish !!
Ingredients
For the Soffritto
1/3 cup olive oil
1 sweet onion; finely chopped
3 leeks; finely chopped
3 celery stalks; finely chopped
kosher salt
For the Pistachio Pesto
1 cup basil leaves
1 cup parsley leaves
1/3 cup olive oil + 3 tablespoons
1/2 cup grated parmesan
zest of 1 lemon
3 tablespoon chopped raw pistachios
salt and pepper
For the Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
6 cups chicken broth
8 ounces sugar snap peas
2 bunches lacinato kale; torn into pieces
1 (19 ounce) can cannellini beans
8 ounces fresh peas
red pepper flakes and toasted bread for serving
Directions
In a large stock pot, add the olive oil, onions, leeks, and celery. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes until softened. Do not brown. Season with salt.
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the basil, parsley, and 1/3 cup of the olive oil until coarsely pureed. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add the parmesan, lemon zest, pistachios, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Reheat the soffritto with the olive oil, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook for about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the sugar snap peas and cook for about 4 minutes. Add the kale, beans, and peas. Cook until the kale is wilted and the peas are tender for about 3 - 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve topped with parmesan, red pepper flakes, toasted bread, and pistachio pesto.
