Minestrone Soup

Aug 5

I created this recipe for the first time for a Blue Zone Vitality event which I hosted with the amazing Denise Barker.

I made food from five of our planet’s blue zones and Denise paired each bite with wines from the same area. The unanimous favorite was this Minestrone Soup from Barbagia, Sardinia. Perhaps it was the expertly paired wine or the invaluable tips for living a longer life, or the backdrop of a stunning NYC night that made it taste so good... In any case, I’m really excited to have a vegetarian dish that rivals the praise of my meat dishes.

Check out the recipe below. Cook it and let me know if you feel younger! 💙

MINESTRONE SOUP

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 medium carrots, sliced

2 celery ribs, sliced

1 teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1½ cups cooked white kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup green beans, chopped into1-inch pieces

4 cups vegetable broth

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

¾ cup pasta (like orecchiette)

Pinch red pepper flakes

½ cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

Sourdough toast with melted pecorino cheese for dipping

METHOD

Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the onion, carrots, celery, salt, and several grinds of black pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes.
Add the garlic, tomatoes, beans, green beans, broth, bay leaves, oregano, and thyme. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Stir in the pasta and cook, uncovered, for 8 more minutes, until the pasta is cooked through.
Stir in parsley and red pepper flakes.
Ladle into bowls and top with more parsley and a sprinkle of grated pecorino.
Serve alongside sourdough toast with melted pecorino.