I love researching the history of the food I’m eating and different ways the dish can be made. A dish I’ve recently fallen in love with is minestrone. Knowing that it originated thousands of miles away from where I’m eating it is incredible. When I eat minestrone, I can picture myself in Italy near ancient ruins on a cold winter day eating it with hot fresh bread from the bakery.
What is minestrone? We’ve all heard about this tasty Italian soup served at Olive Garden, but there are so many different ways to make this dish. Few people know what actually goes into this dish, and if you’re ever in Italy, minestrone is one dish you have to try.
What Is Minestrone?
Minestrone soup is a thick vegetable and pasta-based soup. It’s the kind of soup where you can add any vegetables and carbs of your choice. The core ingredients in minestrone are usually celery, onions, garlic, carrots, tomatoes, olive oil, pasta and it’s often topped with shredded Parmesan. I love homemade minestrone with a hot grilled cheese on the side that I can dip in my soup. Fresh bread is even better.
Along with many other delicious pizza and pasta dishes, minestrone originated in Italy. The name minestrone means “big soup” thanks to the multitude of veggies that are thrown in. Minestrone is made differently across Italy depending on available ingredients and seasons, and it can be either a thicker soup with a lot of vegetables or more of a watery soup with less veggies.
Minestrone Variations
Minestrone can be made many different ways. In my minestrone, I don’t like potatoes or white pasta so instead I add sweet potatoes and either skip the pasta or add quinoa. If you’re a picky eater, do your thing and add what your heart (and stomach) desires so you can enjoy it. This vegetable soup is made according to what vegetables are in season, so there isn’t a set recipe for it.
Minestrone is a must-try dish. It’s a healthy soup that will keep you full for a long time with all the filling vegetables and carbohydrates it has. Try different variations of minestrone and enjoy it however your heart desires.