When you search the internet for a good minestrone soup recipe you will find that not one recipe will be the same. They differ simply because there are no fixed ingredients. You see, loosely translated the word minestrone means "big soup" and originally it was invented to use up any leftover vegetables that were in season at the time. On top of this, it was also a way of using up any leftover meat. Pasta was used to bulk the soup up or to make it more filling and it is widely believed that the Roman army marched on a diet of pasta and minestrone.. So with all this said, what makes the perfect bowl of minestrone soup?
Even though recipes differ, there are some core ingredients that should make up the basis of every bowl of minestrone. These are as follows...bacon or pancetta, white beans, pasta, stock, tomatoes, leeks, carrots and fresh herbs. Once you have got these basic ingredients together, then you can start adding your own ingredients. If you are vegetarian, then leave out the bacon/pancetta
Here are some of the steps that you can take to recreating the best minestrone soup....
1. Use the best stock or broth - Like a lot of Italian food, it is very simple to make but you need to use the best ingredients. As stock is one of the main ingredients in the soup, try to go for a fresh stock rather than a packet one. A lot of recipes call for vegetable broth, which you can easily make yourself, or alternatively you can use a good quality chicken stock.
2.Try to get flavor into the vegetables - Vegetables are the base for the soup, so you need to get flavor into them. The best way to do this is to sweat your vegetables off in a pan with a little butter and olive oil. Add to this some rosemary or a bouquet garni. Do not brown, but gently cook without color until soft. Another way to add flavor into your veggies is to fry off some bacon or pancetta and then let the vegetables slowly cook in the bacon fat.
3.Which pasta should I use? - As a general rule of thumb any pasta will do the trick, and a lot of tinned soups and indeed some recipes will tell you to use cut up spaghetti. However if you want to recreate the Olive Garden recipe per say, then they use shell pasta. This works particularly well in this dish and is probably the best pasta to use as the large open surface of the pasta picks up all of the other flavors Whether you use fresh or dried is totally up to you but remember that fresh pasta takes minutes to cook whereas dried will take a little longer.
These are some basic steps that you can use to really put flavor into your dish. You can then adapt it to suit the season, for example if you are making a summer minestrone then a light vegetable stock and summer vegetables such as zucchini and peas are excellent. For that extra touch, try topping the soup with a summer basil pesto. If you are making it for the winter, try adding potato, savoy cabbage and some chunked ham off the bone. It makes a wonderful satisfying meal in a bowl.
So now you have a good idea of how to make the perfect minestrone soup recipe all you need is a little imagination in order to wow your friends and family.
Even though recipes differ, there are some core ingredients that should make up the basis of every bowl of minestrone. These are as follows...bacon or pancetta, white beans, pasta, stock, tomatoes, leeks, carrots and fresh herbs. Once you have got these basic ingredients together, then you can start adding your own ingredients. If you are vegetarian, then leave out the bacon/pancetta
Here are some of the steps that you can take to recreating the best minestrone soup....
1. Use the best stock or broth - Like a lot of Italian food, it is very simple to make but you need to use the best ingredients. As stock is one of the main ingredients in the soup, try to go for a fresh stock rather than a packet one. A lot of recipes call for vegetable broth, which you can easily make yourself, or alternatively you can use a good quality chicken stock.
2.Try to get flavor into the vegetables - Vegetables are the base for the soup, so you need to get flavor into them. The best way to do this is to sweat your vegetables off in a pan with a little butter and olive oil. Add to this some rosemary or a bouquet garni. Do not brown, but gently cook without color until soft. Another way to add flavor into your veggies is to fry off some bacon or pancetta and then let the vegetables slowly cook in the bacon fat.
3.Which pasta should I use? - As a general rule of thumb any pasta will do the trick, and a lot of tinned soups and indeed some recipes will tell you to use cut up spaghetti. However if you want to recreate the Olive Garden recipe per say, then they use shell pasta. This works particularly well in this dish and is probably the best pasta to use as the large open surface of the pasta picks up all of the other flavors Whether you use fresh or dried is totally up to you but remember that fresh pasta takes minutes to cook whereas dried will take a little longer.
These are some basic steps that you can use to really put flavor into your dish. You can then adapt it to suit the season, for example if you are making a summer minestrone then a light vegetable stock and summer vegetables such as zucchini and peas are excellent. For that extra touch, try topping the soup with a summer basil pesto. If you are making it for the winter, try adding potato, savoy cabbage and some chunked ham off the bone. It makes a wonderful satisfying meal in a bowl.
So now you have a good idea of how to make the perfect minestrone soup recipe all you need is a little imagination in order to wow your friends and family.
To learn more about Minestrone Soup Recipe, download my 10 day e-learning course here: "Popular Restaurant Recipes"
Patrick Edwards is the owner of www.restaurantrecipesonline.com where he provides premium Restaurant recipes and tips.
This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any e-zine, newsletter, blog, or website. The author's name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.
Patrick Edwards is the owner of www.restaurantrecipesonline.com where he provides premium Restaurant recipes and tips.
This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any e-zine, newsletter, blog, or website. The author's name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction.
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