This hearty winter minestrone is packed with vegetables: onions, celery, carrots, zucchini, Yukon gold potatoes, Savoy cabbage, and is finished with canned cannellini beans.
Ingredients
2tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
1tablespoonbutter
3medium yellow onionsmedium dice
4-5peeled carrotsmedium dice
4celery stalks medium dice
4-5small Yukon Gold potatoeschopped into ½-inch pieces
4-5medium zucchini trimmed and chopped into ½-inch pieces
½head Savoy cabbagecored and thinly sliced into ribbons
6cupslow-sodium chicken broth
1¼cup (300 mL)canned chopped tomatoes
2dried bay leaves
1-2Parmigiano-Reggiano rindoptional
1(15-ounce) cancannellini beansdrained and rinsed well
Heat the butter and olive oil in a large soup pot on medium-low heat. Once the butter has melted and is lightly sizzling, add the onions and a generous pinch of kosher salt. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes or until slightly translucent in color. Add the diced carrot and carrots and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes.
Follow the same method with the with the addition of each vegetable: potatoes, zucchini (allowing each vegetable to cook and saute for 2 to 3 minutes before adding the next). Add the cabbage and let cook for 6 minutes, until slightly wilted, stirring every few minutes.
Add the broth, canned tomatoes, bay leaves, and parmigiano-reggiano rinds. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and slowly simmer the soup for 3 hours. Once ready, the vegetables should be very soft and tender and the soup should be considerably thicker.
In the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking, add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans. Season to taste, adding a touch more salt and pepper as needed. Serve with a generous sprinkling of finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese.