Comforting Minestrone Soup for Ramadan

Ingredients

• 250 g Dried white beans (soaked overnight, then drained)
• 2 L Water (to cover the beans during cooking)
• 2 piece(s) Bay leaves
• 300 g Potatoes (diced)
• 150 g Carrots (diced)
• 100 g Turnip (diced)
• 200 g Zucchini (diced)
• 80 g Celery stalks (diced)
• 150 g Leek (thinly sliced)
• 400 g Tomatoes (peeled and diced (or canned crushed))
• 100 g Onion (chopped)
• 2 clove(s) Garlic (minced)
• 30 ml Olive oil (for sautéing the aromatics)
• 100 g Small pasta (e.g., ditalini) (to add at the end of cooking)
• 10 g Fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)
• 30 g Grated Parmesan (to sprinkle when serving)
• 5 g Dried Italian herbs (oregano, basil, thyme)
• to taste Salt
• to taste Black pepper

Instructions

1. Soak the beans

   Rinse the dried white beans, place them in a large bowl, cover with cold water and let soak overnight (minimum 8 h).

   Time: PT0M

2. Cook the beans

   Drain the soaked beans, place them in the pot, cover with fresh water (about 2 L) and add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, skim the foam, then reduce heat and simmer on low for 1 hour until tender.

   Time: PT1H

   Temperature: 100°C

3. Prepare the vegetables

   While the beans cook, wash and dice the potatoes, carrots, turnip, zucchini and celery. Thinly slice the leek, chop the onion, mince the garlic and dice the tomatoes.

   Time: PT20M

4. Sauté the aromatics

   In a sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat, add the onion, garlic and leek. Sauté for 5 minutes until translucent.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 180°C

5. Add vegetables to the soup

   Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the pot with the beans. Add the diced potatoes, carrots, turnip, zucchini and celery. Top up with water or broth to cover by 2 cm. Bring to a gentle boil then simmer 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.

   Time: PT30M

   Temperature: 90°C

6. Incorporate pasta and tomatoes

   Add the small pasta and diced tomatoes to the pot. Cook another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: 90°C

7. Season and finish

   Season with salt, pepper, add dried Italian herbs and chopped parsley. Mix one last time and let rest 5 minutes off the heat.

   Time: PT5M

8. Serve

   Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and serve immediately.

   Time: PT0M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

10 g

Carbohydrates

40 g

Fat

5 g

Fiber

8 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Dried white beans: Cannellini beans, Chickpeas
• Instead of Water: Vegetable broth
• Instead of Bay leaves: Thyme
• Instead of Potatoes: Sweet potatoes
• Instead of Carrots: Parsnips
• Instead of Turnip: Rutabaga
• Instead of Zucchini: Eggplant
• Instead of Celery stalks: Fennel
• Instead of Leek: Green onion
• Instead of Tomatoes: Canned tomatoes
• Instead of Onion: Shallot
• Instead of Garlic: Garlic powder
• Instead of Olive oil: Sunflower oil
• Instead of Small pasta (e.g., ditalini): Rice, Quinoa
• Instead of Fresh parsley: Cilantro
• Instead of Grated Parmesan: Pecorino, Nutritional yeast
• Instead of Dried Italian herbs: Herbes de Provence

Equipment Needed

• Large pot or Dutch oven
• Skillet or sauté pan
• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Wooden spoon
• Colander
• Ladle
• Measuring cups (ml) and scale

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Soak the beans overnight
• Cook the beans until tender before adding vegetables
• Add the pasta at the end of cooking to prevent them from falling apart
• Season at the end to preserve aromas

Chef Tips from the Video

• Replace part of the water with homemade vegetable broth for more depth.
• A drizzle of red wine vinegar added at the end enhances freshness.
• Garnish with a few fresh basil leaves for an extra aromatic touch.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container 3 to 4 days.

Freezer: Can be frozen up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator then reheat gently.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Cook the beans the day before and keep them refrigerated.
• The soup keeps better after a night; the flavors develop.
• Reheat over low heat adding a little water if needed.