Pasta, Vegetable and Pesto Minestrone
- Lactose Free
- Energy Kcal 520
- Carbohydrates g 63.2
- of which sugars g 10
- Protein g 16.9
- Fats g 22.2
- of which saturated fat g 4.7
- Fiber g 9.6
- Cholesterol mg 13
- Sodium mg 742
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 60 min
- Cook time: 40 min
- Serving: 4
- Cost: Average
PRESENTATION
Minestrone with pasta and pesto? It is like a hug in a bowl—seriously good. This isn’t just any minestrone soup—it’s got that classic Genovese twist. Fresh basil pesto melts into the mix, giving every bite a tender and tangy kick. Folks in Liguria love how this vegetable minestrone uses whatever’s fresh from the garden. Really, really fresh. So you’ll get bites of zucchini, potatoes, carrots, and sometimes even green beans, all mingling with short pasta shapes.
And the pesto? The real secret sauce. It brings a moist richness and a little sharpness that just works with the sweet taste of all those veggies. You can go classic with a basil-based pesto, or try regional takes like pesto alla siciliana for a tomato spin, or even a peppery pesto di peperoni if you want something brighter. Pretty much anything goes. No matter which way you go, this Italian minestrone recipe is all about balance—rich, herby, and so easy to change up depending on what’s in season or hanging out in your fridge.
Switching up the pesto really lets you play with the flavors. It’s one reason this minestrone with pesto never feels boring. For real, some people in Liguria even serve this soup chilled on hot days. You know, for a fresh, almost salad-like vibe instead of something super heavy. Others like it hot, with the pasta soaking up all those herby juices. Perfect when it’s chilly outside. Either way, the combo of veggies and pesto gives you that golden color and crispy toppings—like, if you go with a little fried bread or extra pine nuts. Pasta minestrone goes way beyond just a bowl of soup—it’s kind of a blank canvas for whatever you feel like adding.
And look, people keep coming back to this minestrone with pasta and pesto because it checks every box: tender pasta, tons of veggies, that punchy pesto, and a vibe that’s both comforting and a little bit fancy. Honestly, it’s a dish that makes you want to try new things and see what works for you every time.
You might also like:
INGREDIENTS
- Ingredients for the Minestrone
- Angelhair pasta 7.1 oz (200 g)
- Water 1.9 cups (450 g)
- Pumpkin ½ cup (125 g)
- White zucchini 1.8 oz (50 g)
- Cauliflower 4 cups (180 g) - (already cleaned)
- Beans 0.67 cup (100 g) - fresh
- Leeks 2.1 oz (60 g) - (already cleaned)
- Tomatoes 0.8 cup (150 g)
- Celery 1.1 oz (30 g)
- Carrots 1.4 oz (40 g)
- Potatoes 5.3 oz (150 g)
- Pancetta tesa 1.8 oz (50 g) - smoked
- Red onions 1.4 oz (40 g)
- Extra virgin olive oil 2.1 tbsp (30 g)
- Peas ½ cup (80 g)
- Rosemary 3 sprigs
- Bay leaves 2 leaves
- Nutmeg to taste - (to grate)
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Parsley to taste
- Garlic 1 clove
- for the Pesto
- Basil 15 tbsp (30 g)
- Extra virgin olive oil 2 ¼ tbsp (30 g)
- Pecorino cheese 0.4 oz (10 g)
- Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 0.4 oz (10 g)
- Garlic 1 clove
- Coarse salt 1 pinch
- Pine nuts 2 tsp (10 g)
How to prepare Pasta, Vegetable and Pesto Minestrone
To prepare the pasta, vegetable, and pesto minestrone, start with the preparation of Genoese pesto (for the complete procedure, consult the Genoese pesto (Pesto alla genovese) guide). Gently rinse the basil leaves by soaking them in a bowl of cold water. Then dry them completely by spreading them out on a dry cloth. Next, place a peeled clove of garlic in a mortar (or a mixer with very cold blades) and crush it together with the basil leaves and coarse salt 1. Pound, rotating the pestle from left to right while simultaneously rotating the mortar in the opposite direction. As you continue to crush, add the pine nuts 2 and cheeses. When you have obtained a cream, pour in the oil in a thin stream 3 while continuing to crush. When all the ingredients are blended, the pesto will be ready. Set it aside.
Proceed with the preparation of the minestrone: wash and dry all the vegetables. Take the pumpkin, remove the skin with a large-bladed knife 4, then remove the seeds and inner strings with a spoon 5. Cut it into slices of the same thickness and then into cubes about 1 cm on a side 6.
Move on to the zucchini: trim it and cut it into slices 7 and then into cubes 8. Now separate the florets from the cauliflower 9.
Next, shell the beans 10. Then proceed with the leek, cutting it into thin rings 11. Finely chop the celery into small cubes 12.
Move on to the tomatoes: remove the green stalk, cut them into slices, and then into small cubes 13. Finely chop the onion and peel the carrots, cut them into strips, then into cubes 15.
Repeat the operation with the potatoes: peel them 16, cut them into slices and then into strips, and then into cubes 17. Now cut the pancetta into thin slices and then into cubes 18.
Finally, roughly chop the parsley 19. Now you have all the ingredients ready for preparation. Take a high-sided non-stick pan to prepare the How to make the soffritto: drizzle with oil and fry the celery, carrots 20, and onion, stirring the ingredients for even cooking 21. It will take about 7-8 minutes.
When the ingredients have browned, add the clove of garlic 22 and the pancetta 23 to flavor. Tie the rosemary sprigs and bay leaves with kitchen string 24.
Add the bouquet of herbs to the pan 25. Now pour in the leek 26 and a bit of water to stew the ingredients over moderate heat for about 10 minutes. Then add the pumpkin 27.
Also add the beans 28 and cook for another 10 minutes over moderate heat. At this point, add the potatoes 29 and season with a sprinkle of nutmeg 30.
Add the cauliflower 31 and zucchini 32. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5-6 minutes over moderate heat. Then add the peas and tomatoes 33.
Pour in 400g of water in a thin stream to allow the vegetables to cook 34 and cover with a lid. Let it go for 30 minutes over moderate heat 35. At this point, remove the garlic 36. Cook for another 15 minutes.
Flavor with the parsley 37. Now add 50 g of water, which will be used for cooking the pasta. You can add a slightly different amount than indicated, depending on whether you prefer a more liquid or drier minestrone. Then remove the rosemary and bay leaves 38. Now cook the pasta 39.
Two minutes before the end of cooking, add the pesto 40 and mix the ingredients well to blend them 41. Your pasta, vegetable, and pesto minestrone is now ready to be enjoyed 42!