Best 6 Summer Minestrone With Pesto Recipes

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Summer minestrone with pesto is a delightful and refreshing soup that captures the vibrant flavors of the season. This classic Italian dish combines a medley of fresh summer vegetables, fragrant herbs, and a flavorful pesto sauce. The result is a light and flavorful soup that's perfect for a warm summer meal. With endless variations and customizable ingredients, summer minestrone with pesto offers a delightful culinary experience that celebrates the bounty of summer's harvest.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

SUMMER MINESTRONE AL PESTO



Summer Minestrone al Pesto image

Some vegetable soups are complex and long-simmered. This light, brothy one brims with full-flavored summer vegetables for a minestrone that comes together in a half an hour or so. If you don't have a vegetable garden, look to the farmers' market for the freshest, sweetest produce. For a warm-weather lunch or supper, the simplicity of this soup is very appealing.

Provided by David Tanis

Categories     dinner, lunch, weekday, soups and stews, main course

Time 30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced, about 1 1/2 cups
Salt and pepper
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Splash of white wine (optional)
2 large very ripe sweet tomatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)
3 or 4 zucchini or summer squash, chopped into roughly 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1/2 pound romano beans, ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths (about 2 cups)
2 cups small, dry pasta, such as pennette or orecchiette
1/2 pound small green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 medium garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper
2 cups basil leaves, loosely packed, washed and dried
1 cup parsley leaves, loosely packed, washed and dried
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Steps:

  • Set a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat, and add olive oil. When oil is hot, add onion and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened and just beginning to color, 5 or 6 minutes.
  • Add garlic, bay leaf, tomato paste and red pepper. Cook, stirring, for another minute, then add wine, if using, and tomatoes, and bring to a brisk simmer.
  • Add 8 cups water and a good pinch of salt and let mixture return to a brisk simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, then taste for seasoning. The broth should be well seasoned before the vegetables go in.
  • Make the pesto: As the broth simmers, pound the garlic and salt to a paste in a large mortar. Beginning with a few basil leaves at a time, pound basil to a paste, then add parsley leaves and a little salt. Continue to pound until all the basil and parsley have been pounded into a coarse green paste. (Alternatively, many people may wish to make the pesto in a food processor.)
  • Transfer to a serving bowl and whisk in olive oil and Parmesan. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Set pesto aside covered with a thin layer of oil or with plastic film pressed against its surface to prevent oxidation.
  • Add the zucchini, romano beans and pasta to the simmering broth and cook 7 to 8 minutes, until pasta is al dente. Add green beans and cook for a minute or 2.
  • Ladle soup into bowls, topping each with a dollop of pesto. Pass more grated Parmesan at the table.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 789, UnsaturatedFat 44 grams, Carbohydrate 65 grams, Fat 54 grams, Fiber 10 grams, Protein 16 grams, SaturatedFat 9 grams, Sodium 1273 milligrams, Sugar 13 grams

MINESTRONE WITH PESTO



Minestrone with Pesto image

Minestrone is a thick, mixed vegetable soup using almost any combination of seasonal vegetables. Short cuts of pasta or rice may also be added. This version includes pesto sauce.

Provided by Lizz C.

Categories     Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes     Soup Recipes     Vegetable Soup Recipes     Minestrone

Time 1h30m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 17

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 leek, sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
6 ¼ cups hot vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 zucchini, finely chopped, or more to taste
¾ cup fresh peas
3 medium tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
2 cups cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons pesto sauce
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste

Steps:

  • Heat oil over medium heat in a stockpot. Stir in leek and onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Add carrots, celery, and garlic; cook for 5 minutes. Add potatoes and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.
  • Pour hot vegetable broth into the pot and stir well. Add bay leaf and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and let simmer for 10 to 12 minutes.
  • Stir in zucchini and peas. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, cover, and let simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.
  • Uncover the pot and stir in beans. Let simmer for 10 minutes; stir in pesto sauce and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 3 to 4 minutes. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 321.3 calories, Carbohydrate 44.6 g, Cholesterol 3.2 mg, Fat 11.9 g, Fiber 10.2 g, Protein 10.6 g, SaturatedFat 2.1 g, Sodium 813.7 mg, Sugar 9.7 g

SLOW-COOKER PESTO MINESTRONE



Slow-Cooker Pesto Minestrone image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 7h25m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

2 carrots, chopped
2 leeks (white and light green parts), halved lengthwise, sliced and rinsed
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 bulb fennel, trimmed, cored and chopped, plus chopped fronds for topping
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 15-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus 1 small parmesan rind
3 tablespoons pesto, plus more for topping
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup ditalini pasta
4 slices rosemary focaccia bread

Steps:

  • Toss the carrots, leeks, potatoes and fennel with the olive oil in a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Add 5 cups water, the tomatoes, parmesan rind, 2 tablespoons pesto, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cover and cook on high until the vegetables are tender, 7 to 8 hours.
  • Uncover and stir in the beans and ditalini. Cover and continue cooking on high until the pasta is al dente, about 15 minutes. Remove the parmesan rind. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon pesto and season with salt and pepper. Top each serving with more pesto, the parmesan and fennel fronds. Serve with the focaccia.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 610, Fat 17 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Cholesterol 4 milligrams, Sodium 1186 milligrams, Carbohydrate 97 grams, Fiber 13 grams, Protein 20 grams, Sugar 11 grams

SUMMER MINESTRONE WITH PESTO



Summer Minestrone with Pesto image

Categories     Soup/Stew     Bean     Cheese     Tomato     Vegetable     Appetizer     Summer     Bon Appétit     Wheat/Gluten-Free     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free     No Sugar Added

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 small red-skinned potatoes, quartered
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 small zucchini, halved lengthwise, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 15-ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans), drained
2 tomatoes, peeled, crushed
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
6 tablespoons Classic Pesto
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

  • Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add broth and next 7 ingredients. Increase heat to high and bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover pot, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in spinach; simmer 3 minutes longer. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into 6 bowls; garnish each with 1 tablespoon pesto. Serve, passing cheese separately.

SUMMER MINESTRONE WITH FRESH BASIL



Summer Minestrone With Fresh Basil image

You can finish this hearty summer soup with slivered fresh basil, or with pistou, the Provençal version of pesto (it's pesto without the pine nuts). A Parmesan rind, simmered in the soup and then removed, adds great depth of flavor without adding fat. On a hot summer day in Italy the soup might be served at room temperature, or just barely warm.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Time 1h20m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
Salt
4 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with liquid
1 medium turnip, peeled and diced
3/4 pound zucchini, diced
A bouquet garni consisting of 1 Parmesan rind, 1 bay leaf, 3 sprigs parsley and 3 sprigs thyme, tied together with kitchen string or tied into a piece of cheesecloth
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini or borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
6 ounces green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths
1/2 cup soup pasta, such as elbow macaroni, or broken spaghetti, or 3/4 cup penne
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup slivered fresh basil leaves, or 1/2 cup pistou (see recipe)
Freshly grated Parmesan for garnish

Steps:

  • Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes, and add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Continue to cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 more minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for about a minute, and stir in the tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Stir in 2 quarts water, the turnip, zucchini, and the bouquet garni, and bring to a simmer. Add 2 teaspoons salt, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in the canned beans. Taste and adjust salt. Remove the bouquet garni.
  • While the soup is simmering, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the green beans. Boil 5 minutes, until just tender but still bright green. Transfer to a bowl of ice water, allow to cool, and drain. Retain the cooking water in case you want to thin out the soup later.
  • Add the pasta to the soup and simmer another 10 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked al dente. Stir the cooked green beans into the soup. Grind in some pepper and taste and adjust seasonings. It should be savory and rich-tasting.
  • Stir in the basil or pistou, or place a spoonful of pistou in each bowl and stir in. Serve in wide soup bowls, with a sprinkling of Parmesan over the top.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 146, UnsaturatedFat 2 grams, Carbohydrate 26 grams, Fat 2 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 7 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 547 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams

PESTO MINESTRONE



Pesto Minestrone image

Natalie Cataldo relies on store-bought pesto to provide mild flavor to this chunky tortellini and vegetable soup. "It's a hit in my house," says the Des Moines, Iowa cook. "If you don't like zucchini, use another vegetable," she suggests.

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Lunch

Time 30m

Yield 4 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 12

1/2 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2-1/4 cups water
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) vegetable broth
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini
2 cups diced zucchini
2 tablespoons prepared pesto

Steps:

  • In a large saucepan, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the water, mixed vegetables, broth, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 3 minutes. , Add the tortellini, zucchini and pesto. Simmer, uncovered, 7-9 minutes longer or until pasta and vegetables are tender.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 337 calories, Fat 12g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 30mg cholesterol, Sodium 1063mg sodium, Carbohydrate 47g carbohydrate (8g sugars, Fiber 7g fiber), Protein 15g protein.

Tips for a Perfect Summer Minestrone with Pesto:

  • Use fresh, seasonal vegetables. This will give your minestrone the best flavor and texture.
  • Don't be afraid to experiment with different vegetables. There are many variations of minestrone, so feel free to add or remove vegetables according to your taste.
  • Use a good quality pesto. This will make all the difference in the flavor of your minestrone.
  • Don't overcook the vegetables. They should be tender but still have a little bit of bite.
  • Serve the minestrone with a dollop of pesto and some grated Parmesan cheese. This will add an extra layer of flavor and richness.

Conclusion:

Summer minestrone with pesto is a delicious, healthy, and easy-to-make soup that is perfect for a hot summer day. It is also a great way to use up leftover vegetables. So next time you're looking for a light and refreshing meal, give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed!

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