Garden Vegetable Soup

Minestra Giardiniera is a light and healthy dish, rich in vegetables. Here’s how to prepare it.

Ingredients

• 1 carrot
• 1 potato
• 1 zucchini
• 150 g of fresh or frozen peas
• 150 g of green beans
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 small onion
• 2 ripe tomatoes or 200 ml of tomato passata
• 1 liter of vegetable or chicken broth
• 50 g of rice for soups (Carnaroli or Arborio type)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• grated Parmesan (optional)
• Fresh basil or parsley for garnish

Preparation

1. Wash all the vegetables. Dice the carrot, potato, and zucchini into similar-sized pieces. Trim the green beans by removing the ends and cut them into small pieces. Finely chop the celery and onion.
2. In a large pot, sauté the chopped onion with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil until it becomes translucent. Add the celery and continue sautéing for another couple of minutes.
3. Add the carrots, potatoes, green beans, peas, and zucchini to the sautéed mixture and stir well.
4. Add the peeled and chopped tomatoes or the tomato passata, the vegetable or chicken broth, and bring to a boil.
5. When the soup starts to boil, lower the heat, cover with a lid, and let it cook for about 15-20 minutes.
6. Ten minutes before the end, add the rice and make sure there is enough liquid in the pot; if necessary, add a little water. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Cook until the rice and vegetables are tender.
8. Serve the Minestra Giardiniera hot, garnished with chopped fresh basil or parsley and, if desired, a sprinkle of grated Parmesan.

This dish is ideal on autumn or winter evenings, but can be enjoyed in any season thanks to its lightness and versatility. It is also an excellent way to get children to eat vegetables.

Trivia

The term “Giardiniera” refers to the wide variety of vegetables used in this soup, reminiscent of the diversity of a vegetable garden. This dish is very versatile and allows for the use of different vegetables depending on seasonality or personal preferences.