Featured Recipe

Chunky Minestrone Soup

Name: Chunky Minestrone Soup
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 4 cloves garlic, diced and rested 10-15 min; 4 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large yellow onion, diced; 2 cans petite diced tomatoes, juices included; 1/2 cup dry white vermouth (sub: dry sherry); 6 cups vegetable stock (sub: chicken stock); 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 parmesan rind piece (~1 inch thick); 2 large carrots, peeled and diced; 2 cups dried Ditalini pasta (sub: small shells); 2 medium zucchini, diced with skin; 2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (sub: navy beans); 1 cup water; 2 bay leaves; Salt to taste; Freshly ground black pepper; Fresh parmesan wedge, shaved for serving

By Kate

Created on 21 January 2026

Garlic diced and rested before cooking unlocks enzymes for max flavor and health punch. Sauté onions and garlic in shimmering olive oil until translucent, not brown. Tomatoes with juice and dry white vermouth simmer down, thickening base. Broth, herbs, tomato paste, parmesan rind join with carrots. Boil briefly, stir so nothing sticks. Then salt, pasta, zucchini skin-on. Beans rinsed, held back; added gently after simmer softens pasta and zucchini. Bay leaves and parmesan rind removed before serving. Fresh shaved aged parmesan, cracked pepper finish. A handful of subtle twists, ingredient swaps, adjusted timing to sharpen flavors, encourage mindful cooking cues over clocks. Pasta texture and aromatic balance key.

Prep: 25 min

Cook: 40 min

Total: 1h 5min

Serves: 8 servings

soup Italian vegetarian healthy

Introduction

Start with garlic diced and let it rest. This isn’t a step to skip; those enzymes work magic if given 10-15 minutes. Boosts flavor and immunity, especially needed this time of year. Olive oil shimmering means it’s hot enough but not smoking. Sauté onions and garlic here low and slow, translucent is our goal, never browned. A couple minutes lost upfront saves bitter garlic later. Then tomatoes and vermouth hit the pot, liquid reducing and thickening aroma within twenty minutes. This reduction deepens the base. Parmesan rind tucked in early, an underrated trick, shapes the soup’s backbone. Simmering with carrots and herbs rounds flavor but resist temptations to add zucchini too soon. Zucchini breaks down fast; wait until pasta’s nearly done to toss skin-on chunks in. Uses all nutrition, vibrant color intact. Beans rinse away packing flavors, making soup lively instead of canned. Taste and adjust salt last; that’s how you avoid oversalting, big mistake in soups. The last step’s always folding in beans and removing bay leaves, rind. Serve with fresh parmesan shaving on top for a punch of texture and taste. Low fuss. Big payoff.

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic, diced and rested 10-15 min

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 cans petite diced tomatoes, juices included

1/2 cup dry white vermouth (sub: dry sherry)

6 cups vegetable stock (sub: chicken stock)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 parmesan rind piece (~1 inch thick)

2 large carrots, peeled and diced

2 cups dried Ditalini pasta (sub: small shells)

2 medium zucchini, diced with skin

2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (sub: navy beans)

1 cup water

2 bay leaves

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Fresh parmesan wedge, shaved for serving

About the ingredients

Garlic prepping upfront is essential — dicing then resting lets allicin formation maximize immune and flavor benefits. Olive oil quality matters; extra virgin gives better aroma but watch heat to avoid burning. Vermouth is used here instead of a generic dry white wine for a nuanced layer. No vermouth? Dry sherry or dry white are close subs. Parmesan rind is treasure; it adds umami that no grated cheese can replace. If you can’t find rind, add a bit more tomato paste or some grated aged cheese but the infusion won’t be the same. Dry Ditalini pasta keeps shape well in the soup without turning mushy. Small pasta shells or elbow macaroni are fine substitutes; just keep a close eye on cooking times. Zucchini skin is edible and vibrant green, leave it on for nutrients and texture. Beans need rinsing to wash away packing liquids — prevents flavor dullness and excess salt. Cannellini beans are traditional but navy beans work well too. Always use good quality stock or broth; homemade is best. Carrots add a subtle sweetness balancing acidic tomatoes. Bay leaves contribute herbal bitterness but remove before serving; no one wants a surprise leaf bite.

Method

Dice garlic first, spread on cutting board, let sit 10-15 minutes to activate enzymes for better flavor and immune benefits. Rushing this step wastes garlic’s power.

Heat olive oil in large heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Wait till oil shimmers and moves fluidly across pan before adding onion and garlic. Sauté stirring often until onions turn translucent and smell sweet, about 7-9 minutes. Don’t brown garlic or onions here, burnt garlic gives bitterness. Slow is key.

Add diced tomatoes in juice, then pour in vermouth. Stir to combine. Raise heat to medium-low and let simmer uncovered. Watch liquid reduce and thicken to sauce consistency. About 18-22 minutes. The scent darkens, acidity mellows. No lids to avoid bland stewing.

Add stock, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, parmesan rind, carrots, and bay leaves. Bring mixture to full boil, stir constantly first 2 minutes to prevent sticking and layer flavors quickly. Boil breaks down carrot fibers better but don’t overdo.

Lower heat to gentle simmer. Salt lightly now to control seasoning going forward. Stir in dry pasta and zucchini pieces (skin on for color, nutrients, texture). The skin holds shape and adds subtle bitterness balancing sweet carrot and tomato. No peeling needed, just dice evenly.

In a separate colander rinse canned beans to wash packing liquid that dulls taste and adds unwanted salt. Set aside drained beans until last step. Rinsing crucial for fresh flavor and softer soup texture.

Pour in 1 cup water, stir well. Simmer with pot partially covered for 10-15 minutes or until pasta al dente and zucchini tender but not mushy. Visual cues: pasta swells and softens, zucchini brightens and yields to fork easily but still holds shape.

Turn off heat. Gently fold in beans, adjust salt and pepper seasoning. Leave bay leaves and parmesan rind visible to fish out before serving. The rind will have softened but remains firm enough to remove in one piece.

Serve hot with fresh parmesan shaved on top and cracked black pepper. Cheese melts over warm soup, adds complexity and depth.

Optional twist: swap vermouth for dry sherry or dry white wine if unavailable. Use small shells if no Ditalini; adjust simmer time slightly. If parmesan rind missing, add a handful of grated aged parm during cooking instead but lose that umami infusion punch.

Technique Tips

Start chopping garlic right away, letting it rest before hitting heat gives flavor boost and health benefits. Heat olive oil until it shimmers — visual cue for correct temperature — then in go onions and garlic. Sauté on medium heat until onions turn translucent and smell sweet. Avoid browning garlic here to prevent bitterness. Add canned tomatoes in their juices plus vermouth. Simmer uncovered till volume drops by close to half; smell changes from sharp acidity to balanced sweet tomato. Next, pour in broth, tomato paste, herbs, parmesan rind, carrots, and bay leaves. Bring mixture to a full boil while stirring constantly two minutes to prevent sticking; this jumpstarts carrot softening and flavor melding. Lower to gentle simmer. Salt early but lightly. Pasta and zucchini dice come next; zucchini’s skin left intact offers color, nutrients, and texture. Beans rinsed and held back to add last, to avoid overcooking. Add water to keep simmer going, cook 10-15 minutes till pasta is al dente and zucchini tender but not falling apart — the most important visual cue here. Turn off heat. Gently stir in beans, season with salt and pepper again if needed. Remove rind and bay leaves; rind should be softened and easy to fish out in one piece. Serve with fresh parmesan shaved on top and cracked pepper. The sharp cheese melting over steaming soup gives contrast and layers every bite. Watch closely during simmer; pasta texture and zucchini bite tell all. Overcooked pasta ruins soup, mushy veggies bore. Precision in timing with sensory cues is the secret.

Chef's Notes

💡 Garlic prep really matters—dice it first; let it sit. Alliin enzymes activate when resting. Maximizes flavor, brings health benefits too. Don't skip. If rushed, lose that depth.
💡 Use a heavy pot. Heat olive oil until shimmering—not smoking—before adding onion and garlic. Medium heat gets onions translucent. A sweet aroma means you're on track; avoid browning.
💡 Simmering tomatoes and vermouth uncovered deepens flavor. Liquid should reduce to sauce consistency. Watch closely; stirring helps layers meld. This takes around 20 minutes.
💡 Don't overcrowd with zucchini. Add it only when the pasta's almost ready. Skin-on retains nutrients, color, and texture. Visual cue: zucchini brightens, fork-tender but not mushy—key here.
💡 Rinse beans thoroughly before adding. Wash away the packing liquid; they absorb flavors better. Canned beans can dull taste if not rinsed. Prevents soup from feeling canned.