Minestrone soup with kale
Minestrone is a feast to eat. Ideal for using up leftover vegetables without compromising on taste.
Ingredients · Servings 6 people
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 leek
- in rings
- 2 carrots
- a slice
- 1 can of diced tomatoes
- 2 stalks of celery
- in pieces
- 1 courgette
- in cubes
- 200 g kale
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pinch of sugar
- 1.5 l vegetable stock
- 400g cans of white beans (drained)
- Fresh basil
- minced meat (as garnish)
- salt and pepper
- 1 bunch of fresh parsley
- finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic
- zest of a lemon
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 50 g grated Parmesan cheese
- 60 ml olive oil
- Stale bread
- roughly torn into cubes
- 1 clove of garlic
- crushed
Method · 55 min
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
- Add the garlic, leek, zucchini, carrot, and celery and cook for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the tomato paste and fry for 1-2 minutes.
- Then add the can of tomatoes along with oregano, thyme, bay leaves, and a pinch of sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir everything well.
- Add the vegetable stock and bring the soup to a boil.
- Add the kale.
- Lower the heat and let the soup simmer gently for 20-25 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas or white beans and let the soup simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaves from the soup.
- Stir in the fresh basil and/or use it as a garnish.
- Put the parsley, garlic, lemon zest, pine nuts (or walnuts), and Parmesan cheese in a food processor. Grind everything finely.
- Slowly add the olive oil while the food processor is running until you get a smooth pesto.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the crushed garlic clove and fry briefly to flavor the oil.
- Add the bread and fry the cubes until they are golden brown and crispy.
- Season with salt and pepper.
I am honored to cook the Freedom Soup of 2025, and to do so together with my Grandma Jeanne. I have always believed in the connecting power of food. At the table, we share stories and find comfort in each other's company. I am deeply drawn to creating a meal with the Freedom Soup where we can reflect together on the importance of freedom.
