Minestrone - Italian Vegetable, Ham & Pasta Soup

A few years ago Princess' fondness for all things tomato led me to revive a favourite from my childhood in Italy - Minestrone or Italian Vegetable, Ham, Bean & Pasta Soup.

I used to have to purée the soup for her as she has cerebral palsy and has difficulty chewing, plus puréeing hid the vegetables from her younger brother and sister.  But now not only to Sprout & Baby Boy help me make it, but the 'lumps' are positively looked forward to.

Minestrone is great way of getting a hugely healthy amount of veg and pulses into the kids. I remember supermarkets in Italy selling ready chopped minestrone packs of vegetables, but like any traditional family recipe the variations are endless. I feel that tomato, beans, bacon, pasta, and a green vegetable are key to the taste - but you may not. A vegetarian version can be easily make by leaving out the bacon and using vegetable stock cubes

Makes 4 hearty servings

1 medium onion, peeled and diced (optional if you are using leeks)
1 large clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 large carrot, diced
1 large stick of celery, diced
100g bacon bits, lardons, or leftover chopped ham
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 can of beans (haricot, cannellini, kidney, whatever)
1 litre recently boiled water (or ham stock if you boil a ham)
2 chicken stock cube (optional)
Half a small cabbage, finely sliced (or leeks, spring greens, courgettes, kale...)
50-100g soup pasta, macaroni, or broken pasta (50g makes a more soupy consistency, 100g a thicker 
1 tbsp olive oil for frying
1 tsp herbes de provence or oregano or 2 bay leaves (optional)

Soften the onion, carrot, and celery in the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. 

When slightly softened, add the bacon/ham. Stir around for about a minute then add the rest of the ingredients. If using ham stock, do not use stock cubes.

Cover with a lid and bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer for 20-30 minutes until the pasta is soft. Stir from time to time to stop the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

My mum always used to say that this soup was better the day after, as the flavours seemed to develop more, but I am never organised enough to do this nor have enough space in the fridge to keep it cool overnight. The closest I get is to make it on a Sunday morning whilst the kids and Dad are having breakfast, then turn the gas off and leave it on the stove with the lid on firmly whilst we go off swimming in the local pool and have this for lunch 3-4 hours later with a sprinkling of grated cheddar (it should be parmesan but I never have it in).

November 2025: Big Boy is now 17 and 6' 2".  He takes Minestrone in a flask as a packed lunch to Sixth Form college. 

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