Ligurian Minestrone Soup packed full of goodness with squash, zucchini, cabbage, beans, pasta, and topped with homemade Genovese pesto. This recipe is not only hearty and healthy but is packed full of delicious flavour.
Minestrone alla Genovese is a hearty and healthy minestrone soup from the Italian region of Liguria.
Minestrone varies all over Italy from different regions (see our Tuscan minestrone), households and of course, with each season (check out our Minestrone Primavera)! It's a hearty soup made with pretty much any vegetables you have, beans and a little pasta. It's packed full of goodness.
Minestrone alla Genovese is made extra flavourful by adding a spoonful of basil pesto in at the end and it's utterly delicious - I'm going to say it again, homemade pesto is a MUST!
There's no tomato involved and it is completely vegetarian (if you use a vegetarian friendly hard cheese to make the pesto). Grab a slice of crusty bread or salty focaccia and dig in!
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Ingredients - what you need
See the photo below that shows you everything you need to make this recipe plus some important tips on ingredients!
- Onion - finely chopped.
- Butternut squash - any kind of squash will work really well or replace it with carrot.
- Potatoes - cut into medium sized cubes.
- Zucchini - instead of zucchini you could use eggplant (aubergine).
- Green beans - cut in half or thirds so they're easy to eat with a spoon.
- Cannellini beans - you can also use borlotti beans.
- Pasta - use any kind of short or small pasta shape.
- Stock - make sure to use low sodium stock so you can control the amount of salt that goes in. We used chicken but vegetable will also work well.
- Parmesan rind - this is optional, only use it if you have one. I tend to freeze mine so I have them on hand to throw into soups and stews!
- Basil - make sure it's fresh without bruising and not wilting.
- Olive oil - use a good quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Pecorino cheese - you can also use parmigiano reggiano or a mixture of both.
- Garlic - use a small clove or half of a big one, you don't want it to be too strong.
- Pine nuts - you can also use walnuts, cashews or pistachios (they will give a different flavour but still work well).
Step by step photos and recipe instructions
Preparation tips!
- Finely chop the onion and chop all other veg into bite-sized pieces.
- Get your stock ready.
Step 1 - saute the onions until soft then add the squash, zucchini, potatoes and parmesan rind if using along with the stock. Bring to a boil then cover and simmer for 25 minutes (photos 1-3).
Step 2 - uncover and add the cabbage, green beans, canned beans and pasta, Cover for 5 minutes then uncover until the pasta is cooked (photo 4).
Step 3 - add all the pesto ingredients to a bowl and blitz to a smooth paste using an immersion blender. You can also use a food processor or mortar and pestle (photos 5 & 6).
Step 4 - when the soup is done, serve in bowls topped with a heaped teaspoon of pesto, stir it in and serve (photos 7 & 8).
Recipe tips and FAQs
- What vegetables to use - this is a great soup for using up any leftover veggies that are hanging around, use anything you have.
- Cutting your veggies - make sure to cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces so they cook evenly and are easy to eat with a spoon.
- Adding pasta to your soup - pasta inflates and turns mushy the longer it's in liquid. We recommend only adding pasta to the portions you are going to eat right away.
- Storing pesto - leftover pesto will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Add around 1 heaped teaspoon to each bowl of soup. Don't add it all to the pot, I find it loses its flavour over time sitting in the liquid.
Yes, we've tested this recipe using both dried and canned cannellini beans. If using dried make sure to soak them overnight first then add them at the same time you add the stock.
Yes, to make the soup completely vegetarian make sure to use vegetable stock and a vegetarian friendly hard cheese to make the pesto.
Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 2 days and can be reheated on the stovetop until piping hot.
Yes, this is a great soup for freezing just make sure to freeze it the same day it's made.
More delicious Italian soup recipes
- Pappa al Pomodoro (Italian Bread Soup)
- Carabaccia (Tuscan Onion Soup)
- Italian Lentil Soup (Zuppa di Lenticchie)
- Tuscan Chickpea Soup
- Tuscan Farro Soup with Beans
If you’ve tried this Ligurian Minestrone Soup or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW US on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST or sign up to our NEWSLETTER to see more of our delicious food
📖 Full Recipe
Ligurian Minestrone Soup with Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- 1 small butternut squash (3 cups/450g)
- 4 medium potatoes (3 cups/450g)
- 2 cups green beans (180g)
- 2 zucchini (courgette)
- ¾ cups savoy cabbage (250g)
- 2 cups canned cannellini beans (300g) * see notes if using dried beans
- 1.5 cups short pasta (150g)
- 1 parmesan rind (optional)
- 7 cups chicken or vegetable stock (1.6 litres)
Pesto ingredients
- 2 tightly packed cups fresh basil (50g)
- 2 tablespoons pinenuts (30g)
- 1 small clove garlic
- â…” cup freshly grated pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (40g)
- â…“ cup olive oil (80ml)
- Salt to season
Instructions
Prepare your ingredients
- Finely chop the onion and cut all other vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Make sure your stock is ready.
To make the minestrone
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large, deep pot. Add the finely chopped onion and saute until soft (around 2-3 minutes).
- Next, add the zucchini, squash and potatoes to the pot along with 6.5 cups (1.6 litres) of stock and add a good pinch of salt. Add a parmesan rind if using, bring to a boil then cover the pot and let it simmer for 25 minutes.
- Uncover the pot and add the green beans, canned beans, cabbage and pasta. Cover again for 5 minutes to wilt the cabbage then uncover and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the pasta is cooked.
- To make the pesto
- Add all the pesto ingredients to a bowl and blitz to a smooth paste using an immersion blender (hand-held). Alternatively you can so this in a food processor or mortar and pestle.
To serve
- Taste the soup for seasoning and add salt as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each bowl with a heaped teaspoon of basil pesto, stir in and serve.
Notes
- If using dried beans - make sure to soak the beans overnight first (usually at least 12 hours) then add them at the same time as the stock.
- What vegetables to use - this is a great soup for using up any leftover veggies that are hanging around, use anything you have.
- Cutting your veggies - make sure to cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces so they cook evenly and are easy to eat with a spoon.
- Adding pasta to your soup - pasta inflates and turns mushy the longer it's in liquid. We recommend only adding pasta to the portions you are going to eat right away.
- Storing pesto - leftover pesto will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days
- Leftovers and freezing - leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 2-3 days or can be frozen. This soup is best frozen within 1 day of being made.
Nutrition
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Todd
Does the Parmesan rind just melt into the stock? I thought you had to put the Parmesan rind in first and boil it, then blend it, and then strain it? https://www.seriouseats.com/creamy-parmesan-stock-5184256
Emily
Hi Todd, it gets added to the stock to add flavour but it’s then removed at the end.
Olivia
Just a quick comment, zucchini is missing from the list of ingredients! I got home after the grocery store and started reading the instructions and realized I don’t have it 😂 I’m excited to try this and I’m sure it’ll be delicious anyway!
Emily
Ahh sorry Olivia, I've just added the zucchini into the recipe card now, luckily it will still taste delicious without. Thank you for letting me know!