Franco’S Authentic Italian Minestrone Recipe

Name: Franco’S Authentic Italian Minestrone
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: FOR THE MINESTRONE:; 1/4 cups Olive Oil; 4 cloves Garlic; 1 whole Large Carrot; 1 whole Yukon Gold Potato; 2 whole Leeks Thinly Sliced, Both White And Light Green Parts; 1/2 whole Cabbage; 1 slice Pumpkin Or Other Similar Squash; 2 whole Small White Onions; 1 whole Zucchini; 2 stalks Celery; 4 stalks Swiss Chard; 2 cups Spinach Leaves; 1 gallon, 5 cups, 2 tablespoons, 6-3/4 pinches Chicken Broth; 1 cup Tomato Sauce (the Recipe That We Prepared, Ingredients List Below); 15 ounces, weight Cannellini Beans, Rinsed And Drained; 1 can (14 Oz. Size) Artichoke Hearts; 1 piece Parmesan Rind; Salt And Pepper, to taste; 2 Tablespoons Emeril's Italian Seasoning, More If Needed; FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE:; 3 cans San Marzano Whole Tomatoes (28 Oz. Each); 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil; 2 cloves Garlic, Chopped; 1 whole Onion, Chopped Small; 1 bunch Basil, Chopped

Servings: persons

FOR THE MINESTRONE:
1/4 cups Olive Oil
4 cloves Garlic
1 whole Large Carrot
1 whole Yukon Gold Potato
2 whole Leeks Thinly Sliced, Both White And Light Green Parts
1/2 whole Cabbage
1 slice Pumpkin Or Other Similar Squash
2 whole Small White Onions
1 whole Zucchini
2 stalks Celery
4 stalks Swiss Chard
2 cups Spinach Leaves
1 gallon, 5 cups, 2 tablespoons, 6-3/4 pinches Chicken Broth
1 cup Tomato Sauce (the Recipe That We Prepared, Ingredients List Below)
15 ounces, weight Cannellini Beans, Rinsed And Drained
1 can (14 Oz. Size) Artichoke Hearts
1 piece Parmesan Rind
Salt And Pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoons Emeril's Italian Seasoning, More If Needed
FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE:
3 cans San Marzano Whole Tomatoes (28 Oz. Each)
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, Chopped
1 whole Onion, Chopped Small
1 bunch Basil, Chopped

1
First, make the tomato sauce:
2
1. Put tomatoes through a food mill to make a sauce. Set aside.
3
2. Heat oil in a sauce pan over medium heat and add garlic and onion. Saute until onion is golden, about 5 minutes.
4
3. Add tomato sauce and simmer for 15 minutes.
5
4. Add chopped basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
6
This makes more than you need for the soup, but you can freeze the rest.
7
Next make the soup:
8
1. Dice all of the vegetables to about the same size-SMALL-and keep each vegetables separate. I was surprised that Franco had us cut them so small, I thought they would get mushy when you cooked them, but they didn't.
9
2. Saute garlic and olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. I use my 9 1/2 quart Le Creuset.
10
3. Add the slowest cooking vegetables first: carrots, potatoes, leeks, cabbage, onions, and pumpkin.
11
4. After 5 minutes add zucchini, celery, Swiss chard and spinach and stir. Continue heating for another minute or two.
12
5. Add the stock/broth and tomato sauce. I suppose you could cheat and use canned tomato sauce, but it's really worth going to the trouble of making it from scratch. Franco says to cook this mixture until it reduces by 25% but mine only seems to reduce about 10%.
13
6. Add the beans, the artichoke hearts and the rind of the Parmesan. They say when you serve it the person who gets the rind in their bowl will have good luck!
14
7. Skim a little of the foam off the top.
15
8. Season to taste. I add salt, pepper, and play around with other seasonings. Sometimes it's Emeril original seasoning, other times Italian seasonings. Just keep tasting until you get the flavor you like.
16
9. Let it simmer uncovered for a couple hours. It's even better the next day, and best of all...it freezes well!

602

kcal

Calories

Fat

Carbs

Protein

Fat Carbs Protein

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.

Tips for the best results

Read through all the steps once before you start and measure out your ingredients first — it makes everything go more smoothly.
Taste as you go and adjust the seasoning before serving.
Avoid overcrowding the pan — cook in batches if needed for the best texture.
Let the dish rest for a few minutes before serving so the flavors settle.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within a few days.

Variations & substitutions

Feel free to swap in similar ingredients you already have on hand and adjust seasoning to taste.

No specific allergen information. Please check the ingredient list for possible allergens.

My Personal Notes

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How did you like this recipe?

This recipe makes 4 servings. You can adjust the portion size directly on this page.

You need 26 ingredients. The key ingredients include: FOR THE MINESTRONE:, 1/4 cups Olive Oil, 4 cloves Garlic, 1 whole Large Carrot, and more.

Yes, Franco’S Authentic Italian Minestrone falls under the Soups & Stews category and is a great choice for this type of meal.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently before serving.

That's it — enjoy your meal!

Franco’S Authentic Italian Minestrone

Tips for the best results

Variations & substitutions

My Personal Notes

How did you like this recipe?

Frequently Asked Questions