French Minestrone: The perfect cup of soup for spring

This is a soup the whole family can get on board with.

There is still a bite to the air in springtime. Which is why we’re making French minestrone for dinner! It’s not as heavy as the Italian recipe, but still gives you that cozy feeling we still crave.

Erin Mylroie shares the recipe. She shares how to pair this dish with a winter pesto for the perfect combo.

Find more recipes from Erin on Instagram, @undercover.weightwatcher

French Minestrone

Ingredients

• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 t dried thyme or herbes aux provence
• 2 T tomato paste
• 2 c crushed tomatoes, or canned diced tomatoes, undrained
• 4 c broth (vegetable, chicken, or beef)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 potato, peeled and diced
• 2 (14 oz) cans white beans, undrained
• 1 c green beans, cut into one inch pieces
• 8 oz small pasta, cooked, drained, and tossed with a little olive oil

For the Winter Pesto:

• 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 T dried basil

For serving:

• Finely grated Parmesan cheese
• Sliced baguette

Directions

Preheat a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and swirl it in the pan. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, and cook for five minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for thirty seconds. Add the tomato paste and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Add the crushed tomatoes, broth, bay leaves, potato, and beans. Bring to a boil and simmer for fifteen minutes. Add the green beans and cook and additional ten minutes. Taste the soup for salt and pepper and adjust. Check to make sure all the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaves. Add the pasta to the soup, if serving immediately, or wait and add pasta to each individual bowl. Prepare the winter pesto by warming the olive oil in a small skillet over low heat. Add the garlic clove and cook for thirty seconds. Stir in the basil and cook just until fragrant. Spoon a little of the winter pesto over each bowl of soup. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve with sliced baguette on the side. Makes eight (2 cup) servings with 2 teaspoons pesto per person.