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Minestrone with Ditalini
Melissa Hart

Minestrone with Ditalini

A proper minestrone is vegetables, beans and pasta sharing broth, not a spoon standing in canned tomato. Cooking ditalini separately keeps that balance through leftovers. The zucchini and green beans join late enough to keep their color and shape.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion
  • 2 cups diced carrots
  • 1 1/2 cups diced celery
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 28 oz canned diced tomatoes
  • 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 15 oz canned kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 15 oz canned cannellini beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 cups diced zucchini
  • 2 cups cut green beans
  • 8 oz dry ditalini pasta
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Method
 

  1. Place the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, tomatoes, broth, both beans, oregano and salt in a 6-quart crockpot.
  2. Cover and cook on low for 5 1/2 hours until the carrots are tender.
  3. Add the zucchini and green beans and cook on high for 30 minutes.
  4. Cook the ditalini separately for 1 minute less than the package directs, drain it, and stir it into the soup.
  5. Add the lemon juice and serve before the pasta absorbs too much broth.