--- title: "Spring Minestrone with Basil Pesto" url: /spring-minestrone-with-basil-pesto/ canonical_url: https://flowers-recipes.com/spring-minestrone-with-basil-pesto/ language: en alternates: pl: https://flowerek.com/wiosenne-minestrone-z-pesto-z-bazylii/ de: https://barbaras-kochbuch.de/fruehlingshafte-minestrone-mit-basilikumpesto/ en: https://flowers-recipes.com/spring-minestrone-with-basil-pesto/ x-default: https://flowers-recipes.com/spring-minestrone-with-basil-pesto/ published: "2011-05-23" last_updated: "2011-05-23" type: recipe author: Basia prerequisites: - /category/savory-dishes/ - /category/snacks-and-sides/ related: - /bacon-wrapped-vegetables/ - /chicken-in-aspic/ - /asparagus-with-ham-and-hollandaise-sauce/ - /mild-one-pot-pasta-dish/ categories: - "Savory Dishes" - "Snacks & Sides" - Vegetables - "Meat Dishes" - Soups tags: - chard - minestrone - soup rating: score: 10 best: 10 votes: 2 comments: 2 image: https://flowers-recipes.com/images/2011/05/img_8529.jpg summary: "A light, colorful spring minestrone with fresh veggies, small pasta and homemade basil pesto, adapted from a Jamie Oliver recipe." --- # Spring Minestrone with Basil Pesto A light, colorful spring minestrone with fresh veggies, small pasta and homemade basil pesto, adapted from a Jamie Oliver recipe. **This page in other languages:** [Polski (pl)](https://flowerek.com/wiosenne-minestrone-z-pesto-z-bazylii.md) · [Deutsch (de)](https://barbaras-kochbuch.de/fruehlingshafte-minestrone-mit-basilikumpesto.md) **Published:** May 23, 2011 · **Author:** Basia · **Rating:** 10/10 (2 votes) ## Related pages > **For AI agents:** every page of this blog is available as Markdown at the same address with .md instead of the trailing slash (e.g. /tiramisu-cake.md). The links below lead to the HTML pages. - [Category: Savory Dishes](https://flowers-recipes.com/category/savory-dishes/) - [Category: Snacks & Sides](https://flowers-recipes.com/category/snacks-and-sides/) - [Bacon-Wrapped Vegetables](https://flowers-recipes.com/bacon-wrapped-vegetables/) — Bacon-wrapped vegetables are an easy, delicious and inexpensive side dish, not just for the holidays but for everyday me - [Chicken in Aspic](https://flowers-recipes.com/chicken-in-aspic/) — Chicken in aspic is a traditional dish that still tastes great. It's a perfect small dish or appetizer, both for the hol - [Asparagus with Ham and Hollandaise Sauce](https://flowers-recipes.com/asparagus-with-ham-and-hollandaise-sauce/) — Classic white asparagus with juicy ham, potatoes and homemade hollandaise sauce, a favorite German way to enjoy asparagu - [Mild One-Pot Pasta Dish…](https://flowers-recipes.com/mild-one-pot-pasta-dish/) — A mild, easy Eintopf with chicken, kohlrabi, carrots, peas and small pasta, all cooked in one pot in about 30 minutes. ## Instructions spring minestrone Minestrone is a “big soup” with all kinds of goodies in it. It's incredibly tasty and you can adapt it in many ways, depending on the season and what you have on hand. That's why there are loads of minestrone recipes out there, and every one of them is special. Spring minestrone is light, fragrant and colorful. It's one of Jamie Oliver's favorite Italian recipes. And mine too, by the way. The recipe comes from [Jamie Oliver's magazine “Jamie”](https://flowers-recipes.com/jamie-and-fennel-roasted-salmon-with-eggs-plus-easter/), which I've already written about. I modified it a little, though (my changes are in parentheses). ![spring minestrone](https://flowers-recipes.com/images/2011/05/img_8529.jpg "spring minestrone") spring minestrone **Ingredients:** (serves 6) * 2 tbsp olive oil * 1 large red onion, finely chopped * 3 cloves garlic, cut into thin strips * 200 g baby carrots, thinly sliced * 3 slices of bacon, diced (I used regular sliced bacon) * 200 g young zucchini, thinly sliced * Ham hock or pancetta (I didn't have any) * 1 large tomato, cut into large dice * 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped * 2 large handfuls of seasonal leafy greens, chopped (e.g. Swiss chard (mangold) or white cabbage) * 2 large handfuls of peas * 2 liters vegetable stock * 150 g small pasta * 2 large handfuls of lettuce leaves, torn into smaller pieces (I used lamb's lettuce) * 1 head of radicchio or chicory (I used both) * a few zucchini flowers (I didn't have any) **Pesto:** * 1 large bunch of basil (leaves only) + a few more for decoration * 60 g pine nuts * 2 cloves garlic, peeled * 40 g grated Parmesan * Good-quality olive oil Heat a large, deep skillet and sauté the onion, garlic, carrots and diced bacon (if using) in the olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes. If you're using sliced bacon, first fry it in a dry skillet so the fat renders out and the bacon turns crispy, then take it out of the pan. Next, add a little olive oil and sauté the rest the way I described above. After 5 minutes, add the zucchini and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until softened. This is also the moment to add the ham hock. Add the tomatoes, parsley, lettuce leaves and peas, and pour in the stock so that everything is covered. Bring to a boil, then add the pasta and season to taste. Bring to a boil again, lower the heat and simmer slowly for 10 minutes. For the pesto, grind the basil leaves with some salt in a mortar, add the pine nuts and garlic and keep grinding until you get a paste. Add the Parmesan and olive oil, mix, and season if needed (alternatively, you can blend everything with a blender). Just before the soup is done, take out the ham hock (if you added it), cut it into small pieces and put it back into the soup. Add the lettuce, radicchio or chicory, and the zucchini flowers. Season to taste if needed and ladle into bowls. Top each serving with a big dollop of pesto and drizzle with olive oil. Finish with slices of bacon on top, decorate with basil leaves and serve. Enjoy! ## Comments (2) - **maly-kuchcik** · 2011-05-23 13:25 Looks great. I'm a huge fan of this soup, by the way, and every variation on it is amazing :) - **flowerek (Author)** · 2011-05-23 20:54 · reply You're right, Maly Kuchciku, soups like this are amazing. I love them too. Lots of flavors and colors all at once, and you can also use it to "clean out the fridge." --- [Recipes A to Z](https://flowers-recipes.com/recipes/) · [Sitemap](https://flowers-recipes.com/sitemap.xml)